Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-14

vessel had unlawfully cleared from San
Francisco For, he explained. the cap
tain of the craft, one Alexander McLane,
was sworn to by Herman Leabis an
American citizen, while in fact he was a
notorious British fur-seal pirate imported
from Victoria, B. c., only few weeks be-
fore by Herman Leabis to engage in seal
piracy.
"McLane confessed this perjury In 1905
at Victoria said Prof. Elliott during the
progress of an attempt by officers of the
Department of Justice to arrest McLane as
an American citizen. He proved that he
was a British subject
Seizure of the Lewis.
According to Prof. Elliott, the J. Hamil-
ton Lewis sailed a pelagic sealer from
January 10, 1890. to 1901, when she was
seized as a pirate by the Russian govern
ment. A very short time after this seizure,
Herman Leabis while in San Francisco ac-
cording to Mr.. Elliott, made a sworn state
ment that he was the owner of the vessel
an American craft with an American cap
tain, which had lawfully cleared from San
Francisco.
The next heard of the case it was in the
form of claim in the State Department.
Again Capt McLane perjured himself by
swearing that on August ., 1891, he was a
citizen of the United States.
Chairman Payne wanted to know whether
Leabis had any knowledge that McLane
was not an American citizen.
"Leabis,' cried Mr.. Elliott, rs the big
gest employer of pelagic sealers at Vic
toria. He Is no fool He is a shrewd
man. OF course he knew all about it,
Mr.. Elliott then charged that Tingle had
induced the State Department to accept the
falsified log book of the ]. Hamilton Lewis,
and had brought such influence to bear
and had pulled ropes so effectually that at
first. although the Russian government
would not consider the claim at all, it was
finally sent to The Hague tribunal to be adj
Indicated by DIR. Asser. Herbert H. D.
Peirce, third assistant secretary of state at
that time, was detailed to press it.
ION November %. 1902 said Mr.. Elliott,
"Dr. Asser. the arbitrator, rendered deci-
sion giving this vessel and this British
pirate $4,000 on the strength of their being
vouched for by the United States
MI. PIERCE Obtains Injunction.
Does this thing end with this award7
No! On March 20, 1903, Assistant Secretary
OF State PIERCE secured an injunction
against Treasurer Roberts of the United
States, restraining him from paying any
of the $4,000 award until PIERCE had been
settled with. He claimed his fee." -
WHAT" cried Mr.. Williams He swore
out an injunction himself stating that fees
were due him for obtaining this award?"
Yes" replied Mr.. Elliott. "On March
20. 1903 before Justice Gould"
At this point Chairman Payne remarked
that the committee wasn't concerned with
what Third Assistant Secretary Of State
PIERCE had done, and that Mr.. Elliott
would please continue and stick to facts
germane to the bill.
But John Sharp and Champ Clark
could not see 1t that way. They announced
that they intended to have the matter
looked into and they demanded that Mr..
Payne take steps to secure a certified copy
of the injunction that Mr.. PIERCE al
legged to have secured. Mr.. Payne, after
remarking that the ways and means COM
n nd
that he didn't care to open UP any such in
vestigation, said that he would leave it to
the whole committee.
Messrs. Williams and Clark protested
that they thought the PIERCE charges were
very termare indeed, particularly il Mr..
Peirce was acting at The Hague in dual
capacity-as third assistant secretary of
state pressing ON. behalf Of the United
States this claim of b citizeh and as paid
attorney on behalf of the North American
Commercial Company the claim of that
concern Mr.. Payne said he couldn't see 1T
that way, but that the whole committee
could decide
Mr.. Elliott suggested at this point that
it looked very much to him as If the
lessees had suborned the officers of the
United States.
Claim Killed in the Senate.
He continued, coming down to modern
times, that he would refer to the carrying
Of practically this same proposition into
the Senate, when on April 13, 1904, fresh
claim for damages on account of James
Hamilton Lewis received the unanimous
approval of the foreign relations committee
Specific provision was made for Capt. Nc
Lane and number of pelagic sealing
schooners which had been warned to leave
the American portion of Boring sea. Mr.
Elliott said that, fortunately for the Sem
ate, this particular proposition had been
killed Senator Plat of Connecticut had
called him (Mr. Elliott out Of bed in the
middle of the night of the day it was re-
ported to ask him about it.
They are pirates, l told the senator"
Senator Platt told him to go over at once
to see John Hay, which he did. and later,
through the efforts of Senators Plat and
Dolliver, the bill was killed.
Mr.. Elliott then took up the question of
the violations Of the regulations and went
into detail concerning the method of
branding seals, which, he said, permitted
open and wilful non-observanve of the law
Conditions were bad he said that he
to the point where the business of killing
seals would no longer be attractive or
proffeable. There should be strict regula-
tons, and then after ten or twelve years
of rest the question could again be taken
up and the United States and Canadian
authorities could get together on the propo-
sition.
Senator Faulkner and number of the
officials of the Department of Commerce
and Labor having to do with the care of
the seal herds will be given an opportunity
to discuss the bill and the Elliott charges
In the meantime the committee will I'M
doubleday make an inquiry into the PIERCE
matter.