Omaha daily bee., 1906-08-09
JAPANESE POACHERS KILLED
American Guards on Alaskan Island Shoot
Men Who Kill Seals.
GOVERNMENT MAKES REPORT TO TOXIC
Aside from Giving Facts a. Learned
from Treasury Omcinl No
Action VIII he Taken
In Matter.

WASHINGTON. Aug. 5.-Actiug Secretary
Of State Bacon has sent to Ambassador
Wright at Toxic the substance Of the dis
patch received by the Department Of Com
merce and Labor from Solicitor Sims at
Sitka, Alaska, regarding the killing Of
japanese fishermen on St Paul island
In sending the dispatch the acting sccre-
tary states that it is forwarded for the
purpose Of giving information such as this
government has Of a regrettable incident.
news Of which may reach Japan in dis
torted form. There is no intention Of offer
ing an apology or any further regret than
is contained in this dispatch as the State
department regards the japanese fishermen
as poachers If they were within the three
mile limit. and the dispatch from Mr. Sims
emphasizes this fact. 1t is stated that
American fishermen IN Newfoundland
waters, II within the three-mile limit. would
be subject 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
Report from the Solicitor
The following contains the main fea-
lures Of the dispatch Of Solicitor Sims sent
to the Department Of Commerce and
Labor and which was cabled by Acting
Secretary Bacon to Ambassador Wright
at Toxic:
Fun. seal rookeries az St. Paul island were
ralded by crews Of Japanese schooRers
July l6 and L. About 200 seals were killed.
but the raiders we're eventually repulsed
as result q courageous action by Chief
Agent Lembkey and Assistant Agent
Judge, at head of native guard Five
raiders were killed and twelve captured
two Of the latter being badly wounded.
also captured The force protecting the
rookerles suffered no casualties The
ana were close to shore. easily within the
three-mlc limit. On this day a boats
crew OF Sin men, which had landed al
the northeast point were surprised and
captured by Agent Lembkey and native
guard without casualty on either side on
the morning Of July l. two native watch
men shot and killed two and wounded one
OF an armed landing party. Crews Of a
schooner, under protection OF a dense fog,
the day. During this time shotgun firing
Whch could be easily heard from shore,
was frequent Unknown how many seals
were Killed in this manner but number
must have been considerable
On the evening of the same day crews
Of at least three schooners made concerted
raids on widely separated rookeries The
raid on Seapand rookeries was repulsed by
| native guard after considerable firing. The
cessful.
XIII Two Hundred Seals
Owing 10 dense fog raiders there were
not discovered until nearly 81 seals had
/
emily participated in by an entire SHIPS
crew of five boats was repulsed by Agent
Lembkey, Judge and native force only, and
three Of raiders were killed and 1--WE cap
tured. Most Of seals killed on shore by
raiders We're pregnant females with nursing
young, few days old, which died Of stalVa-
ton. Large portion Of those killed in
water also females in search OF food for
young Some of the raiders taken state
they are from schooner loyal Maru No. 2,
ana one of the captured boats bore than
number. Other prisoner states he is from
schooner Mel MaTu During the time ! was
on the island schooners were frequently
sighted less than three miles from shore.
1t is evident that at least eight or ten
tschooners. believed to be japanese, are
sailing in close proximity to islands The
twelve prisoners were taken cutter Nc
Culloch to Kodyak and after hearing be-
fore commander were held for jury and
taken in charge by marshal
Status of POncherS.
| The Japanese charge, Mr. Niyaoka, called
at the State department for information
about the killing Of the japanese. He had
received no dispatch from his government
concerning the affair. and Acting Seer etary
/ Bacon gave him the same information
which was sent 10 Ambassador Wright.
! Seals are recognized as property by in
/ ternational law and the japanese killed on