The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-08-13
FIRED AT BY MARINES
A Cannery Steamer Mistaken
for q Seal POacher.
eERINo SEA PATROL STRICT.
Canadian and American Vessels Seized.
Including Two Whalers-Not Safe
to Loaf Around Rookeries.

PoRr TOWNSEND, Aug. 12-lSpeciai. IA
detachment of marines from the United
States steamer Yorktown at False pass,
this side OF Bristol bay, Alaska. on August
/ fred upon the American steamer Polar
Bear, of Astoria, seriously wounding the
chief engineer and Kidding the pilot-house
with bullets. Particulars Of the affair
were received tonight per steamer
Bertha. eight days from Unalaska. Among
her passengers were ]. p. Halter, manager
of the Bristol Bay Packing Company; P.
H. Johnson, manager of the Alaska Pack
ing Company, and H. C. Jensen, MANAGER
Of the Arctic Packing Company. all of
Bristol Bay. Nushagak river, Alaska. They
had finished loading s., 900 cases of salmon
on sailing vessels and started for Astoria
on the steamer Polar Bear. To save thirty
miles they came through False pass,
where the steamer ran aground. Several
thousand yards inland was noticed soli-
tary armed sentinel. As the vessel was
backing of shore a crowd of men armed
with rifles suddenly appeared over an adj
jacent knoll, and without warning fired
volley into the steamer. ALI hands
dropped to the floor. The volley was re-
peated, and the vessel put about and
sailed for Unalaska, believing they had
been attacked by pirates. Although
several persons aboard the YES
sci were shot through the clothing,
Engineer William Christensen was the
only man wounded. The facts were re-
ported to the captain Of the Adams, who
informed them that Commander Evans, of
the Yorktown, had landed a detachment
of marines at False pass, with orders to
allow no vessels to pass by. The news
created intense excitement at Un-
alaska. The Yorktown was not in
port, and, therefore, Commander Evans
had no opportunity to explain. 1t is
generally believed that the attacking party
mistook the Polar Bear for British poach-
ing vessel which was endeavoring to get
through the pass. All the managers of the
canneries positively assert that no warn
ing was given by the attacking party; that
few thousand yards distant from the
scene of the shooting was an Indian viii
lage, and they thought Indians or whisky
smugglers had attacked them. They
left for Alaska tonight. They propose to
demand immediate redress from the gov
eminent. The Polar Bear was repaired at
Unalaska and sailed for Astoria. She will
arrive in few days. She had been used
all season as steam tender for the cam
merry and had no appearance of poacher.
Seizures by United States men-of-war in
Bering sea are as follows: The British
schooner Mountain Chief. Of Victoria, by
the Adams. She killed seals and violated
the modus vivendi. She was delivered in
charge of the British man-of-war.
The whaling bark Lydia was intercepted
by the Richard Rush while taking newly
killed seals from aboard q whaling bark,
the Northern Light, in Boring sea. A
prize crew was placed aboard and the YES
sci sent to Sitka.
The whaling schooner Jane Gray was
seized by the Mohican for not leaving
Boring sea after having been warned, and
loafng around the seal rookeries.
The British steamer Winifred, Of Vic
toria. one of the vessels which transferred
a cargo of seal skins to the British steamer
Coquitlam at Port Eltches, was seized by
the Rush with fresh-killed seals aboard.
The United States fish commission
steamer Albatross took the Winifred in
tow and sailed for Sitka August 3.
The schooner Helen came into Unalaska
with her rudder gear carried away. She
was ordered to repair and leave at once.
w AbhlNdION NlIIy huSs A>.-1I cp1tde
ton Of the Bering sea case by the state de-
partment is now about completed. and it
is expected that papers will soon be
interchanged with Great Britain &C
cording to the terms of the treaty.
Senator Morgan, one Of the arbi-
traitors, held a conference with Secretary
Foster today and afterward stated that no
papers had yet been exchanged with Great
Britain relative to the case. He further
stated that the arbitrators would not
leave for Europe before next January.