The morning call., 1892-09-26
SEIZED FOR SEALSKINS.
Adventures at Sea of the
Bark Lydia.
Captain Montgomery's Trials and Troubles
for a Days Gunning-It Has Cost
$4,000 Impending Lawsuit.

"We are $50, 900 to the bad over this seal.
ing business" said Captain P. D. Mont
gomery of the whaling bark Lydia to a
CALL reporter, at the Russ House yester-
day.
Talk about military discipline. 1t isn''
a patch oil naval discipline nowadays.
81 left here on whaling cruise last De-
cember After fruitless cruise in the
South Seas we worked up north.
Fifty miles from land q little south OF
Mount Elias in Alaska we spoke the United
States steamer Corwin.
"They were shooting seals for scientific
Government party on board, who were in.
vestigating the question Of seals breeding al
sea or on shore,
''The COrwin passed on and we were be-
calmed. One day my mate and l went out
in small boat and Shot some seals fol
amusement. We got fourteen. Then We
sighted whale and started business again.
We got him alongside the Lydia, but he
broke away again, and we sprung bad
leak.
81 then put in TO Oonalaska fer repairs,
and for the first time heard of the strict
regulations about seals
II tried TO get rid of my fourteen skins as
quickly as possible.
The North American Commercial Com
panv wouldn't touch them.
"The Custom-hOuse officer told me his
orders were TO arrest man with sealskins
whether he knew the law or not.
Then | skipped on board and was going
TO sink the skins III the sea.
my mate suggested that il might get m e
into hot water If any of my crew wanted to
90 back on me.
"Well, sir, WAS puzzled. The Northern
Light was going TO San Francisco next
morning and traded off my skins to Cap
tain oimmonds for 500. They were worm
$40. but | was glad to get rid of them at
any price. Then l sent in my manifest.
OF course didn't enter any sealskins upon
it. The Northern Light started. but got be-
Gained outside Next morning they boarded
me from the United States steamer Rush
1--WE come to hunt for sealskins, salt and
whisky said the officer in charge. l told
him had neither salt, sealskns nor whisky,
but l could give him a drink of rum If he
was thirsty.
'Of course they found nothing.
1--WE know you've got barrel of seal
skins on board said the officer. They told
me some Of my crew had made formal
report.
"Wen. 1 denied having the sealskins.
which was true. Then they started for the
Northern Light
They told Captain Simmonds that l had
reported giving Lin my barrel of askins
and demanded possession He tumbled
into the trap at once and handed over the
barrel.
"They came back and asked me if it was
my barrel. said no. and showed them a
bill of sale for it.
"Well, they seized my ship. Captain
Evans of the United States steamer York
town told me he would lose his commission
if he didn't obey the letter Of the law and
send me to Sitka for trial So they took my
tnnf nfH h0o rH a a
100 miles to Sitka.
Pretty rough times for just days gun
ming. wasn't it. At Sitka the District Al
torney turned me over to the collector"
There was no case against me. | was no
sealer and they couldn't make anything
out of II.
$50 they worked It this way: Under the
clause that ANY vessel bringing cargo from
foreign port for landing or transhi ipment
not entered on the manifest was liable TO
fine ard cont cation of said cargo
They took my sealskins and fined me
$40
Pretty rough, ehP What foreign port l
brought my barrel of sealskins from was
not mentioned.
Then | was allowed to start whaling
again. My officers and crew struck work.
"They claimed that we had lost the season.
and 1t was no use in wasting time beatin &
up 100 miles against westerly wind
"1 on see We all work ON shares and their
argument was quite fair We had done
months of work for nothing, and there
wasn't much use doing more months OF
work with no prospects.
THAT run to Sitka spoilt our business for
the season.
Il got some of the crew to run us down to
San Francisco and here we are.
"All hands are out of pocket, and what
with advances to crew, outfit, provisions
and interest there is over $50, 600 gone.
damages against the Government? Well,
/ don't want to say anything about that.
That's the owners business. People make
fight before they let GO $50. 600, don't they ?
And I've given you the whole story of
how we were seized by the United States
Government Uncle Sam is hustling round
over his seals, you bet.
II wish I'd had chance to know about
it before l started last December, though. /"