Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-08-09
PROTECTION. OF SEALS
LEMBKY AND JUDGE THE Gov
ERNMENT's AGENTS.
Actively Concerned in the Recent At
tack on the japanese
SIT Raiders.

japanese embassy received any dispatches
today concerning the killing Of japanese
seal poachers In Alaskan waters, and until
full official reports Of the killing are at the
disposal of both governments 1t il not
likely that there will be any diplomatic de-
velopments in the cases.
1t is believed by the State Department
that the facts will be fully developed by
the federal court at Valdes which is trying
the prisoners taken by the agents Of the
Department Of Commerce and Labor. The
opinion is still generally held In the State
Department that the killing Of the poachers
will not result in any unpleasant tnterna-
tional complications. The killing Is re-
ported to have been done by authorized
government agents who tried to halt the
poachers Consequently the incident is
almost identical with that of a fleeing thief
who refuses to halt and Is shot by police
man.
The active agents Of the United States
government in the conflict which resulted
in the recent killing and wounding OF the
Japanese poachers are Walter L. Lembky
and James Judge. Lembky is the chief
agent at the fur seal fisheries Of Alaska
and Judge is one of his assistant agents.
Both Of them are located on st. Paul Is
land Of the Pribilof group. the other two
assistants agents, Maj. Clark and Mr.. Chi
chester. being stationed on st. George Is
land.
Lembky has been in the service on the
islands about fifteen years. He Is about
forty years old and is held In high regard
by the officials Of the Department Of Com
merce and Labor. He Is said at the depart
ment to be able. conservative and thor
oughly trustworthy. His business is to
guard the seal roOkeries, particularly dur
ing the breeding season, which is also the
killing season, between the LIST OF May
ana the 18th of September. Lembky and
his three white assistants remain on the
islands throughout the year, although In
recent years two of them have been COM
ing to the United States each alternate
winter.
The Native Guards.
The native guards referred to in the dis
patch of Solicitor Sims are Indians who re-
side on the island. Congress makes an APP
preparation for their support and they prac-
tically are wards of the government. In
protecting the seal rookeries from poachers
the Indians act under the direction Of Chief
Lembky. The Indians exc out an existence
by working for the North American Com
mercial Company. skinning the seals which
the company is permitted to take under its
guards 115 of them are used by Chief
Lembky on st. Paul Island, and about SO
on the Island of ST. George.
Chief Lemhky receives a salary Of $3.50
d year anu Judge receives $Z,o<U
The Navy Not Concerned.
1t has been many years since the navy
had any part in the patrol of the seal Is
lands Of Alaska, but ten years ago there
was quite feet of vessels in Boring sea
under the command of captain. An Off
Ger who was for three years on this serv-
ice says that never in his recollection was
a raid ever made SO early in the season as
this of the Japanese. The raiders hereto
fore, especially when the naval vessels were
on duty, would wait until later in the fall
when the nights were longer and make a
descent upon the rookeries at night and
slaughter the seals. At present 1t Is said
that there is daylight during the twenty
four hours in these waters, which does not
afford the poachers any cover in their
raids For the past ten years the patroll-
ing of the islands has been under the direc-
ton Of the Treasury Department, through
the revenue cutter service. !
Since the establishment of the Depart
ment Of Commerce and Labor the control of
the seal islands has been vested in that
department, although the Treasury De-
partment furnishes the revenue cutters to
keep the raiders away from the islands,
Question Of Prosecution.
Acting Attorney General Russell has
given no instructions to the United States
attorney at Valdez, where. it is presumed,
the Japanese poachers will be tried, and he
will give none for the present, at least.
Whether the department here takes any
part in the matter will depend entirely
upon further Information that may be re-
ceived. The United States attorney there
Is under general instructor to prosecute
all violators of the law, and 1t Is presumed
that he will proceed under these instruc-
lions.