282 INVESTIGATION OE THE FUR-SEAL INDUSTRY OE ALASKA.. 



etc.; that he (McLean) "must be arrested by a British officer of the 

 patrol fleet/' etc. ? 



The reason is found in the report of the House Committee on 

 Expenditures in the Department of Commerce and Labor, No. 1425, 

 Sixty-second Congress, third session, page 4, to wit: 



In 1893 proceedings were commenced in the State Department, claiming damages 

 on the part of owners, master, and crew of the James Hamilton Lewis. H. H. D. 

 Peirce and Charles H. Townsend, "sealing experts," of the United States Bureau of 

 Fisheries, prepared the cases for the parties interested and presented the claim on 

 the part of the United States against the Russian Government at The Hague in 1902, 

 which resulted in an award of approximately $50,000 in favor of the United States 

 Government for the use of the parties interested, including Alexander McLean and 

 Max Weisman, November 29, 1902. The said H. H. D. Peirce and Charles H. Town- 

 send presented the claim of Max Weisman as the owner of the vessel James Hamilton 

 Lewis before the tribunal at The Hague, when in truth and in fact the owner of said 

 schooner at the time of its seizure was Herman Liebes, of San Francisco. The said 

 H. H. D. Peirce and Charles H. Townsend represented to the tribunal in the trial of 

 said case that Alexander McLean, the captain of said vessel, was an American citizen, 

 when in truth and fact he was a British subject and notoriously known as a pirate. 

 (See pp. 754, 755, Hearing No. 12.) 



In Hearing No. 13, page 831, June 20, 1912, House Committee on 

 Expenditures in the Department of Commerce and Labor, is the 

 following: 



STATEMENT OF ISAAC LIEBES. 



The witness was duly sworn by the chairman. 



Tin:' Chairman. What is your full name? 



Mr. Liebes. Isaac Liebes. 



The Chairman. Where do you live? 



Mr. Liebes. In San Francisco. 



The Chairman. Anil what is your business? 



Mr. Liebes. I am a merchant. 



The Chairman. V hal kind of business as a merchant do you conduct? 



Mr. Liebes. Fur business, and I am also connected with the salmon business. I 

 am vice president of the Northern Navigation Co., Northern Commercial Co., director 

 in the North American Commercial Co., and I am connected with 9 or 10 other cor- 

 porations in San Francii 



The men indicted August 19, 1905, in re "Acapulco" in the United 

 States District Court of San Francisco, were Alexander McLean, R. 

 J. Tyson, S. E. R. de Saint, W. J. Wood, and W. J. Woodside, 

 charged with conspiracy under section 5440, Revised Statutes. 



In Hearing No. 4, page 1S4, July 11, 1911, House Committee on 

 Expenditures in the Department of Commerce and Labor, is the 

 following sworn record of — > 



THE PROGRESSION OF CAPT. ALEXANDER M'LEAN AS AN "AMERICAN CITIZEN." 



1890. In command of ihe ./. Hamilton Lewis; H. Liebes, owner; raids Copper 

 Island and gets off, August 1, with two men badly hurt. 



1891. In command of the ./. Hamilton seized August 2, while raiding 

 Copper Island with the crew of the E. E. Webster, owned by H. Liebes and com- 

 manded by his brother: vessel confiscated and he is imprisoned at Vladivostok a 

 few weeks. 



1592. In command of the Rosa S purls, sealing schooner of San Francisco; no raids 

 this year. 



1593. In command of the steam sealer Alexander, flying the Hawaiian flag; he is 

 caught by the U. S. S. Mohican raiding Northeast Point, St. Paul Island, in July, 

 but escapes iu the fog because the war vessel's engines were disabled. 



1S94 to L902. In command of various pelade vessels, but under restraint from the 

 lessees, since the claim of the ./. Hamilton Lewis is being prepared and pressed, up 

 to its successful end November 29. 1902, at The Hague. 



