Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-12
TALES OF HORROR
FROM FROZEN ZONE
American Whaling Vessels
VeritabIe HotbedS of Crime.
MEN BRUTALLY MURDERED
Colored Sailor Kicked to Death by an
Enraged Captain.
TWO GOVERNMENTS AROUSED
If Convictions Cannot Be Had in the
American Courts Canada Will
Enter Upon Prosecution.
TWO GOVERNMENTS AROUSED
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
OTTAWA, January I2-The Dominion
governments department of justice has Just
received some interesting information and
several important communications from
Washington relative to American whaling
captains against whom are serious charges,
and some of whom are now on triai at
Seattle Wash. If 1t turns out that the al
legged crimes were committed in Canadian
territory the department OF justice is pre-
pared to spend $4,000 or even 100000 to
bring the guilty ones to justice
Hideous stories are told of the cruelty OF
two whaling captains in charge of vessels
that We're at Herschell islaEl Is. One captain
of an American Uhaler is charged with
brutally numbering his engineer some
months ago, while another captain, 1t rs
alleged, kicked to death a coiored member
of the crew. In the case of the first cap
tain the question has arisen TO whether
the alleged murder took place on Canadian
or American territory. His ship was at
Point Barrow at the time but was said to
be outside the three mile limit, and, acting
on this assumption, the United States au-
thorities have undertaken to deal with the
matter in the federal courts.
Young Girls Abducted.
Another whaling captain has been indict-
ed for criminal assault upon an Eskimo
girl. The girl and her mother have reached
Seattle to testify to frightful scenes that
transpired on the vessel. According to EVIL
dence submitted to the grand jury there,
and of which the government here has
some details, the captain has been in the
habit of abducting young girls in the spring
and keeping them on board for immoral
purposes all through the whaling season.
Ten witnesses have been summoned to
appear against the captains. The captains
were lodged in Jail, bail being refused The
Dominion government recently spent
large sum to run down one criminal in
the Yukon, and is prepared to spend as
much again to bring those responsible to
Justice if the elleged crimes were in Cana
dian territory.
The State and Treasury Departments
have known for some time of the alleged
barbarous practices Of American whaling
CAPTAINS in the north, and the government
is deeply interested in the prosecutions now
pending at Seattle. If it should be proven
that any of the offenses were committed
in Canadian waters, the Dominion govern
ment will be expected to cooperate in
bringing the guilty men to justice.
Many Revolving Practices.
A report was received at the Treasury
Department rev Gays ago irohh INC
commanding officer Of the revenue cutter
Thetis, which spent last summer In cruis-
ing in Boring sea and the Arctic ocean.
The report calls attention to the most re-
voting practices in the whaling fleet, which
not only corrupt the native inhabitants, but
which result in cruelty on shipboard. Capt.
Hamlet of the Thetis has recommended that
the navigation laws be SO amended as to
break up these practices by imposing
heavy penalties of Imprisonment. Changes
in the law directed especially against
shanghaiing are recommended. Secretary
Shaw has sent Capt. Hamlets report to
Congress.