The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-08-08
ON SEAL RAID.
Five Japanese Poachers Shot on
st. Paul Island
By Order of Agent of Depart
ment of Commerce.
THEY HAD 100 SKINS.
Refused to Halt When Ordered
to Do SO.
Others Made Their Escape With
Plumber.

tNsW LUX, Aug S.-Details of the
killing of five japanese poachers II. the
Pribiloff islands is contained in a spec
ial to the Herald dated Dutch Harbor,
Alaska. July g.. via Seward. Alaska,
August z, which says:
Five japanese were shot and killed on
the island of ST. Paul, of the Pribilon
group, by order of the agent of the de-
partment of commerce and labor on
July II, as the result of a raid by four
japanese schooners on the seal rock
cries
The revenue cutter Mccullough reach
ed here today from St Paul with twelve
prisoners, two seriously wounded, who
were turned over to Deputy Marshal
Harmon.
Inc raiders were discovered lying near
Northeast point, St Paul. by native
lookouts of the North American Com
mercial company. which leases the seal
privilege from the government. Word
was telephoned from the patrol station
near the rookeries for which the raiders
were aiming and Special Agent Lempke
of the department of commerce, on duty
in the Pribiloff islands. arrived on the
spot as the japanese reached shore. He
ordered the. boat crew to surrender,
which they did.
On climbing the promontory at the
end of the cape, overlooking one OF the
largest rookeries.' q schooner was seen
close in shore. Looking straight down
over the cliff, the patrol saw a dozen or
more japanese skinning a great num-
Der of seal, which had been slaughtered
Unfortunately
The raiders refused to surrender when
Lempke reached the scene, and tried
to make off with their booty in small
boats, several of which We're drawn UP
on shore. The agent then ordered his
guard Of natives to open fire. The Jap
out firearms
Three of the raiders fell dead on the
beach, a fourth was seen to be thrown
overheard from one of the boats that
escaped, and fifth body drifted
ashore later in another boat.
The men had killed more than 200
seals, many of them cows. Those who
escaped carried away about 30 skins.
The raid is believed to have been
concerted effort by the japanese, who
have been hanging-around the island
for months and giving the revenue cut
ter much trouble.
The Tokwa Marusnas schooner. was
oyerhauled by theMeutter. Perry on
July or the volcanic Island which
rose near BogOslof. forty miles from
here, last March. She was crowded !
with Japanese, but no sealskins were
found aboard. Susptcions of Captain
Dunwoodie of the Perry were aroused
and he proceeded to the Pribiloffs at
once. but dense fog set in and lasted |
until the Perry returned here on
July 16
The Mccullough reached the Islands
on July 20 and took charge of the /
prisoners.
Besides the Tokwa Maru. the
schooner Bosso Maru Is known to have
been in the raid last autumn. jap
anese were found fishing and trading |
with the natives on the island of Attu |
the westernmOst in the Aleutian chain |
and were routed by the Perry.
The raid is the most serious that has /
occurred in the troubled history of |
the rookeries. The last attempt to
rife the island was made about ten |
years ago by a schooner flying the
Mexican flag.
She was intercepted by a cutter be-
fore carrying out her purpose.
The raid was supposed to have been |
planned by Alec Mclean. He was
known to be in Victoria, B. c., last /
winter. but left there for parts IN
known in the early spring
officials and company men on the seal /
Islands are considerably excited, al
though no further raids are expected, /
as the patrol of the Behring sea by the |
cutters becomes continuous on August !
1. Their captains seem disinclined to |
known to have taken part in the raid /
unless found in the three-mile limit or /
in open violation of the law.
Many prisoners We're taken just after
the raid, but were allowed to return to /
their vessels, as the guard was consid-
cred insufficient to control so many. The
prisoners buried their own dead on the
beach.
In trying to return TO the seal islands
with Agent Lempke on July % the Per-
ry broke her cylinder pump a mile from
shore and is temporarily out of bust
ness. This leaves the patrol short of
vessels and islands unguarded. The
Thetis is in the Arctic, the Rush on
duty at Nushagak, Bristol bay; the Bear
out of commission and the Mccullough /
under orders to proceed to Sitka to take
on board the governor of the district
and land Fish Commissioner Bowers,
now a st. Paul. on Kodiak island.
The prisoners left on July % on the
mail steamer for Valdez,
where the court of the Second judicial
district, in which the Seal islands lie
sits in August. The charge probably
will be piracy. Department of COM
merce agents are preserving the utmost
secrecy about the affair.
No Apologies to Make.
Washington. Aug. S.-Acting Secre-
tary of State Bacon has sent to Am
oassador Wright at Toxic the sub
stance of the dispatch received by the
department of commerce and labor
from Solicitor Sims at Sitka, Alaska,
regarding the killing of japanese fisher
men on St. Paul island. In sending the
dispatch the acting secretary states
that it is forwarded for the purpose Of
I