INVESTIGATION OF THE FUR-SEAL INDUSTRY OF ALASKA. 707 



The Chairman. I had an impression that the 128,000 included the 

 years from 1910. 



Mr. Elliott. I specifically declare it covers the time of the lessees. 

 Of course we can follow it along down. 



That shows to your committee the indisputable proof of the fact, 

 that half of those "small pups" were females, and so taken and killed 

 in open violation of the law. 



All of those subordinates and scientists above cited have united in 

 agreement of testimony that the yearlings are equally divided as to 

 sex in number, when they haul out, and are driven up to the killing 

 grounds. So that if 7,733 "small pups" and "extra small pups" 

 were killed in 1910, as Mr. Lembkey testifies (p. 441, hearing No. 9, 

 1912), then half of that killing was 3,866 seals, which were all of them 

 female seals, and all the 7,733 "small pups" and "extra small pups" 

 were killed by his orders in violation of the law. 



That the lessees, in 1890, began to openly engage in this killing of 

 female seals, and yearlings, is a fact of indisputable record, since they 

 were held up and stopped Jul} 7 20, 1890, in the midst of this illegal 

 work, by the United States agents in charge. Those agents not only 

 did that, but the} 7 also urged the Government to suspend all future 

 killing bv the lessees for an indefinite number of years (pp. 5-23, 

 hearing No. 1, 1911; pp. 36-40, hearing No. 2, 1911; pp. 662-667, 

 hearing No. 10, 1912; pp. 925-939-940, hearing No. 14, 1912). 



The Chairman. Do you know, according to the statements made 

 in regard to those three specimens of skins, how may yearlings were 

 taken in 1909 by the lessees? 



Mr. Elliott. Of course, you can look right there in the report of 

 Mr. Lembkey's; he has got it there for 1909. There were seven 

 thousand and odd, 7,300, I think. 



The Chairman. Are you sure about that ? 



Mr. Elliott. Yes, sir; I have pointed that out, many times. 



The Chairman. The reason I am asking that is this: That was the 

 last year that the lessees had the right to kill, and if they were year- 

 lings they were distinctly the property of the Government. 



Mr. Elliott. They have always been the property of the Govern- 

 ment. 



Mr. Walsh. What is a skin of a yearling worth ? 



Mr. Elliott. About $30. 



Mr. Walsh. Retail? 



Mr. Elliott. No; wholesale, over in London, undressed. 



The lessees then attempted to suborn this officialism in charge of 

 the seal islands: They secured the removal of Mr. Goff, chief special 

 agent, soon thereafter, April 5, 1891, and that is also a matter of 

 indisputable official record: (pp. 662-667, hearing No. 10; pp. 939- 

 944, hearing No. 14: 1912). 



That the lessees had so gained complete control of the United States 

 agents by 1894, and after the modus vivendi of 1891-1893 expired, so 

 as to renew the illegal killing of yearlings and females, and continue 

 that illegal killing, is completely exhibited as a fact, by the testimony 

 on pp. 950-951, hearing No. 14, 1912, and the unbroken record of 

 the London sales annually, from 1894 up to 1909. • 



At the request of the chairman of this committee, the following 

 statement was submitted to it, by myself (see p. 220, hearing No. 

 4, 1911) to wit: 



