, 1869-08-12
General Sheridan and the Cuttte
Clates

Tu fhr fs:;itor ~ Tie chte,qp Trltune:
The Illinois State Rt!Hfter. Of y late date, al,
ludes 10 n pretended expose By the Leasenworth
ikansas, CdN Of fraud in the letting Of recent
Nef contract. and aids:
s.A heavier sbcet transaction than this s re.
ported IL have taken place Ii the vicinity Of To-
IwEa, k1nfas, in which 1t Is kaid General Sheridan
nznrea This procuring OF army supplies Just
simply consisted Of the condscatlyn and butcher,
tnH OF large Alot VI teef cattle be!puctpg TO =
farmer hear Topeka, upon General Shrridao'A Of
der, for which the uwner could never gel hts pay,
Although 1t II asserted that thr goreynMeat has
paid More than s3.f5 per 100 pounds 10 somebody
IoI this l%.ef.'
Having became we'll acquainted with the facts
OF The d,1iculty out OF which fhs charge has becn
iablicatel, by my oircial connection taerewith,
de the attorney u the government instructed to
Investigate thu same, and TO appear IN the cour to
defend the action VI Lieutenant General Sheridan,
desire. In Justice, 10 that gallant faithful. nnu
hunest otlcrT, to cu1rcct the 1niaBtateme1ts Con-
ta,ncd IL the extract from the Register, Slmila1
churRca, sotnc OF them sl1lI more exaggerated,
arlalE, Undoubtedly. out OF the same cattle af-
talr," husr been extensively published t1 other
Of the 1eBdhg Democratic papers, and It eeeEna TO
Inc Banuef 10 uniounned should not 60 longer
unrou1rAdIcIeu- In the TRANSACTION. Llcutenant
General Sheridan ueted ID STITCH conformity with
the requirements Of Ills tlutcs "a commander Of
thc o. 'ae .oa aaa *' serapa
be WAS to- project. Instead Of belng ceusured, he
Ia deserving Of the highest meet or rvlise for the
rronptuess Rnd leletu tnat,ou exhibited BY h,.1
in the matter. F1rsi, YOUR Ii!iuots contemporary
8 mistaken 10th III his geography AID
bis substantial alleeauoas no such occar-
renee 10 Ok p1ace sin tie vicinity Of Topeka -
Second, no cattle "te.onR1ns 10 farmer near
Topeka were ever "con1scaIctt. i" TcInl, no
such tsansacts,u r,cr otenrrd an9whese. The
laCtk, uut Of uhsch fahricAtoDs have bt.en male,
gre III follows: Ou JAbuAIy ~, 1869, while i
larger !orre Of United states Troops we're II Camp
Supply, fndfhu Territory. Under command Of LirI-
Gsx.1p NJ fhk 1[FH CAN.
Grxf received an oIlcinl report Of L!rateuAnt n.
4. DeJie Of the Tenth Luiied States CkvatrJ,
dated Al Cottonwood, lhdian Territory, ''tnat j..
T I6laes, Don Carlos, with others, had ~:
tnenced the Caddoe Indians TO stcal ~ head
Of cattle lsuuklng to citizens OF Tefast
store o1 one William GnElnsiein: that k~c hun.
dred or there cattle bad tt-eh issued 70 the lndl-
ans, fay the pa, nen1 Of which clutns bad been
Lent 10 Washington. aud that The balance, abont
TWO hrnuFed aud nfty, were then en- ruutt to Camp
supply, l. T., to DC sold 10 the Cnite't
states Gosernment contractor" Al this tine
thu lndiAn trllrs or most Of Them. IN the Terrific
r. rete III war with the gO7ernuett active hostlli
ties had broken out over one thousand armed
civil courts ceul'. TX open fnr the 5nnsact,nn Of
business, no ARRESTS coall Ike INSIDE or any process
srrsra wItou, the Jo~r II Of The military, and All
rn,,eu States torres ere uLsafe. In The st1c.e,s
crtll ttuu Of the ~oru. state
q w x,ia prophet. ma, = sail
E,eslEl OF the n.clal report pf Lieutenant poJle.
nadc tie }nc Of his duty, ordtEt.l the Arrest ct
the pa1itfs engaged IN lnt.elnE the Ihdtsus 10
y.olAte the laws nnt Also Utt1tred the Ee!Zurc Of
Itr go head u cattle wheu they reached Camp
Surrl!. .
LnAes this order T. uolucs Was arrested and
npn'tnal!y held In custody several d2s6, sud the
cattle fe:zt.1. Fresh meat being uccessaFy for the
Uuited States forctr IN the Territory, the cattle
were valued, butChereA and distributed as beef.
The rloptr orders Were made h2. The .a~tul o~n-
ers thereof should receive the necessary vouchers
for the cattle killed, At this tine the troops
lad been Without frcth neat for peaEt. two
nrfhs. Ailer1 nrds, J. +. Holmes brought
Two actions ac.inkt Lieutenant Gencsai SAer1dan-
ore tor ia:se IMPRISONMENT, e,a.icg h.s damages
at ssatN0. and one for the yalne Of the eat1le
taken. In The sUm Of f9,'rA These actions arc
now pending IN the Inltett States Circuit CG11t
OF tt. district. to which court tney were trans
te51t-a at the Instance at the government, now
defending the action Of the commanding General
IN the premises II Is not my purpose to have the
judicial investigation Of this matter 1eJudtced or
prejudged but 1zlsehoods anu eSasy,erate.l
Statements concerning the alfAiF arc bciug chn-
tnuai. published, 1t ID not Improper thar the F1n.
lie thoI he Informed Of the circumstances OF the
case as yeW cd from tic standpoint Of the defence.
ALyKET u. HORTON,
Cpited States Distinct Attorney II kass1s4
A1Ci1lSok, haEsas, August !, 1861