284 FUR-SEAL FISHERIES OF ALASKA. 



haustive investigation into the vhole matter complain eil of, taking the sworn state- 

 ments of those persons who had wintered on the island with Mr. Gavitt, as well as 

 his own statement. 



Tlie affidavit of Dr. C. A. Lutz, Daniel "Webster, and Eugene Kirk disprove wholly 

 all the charges made by Mr. Gavitt, whilst the recital to me by Mr. Gavitt himself on 

 the occasion of my visit to St. George Island on 30th ultimo only strengthened 

 the statements of others, and leaves him in the unenviable position of having been 

 the main cause of disturbing the harmony and personal friendly relations which ex- 

 isted among the white people of the station when I left him in charge one year ago. 

 Many of the things complained of and recorded by Mr. Gavitt in the public journal, 

 improperly, are of a trivial nature, not proper to be written in the journal. 



I can only excuse Mr. Gavitt's conduct in many things on the ground of ill health. 

 In taking this extremely charitable view, I must, in justice, say that he manifested a 

 disposition of insubordination to his superior officer, and was quarrelsome to a degree 

 which became unbearable. 



Many of the entries in his journal are absolutely false and disgraceful, so much so 

 that I can not refrain from placing on record in the journal this letter, and therefore 

 ask you to spread it in full upon the journal, with such additional indorsements by 

 you which your association and knowledge of Mr. Gavitt would warrant. 

 I am, very i:espectfully, 



Geo. R. Tingle, 



IVeasury Agent. 



Capt. A. P. Loud, 



Assistard Treasury Agent, St. George Island. 



Mr. Jeffries. Q. Is this official correspondence ? — A. Yes, sir. 



The Chairman. Are you acquainted with Mr. Webster, agent of the 

 company ? — A. Yes, sir; very well, for the last three years past. 



Q. You read Mr. Gavitt's testin ouy in relation to Mr. Webster ?— A. 

 Yes, sir. 



Q. In which he says that he (Mr. Webster) was habitually intoxicated. 

 What do you think of Mr. Webster in regard to his habitual propriety 

 and moral conduct? — A. I know Mr. Webster intimately; in that re- 

 spect he is grossly misrepresented. There is not, in fact, a shadow of 

 truth in the statement of Mr. Gavitt in regard to Mr. Webster. He is 

 an old sailor, and went around the Horn when he was ten years old, as 

 I have said, and has been in that country ever since, and, of course, has 

 not had the advantage persons have in being educated. But I consider 

 him very much of a gentleman; he is thoroughly honest and true to 

 the interests of his employers and is a good citizen, as respectable as 

 you will find in anyplace; as to being habitually drunk, there is not one 

 W'Ord of truth in it. I am told that Mr. Webster when m San Fran- 

 cisco will occasionally take a drink. Beyond that I have never heard 

 Mr. Webster was a drinking man at all."^ The truth is, I have offered 

 him liquor myself in my house on St. Paul and he has refused it. I 

 have never known him to take a drink there. I keep a little there for 

 medicinal purposes, and not knowing when we may be visited by a 

 Congressional committee or the governor of Alaska I am always pre- 

 pared for them, and this summer when the governor visited me on St. 

 Paul Island I am sure my forethought was duly appreciated. 



Q. Or in case a sea-serpent bit you? — A. I had occasion for it this 

 summer, when the governor visited me. Mr. Webster has persistently 

 refused to drink anything in my house. The story of his being habitu- 

 ally drunk is absolutely false. 



Q. Is Mr. Webster disposed to resist the authority of the Govern- 

 ment agents ? — A. On the contrary, he is very careful to obey the orders. 

 He has been trained in that kind of a schoof, and he knows the import- 

 ance of obeying orders and law. He is the last man I know of in the 

 company's employ to be charged with anything that would reflect upon 

 a gentleman. 



Q. What do you sav as to whether or not the natives on the seal isl- 



