INVESTIGATION OF THE EUK-SEAL INDUSTRY OF ALASKA. 721 



defending these men; I had nothing to do with these men; indeed, 

 some of them are very far from my knowledge or understanding. 

 These are their sworn reports which I am citing to you. 



1890. In 1890 Chief Special Agent Goff reports to Secretary of 

 Treasury under date of St. Paul Island, July 31 (pp. 232, 233, Seal 

 and Salmon Fisheries) : 



Third. The large young seals whose skins are merchantable commence coming about 

 the middle of May, gradually increasing in numbers as the cows appear, and with these 

 large young seals comes a portion of the pups born the summer before; but the greatest 

 majority of the yearlings put in their appearance in the month of July. Now, in open- 

 ing the season it is customary to secure all the 2-year-olds and upward possible before 

 the yearlings begin to fill up the hauling grounds and mix with the killable seals. 

 By so doing it is much easier to do the work, and the yearlings are not tortured by being 

 driven and redriven to the killing; grounds. 



'o o' 



The man who made that report never heard of me and never knew 

 of me until he landed on the islands in 1889. That is the truth, 

 however, just as he describes it. 



Mr. Stephens. Who made that report? 



Mr. Elliott. Charles J. Goff, brother of Senator Goff, of West 

 Virginia. 



1889-90. Report of Assistant Agent Joseph Murray, dated St. 

 George Island, July 31, 1890. (See p. 238, Seal and Salmon Fisheries.) 



Here is a man who was busy in preparing that report with Dr. 

 Jordan. 



Mr. Stephens. What is his name? 



Mr. Elliott. Joseph Murray. 



In 1889 the full quoto of 15,000 skins was obtained here, but I know now (what I 

 did not understand then) that in order to fill the quoto they lowered the standard 

 toward the close of the season and killed hundreds of yearling seals and took a greater 

 number of small skins than ever before. 



Mr. Stephens. What is the date of that ? 



Mr. Elliott. July 31, 1890. 



The Chairman. Let me ask you for an incidental bit of information. 

 It seems you say Murray assisted Dr. Jordan is making these fur-seal 

 investigations ? 



Mr. Elliott. Yes, sir. 



The Chairman. And made a report to the Government? 



Mr. Elliott. Yes, sir. Here it is stated on this title page [indicat- 

 ing]. 



The Chairman. Then he was there with Mr. Clark also ? 



Mr. Elliott. Yes; they were right together. 



Mr. Patton. When was he with Mr. Clark there ? 



Mr. Elliott. 1896 and 1897. 



Mr. Patton. But this is 1890 that you are giving? 



Mr. Elliott. Yes; this was preceding. 



The Chairman. But Murray was with them in 1896 and 1897 ? 



Mr. Elliott. Yes. I am coming down to it. I am going through 

 this chronologically, so there will no mistake in understanding what 

 these men have been doing. 



1897: Under date of August 11, 1897, Dr. Jordan's assistant, 

 Joseph Murray, reported the appearance of yearlings on the hauling 

 grounds in July which he had branded in September, 1896, as the 2 

 or 3-months-old female seal pups of that year, to wit: 



The pups branded last year (1896) were also seen hale and hearty in numbers on the 

 hauling grounds and rookeries. * * * This appearance of the branded cows (of 

 1896), as well of the yearlings (female pups of 1896), shows clearly, etc. 



53490—14 46 



