The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-10-11

schooner Hattie Gage, swore to COM
piaint just before the Corwin left Iliuiiuk,
charging that he had been. by force
and fraud, taken from his vessel and
dispossessed of command. The Hattie
Gage left San Francisco ostensibly to at
tend upon the development of a seam of
coal at Coal Harbor. Unga island, in the
Shumagin group. The mine was the prop
erty of FL. s. Tibbey. The complaint was
referred to Captain Hooper. who as
certained that the Gage had already been
warned by the Thetis for having
been found without proper papers. As
the Corwin steamed up to Sand Point
the Gage was intercepted in the act of
leaving. 1t was found that she was
sailing without a properly licensed
master or mate, and her enrolment
and license being invalidated, she was a
vessel undocumented. Her master had
been displaced by Tibbey, who claimed TO
be an agent of the charterers.
although he showed no authority.
Tibbeys name appeared on the shipping
articles as opposite the definition, super
cargo" The schooner was seized for yio-
lating the navigation and steamboat laws.
Lieutenant Dimock was placed in charge of
the schooner to bring her down to Juneau
for trial and to bring Tibhey to answer to
the charges brought by Downs. Ensign
Dodd, of the United States navy. volun-
teered to accompany and assist Lieutenant
Dlmock. The Gage coaled at Coal harbor.
The Corwin leftthere September 8. 3.reaching
Sltka on the 18th. United States District
Judge Bugbee and officers of the court,
with the masters of la Nina and
Ethel, left on the Corwin for Juneau
on september u to attend court. Witnesses
In the trials were conveyed by the Gage,
winch arrived in port on that morning
Inc Hattie Gage was tried September 80
and hned $l00 for being with unlicensed
officers. ii. S. Tibbey, the self-styled agent;
r. =. t. Andrews, acting master,
ana David Harris, acting mate, were
arralgned, but Downs was absent, and the
case went over. 1t viii probably be
brought up in San Francisco when the
Gage reaches that port
The Ethel and La Ninfa were tried and
condemned on the following day. An ap-
peal was taken to the United States SUI
preme court. The vessels will remain at
Sltka pending disposition of the case.
Lieutenant Robinson's grave was visited
at Sitka before the Corwin left that port
headboard of Alaska cedar was made
by the officers and crew of the Corwin, was
finished tastefully and placed at the
head of the monnd that covers the
body of the officer who was drowned at
Icy bay while landing through the surf in
boat from the steamship Bear. The In
cription on the plain board is:
In memory of Lieutenant L. L. Robin
son, U. S. R. NJ, drowned with boats
crew at Icy Bay, Alaska. in the perform
ance of his duty, June 6. 1891. Erected by
the Corwin."
The portable custom-house that was
shipped to Port Townsend to be erected
on Mary's island was found to be
in frame. but the work has been
delayed by almost continuous rains. The
Corwin came down from Juneau by the
inside waters, visiting Wrangel, Mary's
sland and Bella Bella. The passage from
juneau took eight days.
The schooner Ophir was found at juneau
without papers and reported. Steam
and sail have propelled the Corwin
over $500 miles of water since she left
San Francisco on June IL. Three hundred
and seventy-fve tons of coal were con-
sumed during the cruise. Forty-nine ves-
sells were boarded and assistance given to
two in distress.