The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-08-09
Fight Between Japanese Fish,
ermen and U. S. Officials
on st. Paul Island.
TWELVE TAKEN PRISONERS
COMPLICATIONS
HELD UNLIKELY BY The STATE
DEPARTMENT TOXIC OFF,
CIALLY NOTIFIED.
publishers PressI

the killing of five japanese fishermen
and the capture Of y Japanese pris-
oners on St. Paul island, the western
most Of the Alcutien group, the pris-
oners having been taken by the rev
enue cutter McCunoch, commanded
by Captain J. c. Cantwell, was made
to the department of commerce and
labor by Edwin W. Sims, solicitor for
the department, who is in Alaska to
enforce the law prohibiting all per
sons not citizens of the United States
from fishing in Alaskan water. The
Japanese were shot by Americans on
ST Paul island before the McCullOch
arrived.
Acting Secretary of State Bacon
sent to Amba ssadOr Wright at Tokyo
the substance Of the dispatch receiv-
ed by the department OF commerce
and labor from Solicitor Sims at Sit
ka, Alaska, regarding the killing OF
Japanese fishermen on st. Paul is
land. IL sending the dispatch, the act
ing SECRETARY states, it is forwarded
such as this government has Of re-
grettable incident, news of which
may reach Japan in distorted form.
There is no intention OF Offering an
apology or any further regret than is
contained in this dispatch, as the
state department regards the Japan
csc fishermen as poachers if they are
WITT IN he liyoit anH tho dis
patch from Mr.. Sims emphasizes this
fact. 1t is stated that American fish
ermen in Newfoundland waters, If
within the 3-mile limit, would be sub
ject to arrest by British authorities,
and would have no redress, as they
would be poachers, the same as the
Japanese who were killed on st. Paul
island
The following contains the main
features of the dispatch Of Solicitor
Sims, sent to the department Of COM
merce and labor, and which was ca
bled by Acting Secretary Bacon to
Ambassador Wright at Tokyo: Fur
seal rookeries, St Paul island, were
raided by crews of Japanese schoOn-
ers. July Is and II. About 200 seals
were killed, but raiders were event
ually repulsed as a result of courage
Gus action of Chief Agent Lembkey
and Assistant Agent Judge as head Of
native guard. Five raiders were kill
ed and II captured, two Of latter be-
ing badly wounded. Three boats and
some small arms also captured. Force
protecting rOokeries suffered no cas-
ualties. The schOOners were first OBJ
served on July 16 and were close to
shore, easily within 3-mile limit. On
this day a boats crew of six men,
which had landed at northeast point,
were surprised and captured by
Agent Lembkey and native guards
without casualty on either side On
the morning of July II two native
watchnlen shot and killed two and
wounded one of an armed landing
party. Crews Of schooner, under pro-
tection of a dense fog, shot seals in
water close to shore most Of day. Dur
Ing this time shotgun firing, which
could be easily heard from shore, was
frequent. Unknown how many seals
were killed in this manner, but num-
Der must have been considerable"
Because of the enCroaChment of
Japanese fishermen and sealerS in
Alaskan waters congress was obliged
during the session just ended to enact
two laws calculated to encourage the
fishing industry of Alaska among
Americans and to prohibit Japanese
and other aliens from engaging in it.
The cable dispatch from Mr.. Sims
does not make entirely clear the char
acter of the oTense Of which the Jap
anese were guilty, but it does show
that the officers and crew Of the Nc
Culloch We're in no way responsible
for the killing Of the fishermen and
that those who were captured were
trespassing on American territory.
There is no reason to expect inter
national complications. but there is
no question that the situation in the
Aleutian islands, especially as it af-
fects the Japanese, is a delicate one
and that numerous difficulties are GER
tain to be encountered in enforcing
the laws prSce citing American citizens
and their rights.