INVESTIGATION OF THE FUE-SEAL INDUSTRY OF ALASKA. 771 



the island when they went in green; that was the original testimony, 

 and I disputed it. Now, you have got me right. They testified — — 



Mr. McGuire (interposing). Your statement now is, as I under- 

 stand it, that the agents of the Government testified that the skin 

 was lighter after it had been salted ? 



Mr. Elliott. And shipped. 



Mr. McGuire. And shipped ? 



Mr. Elliott. When it got to London. 



Mr. McGuiee. Lighter than when it was taken from the salt? 



Mr. Elliott. Yes; and I disputed it. 



Mr. McGuiee. Did you understand from that testimony that they 

 meant it was lighter with salt on it ? 



Mr. Elliott. What else could they mean ? 



Mr. McGuiee. I am asking jou what your understanding was. 



Mr. Elliott. Why, of course; that was the whole core of the 

 thing. 



Mr. McGuiee.* Do you undertake to say that any Government 

 witness who testified here has intended to convey the idea to the 

 committee that a sealskin was lighter with the salt on — that is, the 

 salt required for shipment— after it had reached London than it was 

 when first taken from the salt ? 



Mr. Elliott: That is the testimony; it speaks for itself. 



Mr. McGuiee. I am asking you about it. 



Mr. Elliott. Yes; they made that statement at first. 



The Chairman. Let us see where it is, if we can find it. 



Mr. Elliott. It can be looked up. 



Mr. McGuire. You may look it up later, and we can go on. Your 

 position is that the witnesses for the Government undertook to con- 

 vey that idea to the committee ? 



Mr. Elliott. Without doubt. 



The Chairman. Whom do you mean by the witnesses for the 

 Government ? 



Mr. McGuire. Those who have testified here before the committee. 



The Chairman. You mean Mr. Clark ? 



Mr. Elliott. Dr. Evermann in chief. 



Mr. McGuire. Dr. Evermann you understood to offer that kind of 

 evidence ? 



Mi-. Elliott. In chief ; but he is not the only one. 



Mr. McGuire. I am asking you about him specifically now. 



Mr. Elliott. Yes. 



Mr. McGuire. Who else ? 



Mr. Elliott. Well, I do not know. 



Mr. McGuire. How about Mr. Lembkey ? 



Mr. Elliott. I do not think we got Mr. Lembkey caught on that. 



Mr. McGuire. You do not think you got him caught on that ? 



Mr. Elliott. No; I do not think he is. 



Mr. McGuire. You were out to catch somebody? 



Mr. Elliott. No, sir; they are catching themselves. Mr. Lemb- 

 key declared that he had weighed certain sldns, and then he declared 

 he had not. Dr. Evermann declared he had weighed certain skins, 

 and we have never had any denial of his assertion. Then we have 

 got Dr. Evermann's assertion that they went to work and swept all 

 the salt off of the skins and found them lighter, which is the condi- 

 tion I have met and have denied as being the salt weights when 

 leaving the islands. 



