New-York tribune., 1873-01-02
AN EXPENSIVE INDIAN JOB.

Az APPARENT sWINDLE PART OF THE
WASHINGTON VISITING GAME.
Irr0A THR REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF rHB TRiBuhB'l
WASHINGTON, Jan. IAN interesting con-
troversy has arisen between the Administration and
prominent gentlemen from Montana, in regard to the
existence OF band of Indians In that Territory known
as "Teon Sioux" for whose benefit 100000 was appro
priaed last Spring, aud for whom 100000 more Is asked
for Indian Appropriation bill already passed py
the House. At the time the appropriation was made
(S5OOOOO the remaining 100000 being appropriated III
another b some of the older Senators desired to know
something about this before unheardof tribe to which
t was proposed TO give twohrds much as to all the
remaining Sioux tribes together. and more than twice dc
much as TO any other single tribe and Senator WINDOW
explained in the following words:
wish TO say that the people OF Minnesota have heard
of these Indians They have unfortunately somewhat
intimate ACQUAINTANCE with them. These Teton sioux
Chief called sitting Bull who admits he nstigated
the in Minnesota in 1862 IN Wch over cVV vi
our people, men, women and children, were mastered
therefore say have affection for these indians
but have regard for the people OF montana ana
y feeding them, in favor Of doing 1t rather than
attempting to fight them again. D.. ,,,n,,,,
Sir we had little experience in efforts 10 punish
these tribes of Indians IN 1864 ana 1862 atter tho
massacre in Minnesota The military anthGrlues M sent seIi
them bring them into subsection Sir what was Ihe
result of this large expenditure OF over s6o9ol Inc
estimate of the result of the labor shows that about one
Indian was killed for every 1000 expended II recOeet
the Alright am not in favor OF that SORT OF
@ p0amed DO not know whether the Teton" the
rom ali the various tribes OF Sioux and
around Fort Peek. Whether Teton be tle proper name
or not do not know, and think the Indians will not
| stand upon the Fame.
Mr.. RAMSEY also defended the appropriation as fol-
! lows:
simply wist 10 say one word lp yipdicstion OF this
ancient designation OF the Sioux Indians, Teton IL Is
as old the senator of Illinois will Ind as any OF our
Indian treaties with the Sioux. The Teton sioux were
Who came into the Northwest and from those earliest
days the Sioux west OF the Minnesota RIVER
were designated Teton Sioux they among themselves
described themselves as the seventh great council no
Notwithstanding these assertions gentlemen from
Montana deny the existence OF any such tribe or band
The Sioux to whom Mr.. Window referred they say, were
the weknown tribes whO after the war OF ls6i-5 came
under treaty stpuatons and arc annually provided for
in the s9OOO appropriated for the "sioux of different
tribes~ They do not doubt that Sitting Bull
wears aro With one Of these tribes but they never heard
of any OF them called "Tetons" south Of the boundary
of the British Possessions until this appropriation was
asked for; and after careful inquiry, the most they
have been able 10 learn is that there was once small
fragment of q tribe OF that namo but that 1t was
merged with others who, according TO treaty stpula-
TONS went upon the Grand River Reservation in Da'
kota Territory, after the general Sioux war.
As for Sitting Bull who is said TO have been at Fort
Peck last Spring. with 1000 Tetons they say that he Is
yagabond Indian who. with IA followers, left the res
ervaton at Grand River and went up into the vicinity
OF Fort Peck small tradingp post the Milk River
Reservation and long distance from any white settle
menr There about two years ago. they killed two wood
choppers and this the first that was ever heard OF
Sitting Bull. Soon after the traders sent ont and in
vited Sitting Bull and his IA followers In to sell their furs
and they encamped the fort They deny the state
ment that there have been 1900 Sioux Indians OF
any OF all bands together in any one place since 1868
and the best au hoes place the largest number that
were seen at any one time them when the whole nation
was the war-path, at 1900.
In renly to the statement that large delegation OF
these Teton Sioux were Washington last Summer the
gentlemen from Montana say that the people were de-
ceyed They the agent who to disburse this
$500 900 and the traders at Fort Peck with planning tne
visit TO nuet any dsrust that might have out Of
the debate last Spring and to open the way for another
appropriation this Winter Sitting Bull having gone
away from Fort Peck he could not be reached but one
or two OF his followers induced 10 and the
remainder of the delegation was made up Of friendly
Indians from the Milk River Reservation and possibly
some from the Grand River Reservation in Dakota In
conclusion these people say that there Sioux In
dians in Montana who arc not provided for by treaty
stipulations except have broken their treaty
gagemens and gone upon the warpah these OF course
nobody expects the Government to feed
An affidavit has been prepared setting forth some OF
the facts given and accusing the superintendent
and Agent supposed have charge Of these Indians OF
making false vouchers zone OF which is given in ful in
order to draw the money. This affidavit will be placed
before the Senate ard House on its reassembling. The
National Republican, which is the organ of the Kitchen
Cabinet insinuates that Senator Harlan is in
responsible for this alleged swinde those engaged in
IL are from Iowa and appointed his nomination.
There certainly ought TO be explanation before
s2O0OO1 moro IL given for this mythical tribe. 1t is
remarkable circumstance that appropriation for
other single tribe last Spring, exceeded s25000, and
that appropriations for the remainder OF the
Sioux nation was but little more than million dollars.
Wien the paragraph appropratng 100000 for these
Indians next year before the House. Mr.. Dun
nell OF Minnesota made inquiries in regard TO the
existence OF these bands Mr.. Sargent sent to the
Clerks desk 10 be read, letter from the Commissioner
OF Indian Affairs from which IL appeared that all the
Indians Of these tribes actually by the Commission
numbered only 2ss3 and their knowledge Of the
mander was based entirely the report OF the Indians
themselves is fair suppose that the superintendent
and Agent nothing OF them frompersonal observa
ton, and could not therefore have spent any money
upon them. supposing the money appropriated last
year TO be divided among 1900 Indians the largest num-
bex now estimated IL would give than $50 each
II it spent those actually seen, the amount
capita would be s20o, per head,
probably, than 10 spent on any other Indians
la the country Another interesting fact also appears
from the report The appropriation last year was for
"Teton.Sioux and other bands the vicinity Of Fort
Peck" The Indians seem TO have been gathered
together last sumner after the appropriation was made
aud did include the bands led by Sitting Bull and
others, wbo the Commission says. are the most noted
the assertion OF the gentlemen from Montana who say
that when the appropriation was made iasl spEnS the
less than 40 At the time the appropriation made
there were no considerable number Of Indians in the
vicinity Of Fort Peck but when the oney was obtained
the men who engineered the matter through Congress
10 work 10 hunt up Indians 70 spend on that Is,
they gathered 2Ss3 Indians together under the appro
pristiou," TO use the words OF the Commission.
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