224 INVESTIGATION OF THE FUR-SEAL INDUSTRY OF ALASKA. 



Taking full notice of the fact that the Hon. Nagel did not intend to 

 recognize the facts in the premises, Mr. Elliott rearranged the salient 

 items of fraud in re of the lessees and mailed them on July 12, 

 1909, to President Taft, as follows, to wit: 



The President wants nothing but the facts — he will attend to nothing else, coming 

 from anyone, no matter how close that person may be to him personally. (News 

 item.) 



BRIEF. 



Analysis of the sworn official evidence which John Raj transmitted to Congress 

 in 1902, which convicts the lessees of the seal islands of Alaska of gaining their lease 

 from the Government, on March 12, 1890, by fraud and perjury, and which is self- 

 confessed in this publication by those lessees aforesaid. 



This proof is detailed in the testimony given to the Ways and Means Committee 

 of the House of Representatives by Henry. W. Elliott, on January 14, 26, and 28, 

 1907. (Said testimony is found in the record of that fur-seal hearing given to Mr. 

 Elliott by that committee on those dates and duly preserved on the files.) 



Respectfully submitted for the information and the use of the President by Henry 

 W. Elliott, July 12, 1909. 



MEMORANDUM FOR THE PRESIDENT IN RE FUR-SEAL FRAUDS. 



The evidence which has been sent in to Congress by John Hay that convicts the 

 lessees of the seal islands of Alaska of fraud and perjury March-12, 1890. in securing 

 their lease from the Government, is found as follows: 



In February, 1890, Secretary Windom invited bids for the renewal of the lease of 

 the seal islands of Alaska, said lease to run from May 1, 1890, 20 years. 



On February 20. in the presence of the agents and representatives of the bidders 

 for this lease, he opened nine proposals. These bids were all carefully scheduled 

 and referred by the Secretary to a board of survey, composed of three chiefs of divisions 

 in the Treasury Department. This board was directed to report to the Secretary 

 the best bid offered as above stated for the Government to accept. 



This board of survey found that the bid of the North American Commercial Co., 

 of San Francisco. Cal., was the best lor the public and so reported to Mr. Windom. 

 This finding was unofficially made known to the bidders, and the Secretary informed 

 the president of the North American Commercial Co., Isaac Liebes, that on the 12th 

 of March this lease aforesaid would be awarded to him then if he appeared at the Treas- 

 ury Department at that time and complied with the stipulations and regulations 

 demanded by law and the department. 



Mr. Liebes appeared as desired and above cited. Mr. Windom then said to him 

 that he had been credibly informed by good authority that Mr. Liebes and his asso- 

 ciate bidders, in the name of the North American Commercial Co.. were owners of 

 pelagic hunting schooners and interested in the buying and selling of fur-seal skins 

 taken at sea. If that were true then Mr. Windom said that he had a plain duty to 

 perform and would throw out the bid of the North American Commercial Co. 



President Liebes replied that this charge that he and his associates then owned a 

 pelagic hunting schooner or schooners or were then interested in the buying and 

 selling of pelagic skins was not true. He said that he and his associates had disposed 

 of all their interests in pelagic sealing vessels and skins and came into this bidding 

 entirely clean and free of any association with or interest in that business of pelagic 

 sealing as charged. 



Secretary Windom then told him that he (Liebes) must make oath to that declara- 

 tion: that if he did so then this lease aforesaid would be duly awarded to the North 

 American Commercial I 



Mr. Liebes replied and said that he was then ready to do so; and he did so in the 

 presence of the Secretary and the several chiefs of division, who formed the Board of 

 Survey, as above stated. This oath having been duly made and recorded, Mr. Windom 

 then, on March 12. 1890, formally executed the lease and awarded it to the North 

 American Commercial Co. aforesaid. (See pp. 142-143, H. Doc. No. 175, 54th Cong., 



2d Ses.O 



When Mr. Isaac Liebes swore, on the 12th day of March. 1890, that neither he nor 

 any of his associates in th" North American Commercial Co. owned pelagic hunting 

 vessels or were interested in the business of pelagic sealine. on that day and date 

 aforesaid he committed deliberate perjury, and by so doing he secured that lease from 

 the Government, as above described, in a fraudulent manner. 



