Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1896-12-03
BERING SEA CLAIMS.
ArtumsnlS in The Case Of the Schooner
Caroline.
cad TREATMENT OF PRISONERS
One OF Them Escapes and 10 Afterwards
Found Dead In the
Woods.


down to business yesterday.
When the actual trial OF the claims
began with the care OF the schooner
Caroline, Hon. Mr.. Peters, senior coun.
sel for the British, opened by reading
the pleadinge Get forth In the ella i'm
already filed. These pleadings state
that the schooner Is a British vessel
REGISTERED at Victoria, that she sailed
hence May 20, 1885, to Beriug sea.
The schooner was eeizsd August l In
Bering sea by the United States
revenue cutter Coawin, towed to Ouna-
laska and condemned by the United
States district court at Stka on a
charge OF violating the munich pal laws
Of the United States relating to seal
fishing; that che was detained under
such condemnation until after Decem-
Der, 1855, when her return was offered
but refused ON the ground that the
vessel had been practically wrecked
in the meantime. BY reason OF the
IO.s arising out OF this illegal seizure
$4,000 Is asked and interest at per
cent per snnum.
Mt. Peters said that for the time
being he would not deal with personal
claims. He then proceeded to read
VI ING " bkHttb
ing that the vessel was at the sine OF
the seizure wholly or In part owned by
United States citizens anu that in any
case the damages claimed were exces-
sive. The British answer to this was
that the Paris tribunal had already de-
cded as 20 the finding OF fact that the
vessel was British md that all the
present. commission had to do was to
decide the amount of compensation to
be paid.
Mr.. Peters remarked that with re-
gard to the issue raised by the United
StRtes that the vesse. was ip whole or
In part owned by citizsns OF the United
Siates, he did not at present intend to
deal with II, for the onus to show other
wise lay on the United States counsel.
The British claim was that the
schooner was OF British rsgieter at tue
time of the seizure and that was
already admitted.
Mr.. Peters then laid before the COM
mission the diplomatic correspondence
Hlating to the claim and quoted from
official documents evidence rs to the
seizure given on behalf OF the United
States at the Unued States court In
Alaska. His intention he stated was
to present the evidence given there on
bcuhh Ohitud Eothtcrs
Mr.. Dlckerson for tho United States
objected that II was not necessary to
show that for the Paris tribunal had
already decided that 1! the Caroline
was British vessel she was already
seized. Ii the vessel was proved to be
British then the question OF compensa.
ton was all that remained to be settled.
Mr.. Peters replied that he considered
the eviuence he hai quoted had o
direct bearing on the matter OF com.
peneation and that II was quite proper
for him to show by the evidence &C.
cepteu by to United States courts
how the weasel had been condem ned,
p,Justice Putnam asked II Mr.. Peters
did not think he was opening rather o
Wide door by quoting what was record-
ed In the previous trial for determine
Ing what WAS now before the present
commlssion.
Mr.. Peters In reply. maintaiped that
really the case now In hand was a part
OF the same action.
Justice Putnsm, to this remarked
that OF course the evidence to be sub.
nitted TO a great extent depended upon
the counsel for the respective govern
ments, but IT remained with the COM
mlssioners TO say whether 1t was au-
missable or not,
MT. Peters, proceeding, quoted at
length from diplomatic oorrsopo ndence
and handed In the official government
book as evidence.
Before going on the Caroline case
nc requested leave to examine wit.
ness In the Onward claim, a man who
ilVed on tho west coast. being obliged
10 leave for home tonight. This re-
QupHt wpa o. nj nd MT Ia.h, M..u.tl.h
was placed In the box. He had been
mste on the Onward when she was
seized in Boring sea by the United
States Cutter on August ., 1886. The
schooner was t0wed to Ounalaska anu
me crew kept aboard for ten days,
though allowed CD shore on leave four
at time.
Ihey were then transferred to an
american schooner, San Diego, which
si,ka.
Inc men were allowed to bring
nhhAets from the vessel, but had NO
ueu and there were eight men in one
room which was only ten feet square.
lhey were confined in this room one
mohlh and then tried at Sitka, the
iuuge addressing them rs robtere. The
inulhns OF the crew came outside TO
ue WINDOW, saying they had nothing
eat ana the witness gave them all
he money be had, some Sl5.
captain Hansen OF the Thornton,
nNpiain logilvie Of the Caroline and
LARRY Norman We're among ihose in
,A,I ~ the Sitka with him. OEe morn
.hs captain Osilvie got away ana he
neNe, saw him again. Captain Osil-
we, II VIII be Remembered, WAS Alter
wares 'oand dead In thu woous.)
heing subjected to rigid crops-
examination by MIR. DIokiusop, the
meo, he admitted, were allowed to
mak about Silka one day before being
leo. The room they were confined
WIS me jury room at the court
ouse, but though tue door was not
''vHel there was II guard over them.
captain ogiivi., when he got away,
u9t been stopped by the guard.
the afternoon evidence was begun
DO me Caroline case.
william Munsie wac the frat wit.
icy. much OF bis testimo ny consisted
n,se'ais ~ to smouhts paid out lior
Ttg OUT anu payirg the crew.
Ahe commission then adjourned,
Remarkable Mnre