IjSTVESTIGATIOST OF THE FUR-SEAL INDUSTRY OF ALASKA. 107 



OFFICIAL RECORDS IN RE THE "KATE AND ANNA" * (SEALING SCHOONER) — PROOF THAT 

 SHE WAS A "PIRATE" AROUND ST. PAUL ISLAND, 1890 — -TAKEN TO THE HAGUE BY 

 PEIRCE AND TOWNSEND IN 1902, AS A "jUST AND VALID CLAIMANT" AGAINST RUSSIA. 



In re Kate and Anna. Official entry in St. Paul's journal by J. P. 

 Manchester, United States special agent in charge (p. 24): 



August 8, 1890. — At 11 a. m. U. S. revenue cutter Rush in sight at east end of the 

 island after the schooner; 12.30 p. m. she captures schooner about 10 miles east of the 

 village. Good deal of excitement among the people over this, as this schooner has 

 been around and near the island many times this summer. About 7 p. m. Capt. 

 Sheppard came ashore and reported the schooner was Kate and Anna, 582 skins. 



The "pirate" schooner Kate and Anna. Special Agent Jos. Mur- 

 ray enters in St. Paul official journal (p. 275) : 



Thursday, September 4, 1890.- — Antone Melovidov telephoned from N. E. P. that the 

 schooner was anchored there and had three boats out with hunters killing seals within 

 half a mile of land. 



From Cross Hill he watched them through a glass and counted 10 or 12 shots fired 

 for one seal secured by the hunters. 



It was the same schooner that has been around the islands for several weeks and 

 which was overhauled last week and released by the Rush. The name of the schooner 

 is the Kate and Anna, Capt. Lutzen, of Portland, Oreg. 



Saturday, September 6, 1890. — Antone is still at N. E. Point and telephoned this 

 morning that the same schooner (Kate and Anna) had anchored there last night and is 

 still there to-day. (P. 276.) 



Sunday, September 7, 1890. — Schooner Kate and Anna still at N. E. Point fishing for 

 seals within 1 mile of the shore. Thus far there has not been any attempt made to 

 land. * * I feel humiliated as I watch the pirates shoot the seals almost within 



range of the rifle in my own hands. (P. 277.) 



Monday, September 8, 1890. — Schooner still at N. E. Point. No attempt made to 

 land yet, nor do they need to come ashore for seals so long as they can lower nets down 

 and capture all they can carry off without serious protest by anyone. (P. 277.) 



September 9, 1890. — Antone Melovidov returned fromN. E. Point and reported the 

 departure of the schooner. (P. 278.) 



September 10, 1890. — Revenue cutter Bear anchored here at noon from Oonalashka 

 and several of her officers came ashore for a few hours. * * * The Bear weighed 

 anchor and went down to N. E. Point. (P. 278.) 



September 11, 1890— -The Bear is anchored at N. E. Point. (P. 278.) 



September 15, 1890. — The Bear left to-day for St. George and Oonalashka. (P. 281.) 



September 16, 1890. — The Bear returned from St. George this afternoon and anchored 

 at N. E. Point. (P. 281.) 



September 17, 1890. — -Capt. Healy says that he anchored at N. E. Point last night, 

 because he knew a schooner coming to St. Paul would be more apt to anchor there 

 than at any other point around the island. (P. 281.) 



September 18, 1890. — -The Bear left N. E. Point last night and we suppose went to 

 Oonalashka. (P. 282.) 



In view of this record officially made by agents of our Government, 

 it is interesting to review the testimony given below by other agents 

 of our Government who indorsed this pirate ship, as a proper claimant 

 against Russia, in 1902. 



H. H. D. Peirce, under oath, May 29, 1912, tells the House com- 

 mittee that he took the case of the Kate and Anna to The Hague as 

 a just and valid one, when the official records of the Treasury 

 Department declared her in 1890 to have been a pirate and then busy 

 raiding the seals near our own islands (less than one-half mile from 

 shore). 



1 This is one of the four vessels handled by those public agents (Peirce and Townsend), viz, Jas. Hamilton 

 Lewis, the C. H. White, the Kate and Anna, and the whaling barque Cape Horn Pigeon, the Lewis being 

 a notorious pirate owned by Liebes, lessee, seal islands. 



