Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-04-16
REPORT OF MR.. BEALE.
Hon. A. II. II. STUART,



SIR On my arrival in California in the month Of Sep
TENDER last Immediately entered the discharge o
my duties expressly required by law ITO exercise az
minstrative. examination all claims and accounts
and vouchers for disbursements connected with Indian
affairs in the State Of California and also TO exercise
general supervision the " official conduct and ac
counts of the Indian agents within my SUPPLEMENTARY
and also discharge the duties OF superintendent IN
at;on TO the Indians themselves And in discharge Of
these duties have from time to time; made communica-
lions to your Office and make general report, TO
show as nearly possible the condition of our Indian
relations in California; and to suggest the measures
which deem necessary for the future being of the
Indians and the better management of the public service
in relation to them in that State. In doing this pre-
mise what is well known you, that laws and policy
with respect Indians have been neglected violated in
that State that they driven from their homes and
deprived Of their hunting grounds and fshingwaers
the discretion of the whites and when they back
TO these grounds and get the of ubsis
ence and also when they take cattle and stock from the
inhabitants for food they often killed. thus giving rise
to retaliation and to wars; and in this way Of
things exists there which is not known in the other parts
Of the United States where the Indian intercourse laws
are enforced BY the Government and Indian territorial
possession protected by the Government This
ous Of things is necessary be remembered in
der 10 understand the operations of the superintendent
and OF the agents IN that country.
To remedy this Of things, the Indians
some resting place and supply them with some food and
make compensation for the country taken from them,
lie established policy Of making treaties with them
adopted by the Government and several treaties made,
al Of which rejected that the Indians
main without practical protection from law treaties
and the Government officers have do the best they can
save them from death By starvation For
that purpose the rejected treaties stipulated for sge
for the Indians live upon and for supplies of food and
part Of the food in the form Of beef cattle was imme-
d!aeiy contracted for and part delivered but in
Of these deliveries great Irregularities occurred
(which have heretofore communicated to the great in
jury Of the Indians and the Government.
The following official questions and answers between
myself and agent Wczencrat will exhibit what deem
irregularities in his official conduct; and he is in
this city he give the explanations which the may
admit Of;
Memorandum of conversation 81 Superintendent Bsac r
agent Q. w. Wo,mcrgtt San FraReisco SPIT Il, 1852
Question With whom your FOR beef made
Answer The first with Mr.. : Norris.
Question Q By whom they issued TO the Indians,
Answer BY the traders appointed by myself.
Question What proof had that they were issued to
The Indians
Ansven No other proof than the q traders them
selves
Question I. How we're the weights estimated?
BY asking persons who might be the ground
say what they thought the average weight Of the drove
10 Be-
Question S. Have you any further proof than the mere word
Of tie traders that the Indians received the beef without
paying for it2
which issued during the negotiation Of the treaties It
was weighed
Question Have you given drafts the Government
ior cattle which a'e not yet delivered
Answer Yes.
Question Have YOU not ordered beef to the amount Of
fifteen hundred head be delivered between the Fresno and
Creeks without having been in the -Four Greeks
regioni
have ordered the beef.
Question s. How many Indians DO you suppose -Four
Greeks country 10 contain?
I Il, kupw
Question g. you did not know, how could you determine
the Of cattle necessary for their subsistence
Answer. From what promised them by the treaties.
Question TO- How do you know that the Indians of the -Four
Creeks ever received any Of that beefl
Nothing further than that was told 20 by the
traders a the Fresno. have proof Of It.
Question IT, How far i the Fresno from the -Four Creeks?
answer. Eighty miles.
Question Il. DO you not know that in instances, the
traders who issued and the contractors for the supply q the
beef the menl
Answer. do
Question 3. Were the contracts made BY you verbal
written
Answer With Mr.. Norris my contract was simply verbal
with Mcrs Savage and Haler was my part the
acceptance from them q proposition which understand
was the same a contract.
bavc sometimes, when visit 70 the reservations
The traders killing beef FOR the Indians but do know whe
ther II the beef furnished ny Ii the i'm
preston mind however, that the beef CT the
eminent. was told IL 80.
acknowledge the above answers AZ those made to E r.
Bsae in reply 70 questions BY him in his Official capacity
a superintendent q Indian affairs for California.
9. VI. WOzEScRAFr, L. :. Indian Agent
Settlement made Jy COL Williams 10 the unirsigned III, Tt
day Of Juno 1852
That Doctor wozencraft proposed to Col Williams III
he would give to him (wiams) the contract for supply
ing the Indian: with 500 head Of beeves upon the FOL
lowing conditions Each beef to weigh 500 pounds
cents per pound 5000 each provided he civilians
would pay 10 Wozencraft one-haf the profits after allow
ing williams so head each; which Willisms refuse
DO but afterwards agreed to pay Wozencra S25 90
for said contract ms above mentioned and which agree
ment reduced 10 writing by WoEencrsG and read b
him 70 Williams, which Williams signed without reading
supposng the contents to be read by Wozencraf VI
subsequent interview at San Francisco, William
found the paper signed by him TO be in accordance wit
be first proposition Of Wogencraf las aboye and nj
agreeable to the subsequently agreed upon which
signed believing il 70 be read by Wozencraft, f
$4,000; that he Wiliams refused to comply with sal
agreement; wbereupon Wozencroft said he should cons
der the contract void as he coulfl do better.
c. S. LOWELL,
G. A. STURGEs
With respect to Mr.. Barbour and the delivery to Il
Indians Of the cattle recev ed from Col Fremont and
which drafts giyen il would appear by the accom-
panying documents that a very small part only went
the Indians the agent after receiving the cattle fro
Col Fremont, having put them in the Of India
trader named Savage, (snce killed in afray,) wh
converted the grests part Of them to his II