The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-11-20
dismissal Of the Libel Against
tho British Steamship.
SEIZED FOR ILLEGAL SEALING.
nssserfc Case Involvtng = Breach Of
SsiteA States Customs Laws Ena.
N the Cfrcuit Court Of Appeals
-Sesset and Skans valued st
$Ioi.Ooo-The Victoria syndicate,
which for Foue Years Has
Fought the Prsceeaings. Now
Threafens To Demand Iaaennfsy
Of the United states.

foff Townsend. Nov. S-Speciaf-News
was received here today from San Fran
cisco of the dismissal OF the libel proceed
ings against the British steamship Co.
Quitiam, of British Columbia. whica xas
seized four years ago In one Of the bays
on the southwest coast of Alaska by tie
tinted States cutter corwin. Cant. Hoop-
er- The Coauitlam. without having Or
,asaes. customs permit ana in digec. VI
oiauon OF the navigation laws OF the Unit
90 states. from Victoria proceeded 10 one
OF the bays between Sitka as,f L 1alIsks
and received cargoes OF sea, skins from
Erfiish sealing schooners. The practice
nad oeen carried on for some time when
= pt. Hope determined to arrcs. sas yio-
lators. He sent one of his i,eu..uauts IN
disguise 10 where the transfer WAS beng
mnse. and there for two or three days he
watched the proceedings ami saw iaou-
sends Of skins transferred from the
sflconers to the steamer all of whI>a
was taking place in Alaskan waters. At
given signal the Corsi.. suddenly ap-
peAred from around neishborsag point
a. land and seized the Colui.itm and
abcut 6.0o0 seal skins.
The seizure created the utmost excite
Eent In British Columbia sealing circles,
as the property involved aggregated in
value TO about 100000. The best of coun-
sci was employed and the issues have
been bitterly contested at every step of
the proceedings, and much interest Is
manifested 70 ascertain from what point
the court In San Francisco viewed the
case in order TO arrive at such a decision
~ the proof Of the violation was uncues-
Gonable.
The syndicate In Victoria. representing
the seized property. Is now talking OF
commencing proceedings against the
United States for Illegal seizure and 0e-
tention of property. and through the for
eign once Of the home government to de-
mand big damages.
The Coquitlam was seized In the spring
Of 1892. She was owned by syndica0 OF
victorians, who owned number OF seal
Ing vessels and was used to carry supplies
10 the British seaiers Operating in Bering
- and vicinity. and to bring back their
eatches Of skins Capt. Hooper. Of the
United States revenue cutter Corwin. was
informed that this exchange took place
In American waters. and in his opinion
q was tiolation Of the customs and nav
igafion laws OF the United States. because
= clearance should be obtained from some
United States port before a transfer Of
GODS can be made from anA forcixn veanel
to another In American waters. Capt
Hooper determined to seize the vessel and
her cargo for thus violating the law. and
the vessel was taken to Sitka.
The Coquitlam was worth $25.oOo. and
the cargo. which consisted principally Of
seal skins. was worth about $4,000. or a
total OF $40. 900. At Sitka proceedings for
libefing the vessel and cargo were begun
in the United States district court for
Alaska. r. c. Hughes and ex-senator
John b. Allen were engaged by the own
ers of the seized seal skins. and Sfratton.
Lewis & Gilman by the owners of the
vessel. Mr.. Hughes went 10 Victoria four
years ago and took the testimony OF the
owners and others, and when the case
was tried In Sitka before the United
States district court Senator Allen made
the argument for the owners of the skins.
The Alaska court, however. declared the
vessel and cargo forfeited for violation
OF the customs laws. and the case was
appealed to the United States court OF
appeals at San Francisco.
In that court the question was raised by
counsel for the United States as TO
whether a case could be appealed from
the United States district court OF Alaska
to the court OF appeals. This question was
taken before the United States supreme
court. and that tribunal decided that such
an appeal was proper. Then the case was
argued in the court of appeals. which mas
Just rendered its decision In favor OF the
owners OF the Coquitlam and her cargo
This reverses the Judgment OF the United
States district court of Alaska.