592 INVESTIGATION OF THE FUR-SEAL INDUSTRY OF ALASKA. 



not justified in overlooking, and these I intend to treat as briefly as 

 possible. 



On page 263, of hearing No. 1, dated October 13, 1913, occurs the 

 following : » 



When Morton returned July 11, 1900, to St. Paul Island, lie found Lembkey ill 

 and suffering from an ulcerated jaw, or threatened necrosis of his jawbone. Lembkey 

 obtained an immediate leave of absence and left the island at once, on June 13, pro- 

 ceeded direct to San Francisco on Liebes's chartered ship Homer, to go under a 

 surgeon's treatment when he arrived there (on or about June 27 or 28, or early in 

 July, 1900). 



In the meantime Morton became ill, and died July 15, 1900. He died in the 

 Government agent's house on St. Paul Island. The news of Morton's death reached 

 Washington and San Francisco on or about August 1 to 8 following. Lembkey, 

 who had in the meantime been relieved by surgical treatment, had started back 

 to the islands on the same vessel of the lessees which carried him down, the Homer. 

 She sailed on or about August 8 for this return trip to St. Paul. Before he left San 

 Francisco, and while down there on this errand, as above stated, he was a frequent 

 visitor to the office of Isaac Liebes, on those matters of business which were connected 

 with his living on the islands with his family free of all cost for board, together with 

 service for not himself, but for his wife and daughter. He also had the business of 

 his passage up and down free for his wife and daughter on that vessel, and himself, 

 if his allowance of $600 per annum for traveling expenses did not meet his own trip 

 costs to and from Washington. 



Thus Mr. Lembke/ became very well acquainted with Mr. Liebes, and the seals 

 never failed to form a common bond of interest. Liebes soon knew Lembkey well. 



When Liebes learned of Morton's death, as usual, he at once looked for a "proper 

 successor" for the man whom lie could trust as a United States agent in charge. He 

 sent word to David Starr Jordan, then at Palo Alto, that he (Liebes) desired him 

 (Jordan) to telegraph Secretary Gage of the immediate need for selection of a fit suc- 

 cessor to John Morton, and that he (Jordan) desired the appointment of W. J. Lemb- 

 ke;--; that was done by Jordan, on or about August 25 or 28, or thereabouts. On Sep- 

 tember ?>0, 1900, Gage ordered, as Morton's successor, the appointment of Lembkey, 

 and notified Ezra VY. (lark that he had done so at the request of Dr. Jordan. Clark 

 had been promised the place and did not fail to tell why he had lost it. 



I wish to deny that I was a frequent visitor in the office of Isaac 

 Liebes hi 1900 or at any time. I never met Mr. Liebes until 1908 or 

 1909, when I was introduced to him in Washington. 



I wish to deny that I or my family ever received board free on the 

 Seal Islands or anywhere. 



I wish to deny that I ever received free transportation on the ves- 

 sels of the North American Commercial Co. 



I wish to deny that Isaac Liebes ever recommended my appoint- 

 ment for the position of agent of seal fisheries, and to deny that any 

 member of the lessee company, or any person connected with the 

 lessee company ever recommended my appointment for that or any 

 other position ; and I wish to deny that Dr. Jordan ever recommended 

 my appointment to that position. 



Mr. McGuiee. That is a denial of the whole paragraph. 



Mr. Lembkey. I deny the whole paragraph; yes. 



Mr. McGuiee. Who made that statement in that paragraph? 



Mr. Lembkey. It occurs in Mr. Elliott's own report. It is in the 

 text in such a manner as to lead me to infer that it was his own state- 

 ment. 



The Chairman. Did you come down on a vessel of the lessee? 



Mr. Lembkey. At what time? 



The Chairman. At the time stated here. 



Mr. Lembkey. I did not make the entire journey on a vessel of the 

 lessee hi 1900, if that is the time you speak of. 



The Chaiemax. Did you do so at any other time? 



