Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-26
ALASKA SEAL ISLANDS
PROF. HENRY W. ELLIOTT DE-
FENDS HIMSELF

PrOf. Henry w. EliOtt VI NACNeio"N'
Ohio, appeared before the House ways and
means committee at o'clock yesterday
afternoon to make a refutation Of the
charges made against him during the morn
ing session by former Senator Faulkner
Of West Virginia, counsel for the North
American Commercial Company, the lessees
of the seal islands.
Prof. Elliott declared that in denying
his employment as an attorney or servant
Of the old lessees, the Alaska Commercial
Company, he was telling the truth. and
said the very testimony quoted by Senator
Faulkner proved ia true scientific ex-
pert never sells or hires his views out
to serve interests which are not in accord
with them.
Gen. Towards Report.
He declared that the quotation made from
the report of Gen. Howard in 1875 was not
in the body of the generals report. but it
was a mere newspaper clipping put by the
general into the appendix Of this report,
with no comment 1t was written by
Greek Outcast named Agapius Honcharen-
ko, who had no address. 1t declared that
Mr.. Elliott had only been three days in
Alaska prior to his going up to the Seal
Islands in 1872. when. in fact, he had been
there, traversing southeast Alaska from the
Muir glacier in the north to Cape Fox In
the south, nearly full three years-from
May 8. 1865, down to November q, 1867
He declared that the-report of w. T.
Morris, special agent. Treasury Depart
ment, in 1878, was abusive and false, simply
because he had ridiculed in the pages of
Harper's Magazine, in 1876 the scheme Of
fitting Alaska out with full-f1edged ter
ritorial form of government, said scheme
being the desire of Morris.
He said the governor of Alaska, A. p.
Swineford. in 1886 had also met the same
objections which he (Elliott) had made in
1876 to the idea of complete territorial
organization for Alaska, and, failing to
overcome them. had resorted to the false
statement that Mr. Elliott. was acting under
the orders and direction of the Alaska Com
mercial Company, when, in truth, said COM
pany had urged Elliott to aSee to such
a plan. and urged him in vain.
Correspondence With Late Secretary
Foster.
p At. this point in the proceedings Mr..
Elliott said that he had a most unpleasant
duty to perform, and he deeply regretted
that the attorney for the lessees had opened
the grave of Charles Foster to read letter
from that gentleman which traduced the
ability and the character of Mr., Elliott as
sworn officer Of the government. Much
opposition to letting Mr.. Elliott go ahead
at this point was made by Gen. Grosvenor
and Chairman Payne, but Mr. Elliott in
had the right to dig up the dead past and
assail him with it, he was wholly within
his rights and duty to defend himself with
the same weapons. He finally was per-
mitted to read the personal correspondence
which passed between Ex-Secretary Charles
Foster and himself in 1895, being a series
Of letters in which Foster. admitted giving
certain permit, April H. 1881, to the
60.Oo0 seals on the PrfbylOv Islands during
the season OF 1891 If they (the 1essees)
could find them. Elliott then produced
British Blue Book, in which the fact that
Secretary Blaine, on April 7, 1884, or only
four days earlier than the issuance of this
permit to these lessees. had pledged this
government to stop all killing on the islands
during 1891. II the British government
would stop all sealing by its subjects in the
sea during that time.
In one of these letters Foster admits. Mr..
Elliott said. that certain sworn affidavits
made by the lessees in 1884, declaring that
Elliott was wrong in saying that there were
not plenty of seals to kill, were "clandes-
timely removed otherwise, from the
official files of the Treasury Department
when he went out of Office, March 4, 1895.
by whom he knows not.
Relations With Late Secretary Hay.
Then Mr.. Elliott said that since garbled
extracts only Of his relations with the late
Secretary John Hay had been read by the
attorney for the lessees. it became neces-
Sdfy IOI LiAisto uiiCiy SPiSou thC OiAehC ~
ord of his confidential relations aforesaid
upon the records Of the hearing. This he
did in detail bringing 1t up to the date Of
the completion of his confidential work.
March II, 1905, and the filing of his final
account for services rendered, for $1,000,
March p, 1905, In the State Department.
At this point, the hour of o'clock, the
committee adjourney to meet Monday, jan
uary q, 1907, 10 am, with Mr.. Elliott still
on the floor with much yet to lay before the
committee.