236 FUR-SEAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA. 



Q. You heard what he testified to here? — A. Yes, sir; I heard some- 

 thing regarding the trouble they had last winter about his peculiar 

 ideas, etc. 



Q. Did you hear of any other disagreements or conflicts between the 

 company's employes and the Government agents! — A. Other Govern- 

 ment agents ? No, sir ; I do not think there were any other. I do not re- 

 member any other agent having trouble with any of the employes. 



By Mr. Macdonald : 



Q. State what you heard about Mr. Gavitt's trouble. — A. I heard it in 

 a general way from the employes of the company in their conversation 

 about it. 



Q. Did they complain about his conduct ? — A. They did not make 

 any formal complaint about it. They said he was a rather peculiar man 

 and acted as if he was not in his right mind at all times. For instance, 

 on Decoration Day, they hoisted the flag at half-mast and that he ob- 

 jected and said it was an insult to the flag and was done to annoy him. 



Q. Is that the only incidentyou heard there about the trouble between 

 him and them ? — A. I understood that he declared the lease of the com- 

 pany forfeited because they closed the school too soon. He would not 

 allow them to commence taking seal until Colonel Tingle and Dr. Mcln- 

 tyre arrived upon the islands in the spring. 



Q. Did you have any personal knowledge of those facts? — A. No, 

 sir; only hearsay. 



Q. Did you ever have any conversation with Mr. Gavitt? — A. Yes, 

 sir ; I talked with him whenever I visited the islands. 



Q. Did you see much of him while he was there ? — A. Yes, sir ; I had 

 several conversations with him. 



Q. How^ did he impress you Jis to the kind of a man he was ?— A. I 

 thought he was rather light and peculiar, and not by any means com- 

 petent to hold so responsible a position. He seemed to be afraid that 

 somebody was going to kill him. I did not see any one make any at 

 tempts of that kind. 



By the Chairman : 



Q. Did he have anything like a reasonable foundation for such an 

 apprehension ? — A. Certainly not. I would uot have been afraid to be 

 there. I think Mr. Gavitt is not at all times of sound mind. 



Q. Did you hear anything that you thought would be sufBcient to 

 give him such an impression as that, or that would lead him to think 

 that he was likely to be killed! — A. No, sir; I do uot really think he 

 believed it himself. Mr. Redpath here is a fair sample of the employes. 

 Mr. Morgan and Dr. Mclntyre are also fair samples, the latter being 

 superintendent of the islands. 



Q. Did you see this Mr. Gavitt soon after he arrived ! — A. Yes, sir ; 

 ])robably two or three weeks afterwards. He went up to the island of 

 St. George about a mouth before I went to Alaska. 



By Mr. Jeffries : 



Q. You are familiar with the habits of the fur seal, I suppose, to some 

 extent 'I — A. Yes, sir. 



Q. Is it a fact that the old bull seals remain on the rookeries during 

 the whole summer season? — A. Yes, sir ; I understand so. 



Q. And what you call the bachelor seals stay down near the water 

 and near the shore ? — A. Yes, sir ; the}" herd by themselves on separate 

 rookeries. 



Q. Shortly after the female seals arrive they bring forth their young? — 

 A. Yes, sir : I understand it is so. 



