Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-08-08
No APOLOGY FOR
SLAIN POACH[RS
United States Explains the Kill
ing of Japanese Raiders Of
Seal Fisheries
SENDS STATEMENT TO TOXIC
Incidents Surrounding the Shooting Of
Japanese Who Were Caught Shoot
ing the Seals in Alaskan Waters are
Recounted-Were Within Three lille
Limit-Treated as Burglars.

/. Washington, Aug. S.-Acting Secre-
tary of State Bacon has sent to Ann
bassador Wright at Toxic, the SUBJ
stance of a dispatch received by the
department of commerce and labor from
Solicitor Sims at Sitka, Alaska, re-
garding the killing of Japanese fisher
men on st. Paul Island. In sending
the dispatch the acting secretary
states it is forwarded for the purpose
of giving information such as this
government has of the regretable In
cident, news of which may reach jap
an in distorted form. There is no in
tention of Offering apology or any fur
ther regret than is contained in this
dispatch, as the state department re-
CARDS the Japanese fishermen as
poachers, If they were within the
three mile limit and the dispatch from
Sims emphasizes this fact. 1t is stated
American fishermen in New Foundland
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.
The following contains the main
features of the dispatch which Solici-
tor Sims cabled to Ambassador Wright
at Toxic: 81
"The fur seal rookeries Of st. Paul is
land were raided by the crews of Jap
anese schooners July 16 and II. About
two hundred seals were killed, but the
raiders were eventually repulsed, as
the result Of the courageous action of
Chief Agent Lembkey and Assistant
Agent Judge, at the head of the native
guard. Five raiders were killed and
twelve captured, two Of the latter be-
ing badly wounded. The force protect
ing the rookeries suffered no casuancies.
The schooners were first observed July
16 and were close to shore, easily elth-
in the three mile limit. On this day,
the boats crew of six men, which lad
landed at the northeast point, were
surprised and captured by Lembkey
and the native guards, without CASUAL
ties on either side. On the morning OF
July II, two native watchmen shot and
killed two and wounded one OF the
armed landing party. The crews. or
the schooner, under protection of q
dense fog, shot the seals In the water
close to the shore most of the day.
During this time the shotgun firing,
which could be easily, heard from the
shore was frequent. 1t is unknown
how many seals were killed in this
manner, but the number must have
been considerable. On the evening OF
the same day, the crews OF at least
three schooners made concerted raids
on widely separated rookeries. The
raid on the Seapand rookeries was re-
pulsed by the native guard after con-
siderable firing. The raid on the north-
east point was partially successful. as
owing to the dense fog, the raiders
there were not discovered until near
ly two hundred seals had been killed.
This raid, which was apparently
participated in by the entire ships
crew, in five boats, was repulsed by
Lernbkey, Judge and the native force
only. and three raiders were killed and
five captured.
"Most Of the seals killed on shore by
the raiders were pregnant females with
nursing young few days old which,
died of starvation. A large proportion
of those killed in the water were also
females in search Of food for their
young. Some Of the raiders taken
state that they are from the schooner
Toyai Maru, No. 2, and one Of the cap
tured boats bore that number. An-
other prisoner states that he is from
the schooner Mai Maru.
During the time was on the is-
land schooners were frequently sighted
less than three miles from shore. It is
evident that at least eight or ten
schooners, believed to be Japanese are
sailing in close proximity to the Is
the cutter McCulloch to Kodiak, and
were held for the jury and taken in
charge by the marshal.
Seals are recognized as property by
international law, and the Japanese
killed by the American officials on st.
Paul island stand in the same position
as burglars shot in the act of stealing,
according to prominent authorities on
law"
No international incident can results
from shooting the Japanese poacherss
it is said at the state department..
The United States will take no fur
ther active interest in the matter OF
the killing Of the Japanese poachers.
save that the twelve prisoners must be
tried by United States authorities and
according to the United States law. It
is not intended to send any more rev.
enue cutters into Alaskan waters, as It
is understood the ships now there arc
sufficient to protect the interests Of the
citizens Of this government.
No Lives Lost in Flood.