Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1871-12-15

first instalment of pensions was
sent out to Fort Gibson before any
investigation of the justice of the
claims had been made. The amount
drawn on these fraudulent rolls is
about $4,000 per year, and the pro-
cess has been going on six years.
Public attention was first drawn
to this matter by the Cincinnati
Gazette, which published an order
from ex-Secretary Harlan, dated
March 8, 1865, directing the Com
missioner Of Pensions to place
names on the pension list without
previous examination. The Gin
cinnati Chronicle, edited by Mr..
Joseph r. Barrett (ex-C Commission
err of Pensions, intimates that this
order Of March 8 is forgery.
Probably the Gazettc's correspon-
dent was not allowed to copy the
order; but, having seen it, attempt
ed to transcribe it from memory.
Indeed, he says on this point:
An Assistant Secretary, on being applied to
| "
be furnished, assigning as a reason that 1t would
seriously injure Senator Harlan; Secretary
declined to allow it to be published. assigning
government, who, though fully aware Of its con-
tents, had no authority to furnish it, said that If
not withheld, it would exercise most disastrous
influence upon Senator Harlan's election.
The order Of March has since
disappeared from the records Of the
Interior Department, but the follow
ing of similar tenor and purport is
still there:
| DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR,
WASHINGTON, D. c., March Is, 1866.
Commissioner of Penssons:
| SIR: In order to enable Mr.. Whiting, while at
Fort Gibson, to pay the pensions which, upon
| investigation he is required to make there, may
be found to be due, l have to request that you
| will inscribe the names of the following named
| claimants upon the pension rolls. The rates and
commencement of the pensions allowed will be
| hereafter supplied. The names OF those claim
| ants there inscribed upon the rolls, who NAV be
found not to be legally entitled to pensions, will
be stricken from the rolls The receipt of his
| Here follows a list of Indian names amounting
| in number to 266.
AZ it is desirable that Mr. Whiting shall proceed
| to Fort Gibson and enter upon the duties with
which be is charged at as early day possible,
should be glad If you would have this order
carried into effect Immediately. 1 am, respect
| fully, your obedient servant,
JAMES HARLAN, Secretary.
Soldiers who have applied for
pensions and have been obliged to
produce their discharge papers and
"descriptive lists" and undergo
various medical examinations and
unravel a vast deal of red tape, and
perhaps at last find their applica-
ton refused because some blunder-
ing officer has lost the muster out
rolls, will appreciate this hasty and
inexpensive mode Of putting 266
redskins on the pension rolls-the
names to be erased at some future
time if found not to be entitled to
pensions! The presumption, APP
parently, was that if Cherokee
squaw applied for a pension, she
was entitled to it, and that this pre-
sumption could only be overcome
by positive proof. Doubtless the
careful Whiting Ia relic of Jake
Thompson's administration of the
Interior Department. examined the
muster and discharge Of each sur
viving invalid, and the marriage
certificate of each widow, and found
them all surprisingly regular, for he
took the money with him, and paid
it out to the 266-or to parties rep
resenting them.
The attorney or agent for these
afflicted squaws was Wright; and,
after Whiting had been designated
to 90 ont to Fort Gibson, and pro-
vided with $4,000 to pay the pen
sions and arrears Of pension (for
the claims went back to the period
when death or disability occurred),
Wright generously became his bail,
and the two acted in harmony
throughout. Wright also furnished
security for all the subsequent Pen
sion Agents appointed to disburse
the funds in the Cherokee Nation,
and furnished the last one good
boarding place. The latter fact
coming to the knowledge of Secrc-
tary Delano, he dismissed the agent
on suspicion, and sent man out
there to investigate, who, in due
time, reported that, not only was
the agent fraud, but that tie pen
sion list itself seas q fraud. The
Secretary thereupon ordered
further investigation, the details of
which have not been fully disclosed.
1t is ascertained, however, that Of
the 400 names on the list, not more
than 80 were ever entitled to pen
sions, and that the names of these
even were inserted without authori-
ty Of law Secretary Delano is en-
titled to the thanks Of the country
for his promptness and decision in
the case. 1t is hoped that he will
60 to the bottom of it, and make
thorough exposure, no matter who
".