290 INVESTIGATION OE THE EUR-SEAL INDUSTRY OF ALASKA. 



The Chairman. Is it not true that Isaac and Herman Liebes held this ownership of 

 the said James Hamilton Lewis between them until July 29, 1891? 



Mr. Liebes. I have no personal knowledge of that. 



Mr. Faulkner. Mr. Chairman, I think he ought to be allowed to say, too, that the 

 records show here that it was assigned in September, 1900. 



The Chairman. Yes; I think he has said that. Will you repeat what the considera- 

 tion was when Max Waisman transferred the interests that he had in the James Ham- 

 ilton Lewis to you? I asked you that this morning, 1 believe. 



Mr. Liebes. Whatever the document calls for. 



The Chairman. Mr. Liebes filed an affidavit with the Secretary at the time of the 

 execution of the lease that he was not knowingly engaged in ■ 



Mr. Elliott (interposing). Pelagic sealing of any kind whatever; that was the dis- 

 tinct impression he gave to Mr. Windom. 



The Chairman. Do you know how many pelagic sealskins were taken by the 

 James Hamilton Lewis in 1890? 



Mr. Elliott. I only know from the sworn depositions of one of her hunters, George 

 Wester, filed with the tribunal, 2,625 skins. (See S. Doc. 177, pt. 8, pp. 712-714, 53d 

 Cong., 2d sess.) 



The Chairman. I have a letter which I received in behalf of the committee stating 

 that the James Hamilton Lewis ended a trip September 11, 1890, and had 1,464 sealskins, 

 and the collector of the port of San Francisco questions the 2,625 skins as I had sug- 

 gested in my letter to him. Can you explain the difference between those two sets of 

 figures? 



Mr. Elliott. The deponent, Wester, who swears that those skins were taken, ex- 

 plains it in his affidavit. He says they were taken in the spring catch; before they 

 went over to the Russian side they had eleven hundred and odd skins, which makes 

 the 2,625 skins. The fourteen hundred and odd skins that came down to San Fran- 

 cisco September 11, 1890. came direct from the Russian islands. 



The Chairman. And in 1890 the Liebes were the owners of the James Hamilton 

 Lewis. 



Mr. Elliott. Yes; and so certified to The Hague by Peirce and Townsend, who did 

 not deny it there. (P. 962. Hearing No. 14. July 30,"l912.) 



Washington, D., C, February 16, 1901. 



Hon. Herbert H. D. Peirce, 



St. Petersburg. 



My Dear Mr. Peirce: Yours of 18th January came duly to hand. I can well 

 imagine how you feel toward my clients in the James Hamilton Lewis case; indeed, 

 I had quite a spat with them in San Francisco on the question of advancing you $500 

 on account of valuable services rendered, and made it clear to them they could not 

 escape payment to you in the event of the arbitrators awards being unfavorable. I wish 

 you render me a bill for monev paid out in their behalf, that I may have it_ in 

 hand as the opportunity may be presented for me to meet them before the conclusion 

 of the case; if so, I will make another effort to secure a payment to you. 



I feel myself it is a long dry spell. Surely the end is near at hand when we will 

 get our pay with heavy interest to make up "for the very shabby treatment you have 

 received. Whatever award is made and paid will come through the State Depart- 

 ment and by them paid to me as attorney of record, thus giving me the control of its 

 distribution at this end of the line, which insures your fee and my own. 



I thank you for the two copies of your presentation of the case, which by an oversight 

 of the department were sent to Ed at Philadelphia. In a letter from him received 

 to-day he informed me he had them and after reading would send to me. He said 

 your work stands out verv prominently in the able brief you submitted. He, with 

 myself, feels quite indignant at my client's refusal of my request; rely on my squaring 

 the goods satisfactorily when I get the check in my own hands. I thank you for 

 your kind expressions "to me personally, and hope to wind up this long drawn-out case 

 to our mutual interests, the sooner the better, that we may have the benefit of our 



As soon as you can give me an idea of the probable date of a decision, for my own 



information only, I would be glad to have it. Wishing you the greatest success. 



I am, sincerely yours, 



• " Geo. R. Tingle. 



