The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-03-12
MIKE HEaLY OF THE BEAR.
In the Far Northwest IIe Holds n Power OF
Attorney for tho Whole Country.

Attorney for the Whole Country.
Capt. Mike Healy Of the revenue cutter Bear
is a good deal moro distinguished person in
the waters Of the far Northwest than any Pros
ident OF the United States or any potentate Of
Europe has yet become. He stands for law
and order In many thousand square miles Of
land and water. and II you should ask in the
Arctic Sea, Who Is the greatest man in
America 2" the instant answer would be.
"Why. Mike Healy." When an inn cent citi-
zen OF the Atlantic coast once asked on the
Pacific who Mike Healy was tho answer cam e:
Don't you know Mike Healy2 Why. he's the
United States. He holds in these parts a
power Of attorney for the whole country"
The reply hardly seems extravagant when 1t
is known that for twenty years or more
Capt. Healy has been tho sole representa-
tive OF legal authority In much OF the re-
gion northwest Of Port Townsend. To the
Indians OF that region he stands for
the United States Government. TO the
whalers Of the Arctic he is by turns a benef-
cent providence and an avenGing Nemesis.
He Is constantly in tho United States courts
at San Francisco. where everybody knows
him. and he has m and again suppressed
disorder and prevented crime In regions q
thousand miles from any legally constituted
authority. He is the ideal commander Of the
old school. bluf. prompt. fearless. pitiless in
discipline. but not unjust. He knows Behring
Sea. the straits. and even tho Arctic as NO
other man knows them, and his little craft
has sailed those waters at almost all seasons.
He is usually tbs first man up In the spring
and the last man to leave the Northwest at the
approach OF winter.
With all this he is a man Of no little book
learning. excellent address. and uncommonly
agreeable manners. Ono brother 10 II Bishop
ofthe Catholic Church. and another q priest.
Henly himself was preparing to take orders
when his scholastic career was cut short by
accidents for which he was not altogether un-
out OF q school in the East, he was sent to u
Homan Catholic school In Paris. Here young
same time the statue Of the Virgin standing
Just within the convent hall was found to DO
rope round the Virgins meek. and this rope
mad evidently been thrown over me wall So as
II pic so . ia sHm t. Sss t to- ssGseT WITH III h t"fyG s az:
sencs, made 1t pretty plain how me Young
% onsi DER db1Is" lnts4est. a The 'h Isd WAT Whs ca n,HHs%!
Srders. sna hnsliks Wv Vent into 't tho reSsnas
Capt, Healy is best seen on board his own
craft He is q medium height. with a llgure
nautical cap partly covers his. gray hair. and
beneath its peak one, secs u pair OF keen eyes.
partly conceals a firm but not unkindly mouth.
Navy TROUSERS and n pea Jacket Of unpluckei
seal complete tpe costume. unplucked seal
though some folks In the Northwest think il
vastly handsomer than The smooth. brown
dyed affair of commerce and the New York
streets. 1t is much lighter in color than the
sealskin worn by women In the Fast. and IL
Ilealy. pacing the deck in his seaiskln pea
jacket Is a brilliant figure beneath n cioudless
sky.
Capt. Mic finds time in the midst OF u busy
life to read sone books, and his acquaintance
with men and with strange places is So varied
that His talk ia mnFyAllnlslE lptAraStinu Par
hnps no other man in. tho rited states has
seen as much arctic daylight as Nike Healy.
lie sometimes takes his wife on his north
western crnise; an nnronnonsy presentatlo
know Mrs. HeHly have found her to DC. Once.
ut least. Capt, H.aly took his brother. the
priest, for n summer vacation on board tho
Rear. When the clerical brother came aboard
lieious. service. would lie the proper thing; hut
Capt, Mike REPLIED that ho was not only rom
nlander Of that craft. INT priest as vol. and if
anything in the way Of religious service was
necessary ho himself would provide il. The
clerical brother listened but did not fully a..
cedc to Cart Mikes arrangement, and on tho
very first SUNDAY, out everybody WAS late at
quarters. Cant. Mike inquired stormily what
I all meant. aud learned that tho men had
been detained Ut mathis. 40 like Iieaiy his
tinous, and when the priest came on deck.
Nuke lost no time In saving so. and In adding
tiat only his cloth saved the brother from
chastisement., Mike WINS that, he ought to
have known his brother better than to make
sgEa 4 threat nEsS IN. qad THAT that he was srs hardly sur,
trouncine me. come on" Capt Mike did not
accept the challenge. and he tells the story
With evident appreciation OF his brothers grit |