The sun., 1873-06-26
TIE MONTANA WAR CLAIMS
LITELT FTGHT ron THE DITISTOY
or THE SpOILS.


rHckrtt-B1sc InRratitude to tOmuis-
sOncr Parkrr's Mother-in-Law.
Correspondence of The sun.
wASHiNGToN, June 23-There is n great
row here among certain claimants from Mon
tana, who are after portion Of the $4,000 that
was appropriated 10y Congress last winter to pay
what are known as the Montana war claims.
There arc also certain lawyers. aud a promi-
nent banking house, and the chief clerk
of the claims division Of the Second
Comptrollcr's once mixed up In the quarrel.
In a letter to THE Sun last winter, exposed
the true nature Of this Montana war claim swim
die, which was rushed through the House of
Representatives by Gen. James A. GARFIELD, un-
der the operation OF the previous question. 1t
will he well, however, to briefly rccapitulate
the facts connected with this notorious job.
There was In 1906 or 1867
Al RuNoR OF AN INDIAN ATTACK
upon the white people in Gallatln Valley, Mon
tana. Immediately this rumor seized upon
by designing men In the Territory and magni-
fed into the commencement Of general Indian
war. They prevailed upon the Governor of the
Territory to telegraph to Washington for author
ity to raise a regiment or two of troops, and
for arms to arm them with. quasi authority
was given by the General of the Ar
mics Of the United states. This was all
the Ring Of Territorial speculators wanted. 1t
was sufficient ground on which TO base claim
against the United states. They accordingly
", mt to work In the most reckless manner to
raise troops and furnish them with supplies.
herythins was OF course sold at war panic
rLorR At $50 4 nARRrr,
and all other supplies In tho same proportion.
Ihc panic lasted only few days. for ~ soon as
news could travel in tn 4 comparatively unin-
habited country u was ascertaincd that there
"n the % pcop" op Of Gaiatin valley " rowcver, % the
succulators made good use OF their time. A
man named Cummings was made quarterinaster,
aud he let the contracts for furnishing supplies
to Black x lnslcy. requiring them to give MIN
certain proportion OF the vouchers. There was
no money to pay for anything. The quarter
master accepted the supplies and gave in return
his receipt for the same. As soon "a the false
alarm was exploded, thuse who had received
vouchers for supplies put them on the market
ana sold them, or raised money on them as coll
lat erals. man named largey purchased good
many of them at 10 and 10 cents on the dollar.
He advanced money on others. charging Ave per
cent per month interest. Among Others Of
the Quartcrmastcr Black d lnsley came on
here soon alter To- see about putting the claim
before the department or Congress.
WHO HELPED lie THING ALONG.
They fell in with Mrs. Anna sackett, as
I related in a former letter TO IHt SuN.
Mrs. Sackett is mother-in-law Of col Parker,
who was then Commissioner Of Indian Affairs.
She agreed for con-iderhiion 10 hx them al
right with Parker, and help them put their
number of vouchers. and she hxed Parker. A.
soon IA Congress appropriated the money to
pay these claims there was rush To washing
ton hy everybody who held vouchers t.
get their share Of the spoils. lntgcy hlci
his vouchers and BLACK y lnsley fled protests
against the money being paid 10 him.
They set forth that the vouchers belonged of
right to them, and that they passed out OF their
hands without their receiving any val Iable con
sldcritiun for the same. ltrseN then brought
Cummings forward to prove that Black n
ln-ey gave them to him as a free gift. Black
4 In-ley responded with afidaNits allie sins
that Cummings com elcd them t. a-rrc To- turn
Over to htm these vouchers before lac would
give them the contracts.
room MRS. sACKErT.
Mrs Sachctt had made trade with John 7.
Neob for Nir-inl.l farm, ami the vouchers she
had received passed 10 him. lie deposited them
with Middleton Co., the bankers, Tor CulleC-
ton. lnslcy contested the payment Of these
also. lie states upon an AFFIDAVIT uled with the
7 Second Comptroller, that at the request uf Mr..
sackett he deposited the vouchers with her To
purchase house that IL the purchase was not
completed. tue vouchers were o. he returned t.
MN by hcri that sue neither pirchased
the house nor returned the vouchers ac-
, e9rl!nE 70 his request. but refused q do
that he instructed MS attorney, +. W. Rice, 10
/ commence legal proceedings against Mrs sack
EFT IN order to recover and repossess the said
vouchers, but that his attorney informed him
i that the Treasury Department would be tue
/ an avit Mr.. Sickett made verbal statement
10 the Comptroi!er' s.atlng that she performed
valuable services la obtaining the pas axe u the
/ law uy Congress recognizing the validity OF the
Montana Indian war claims.
ADDITIONAL TESTIMONY.
] Her COlnstl makes tlt same statement III
her behalf and interest. 1t l. also 'llesrd that
4 she procured an appointment Tor one oi the pat
! ties In the Indian Department thro gh her SON
: in-aw, Col. Parker az that time the tummiS-
siuuer. To further prove her claim Moses B--
. sell makes affidavit that he was present VII N
? Insley gave Mrs. Slckett the claims. And that
I they were given absolutely and without reserve.
The acting Comptroller decided on the I'm
day Of June that In mel. her IArgey nor SaCket >
case was there any valuable consideration that
} the Quartermaster, Cummings, had corruptly
| received his vouchers and sold them To IargeV.
Iia frtI,s n Atq kRIt ! a. Ia
/ fore decided that the money should be pad
To Black lnsley.
they have inlornatio On leading them To believe
that Butterheld, chief clerk OF tue claims
ceived a valuable consideration for using his in
| tuence TO further the interests of lnsley in Sc
Iroadhead, the Second Comptroller. left for
! Europe, he had stated his inability TO decide
between the claimants. and promised To- Jet the
| matter rest until the courts should decide own
| ershp. The attorneys OF Mehb, acting on the
intormatio that Butterneld had been approaoh-
ed. had AN interview with Acting tomptroller
| Curtis, who stated that he Intended 70 decide
asainst their client, but asreed' in presence 81
Buttericld, the clerk, that the matter should
rest until the 10th, to allow
An INJUNCTION 10 BE ASKED FOR
In the United States courts here. June ID
preliminary injunction wls served, and copies
promise being renewed that matters should rest
without action Tuesday, l7th, Mr.. Gurus sent
for the attorneys and stated that he had been
placed in mortifyng and Illuminating position
That when he had gwen the promise rulerted TO-
the certificates had already been ssued and the
money paid. That tine paper had been placed
with many others, before him for signature, and
had been signed without his noticing them
/ nor had ButIerteld, who prepared the papers
! brought the matter to his attention.. MIR. Curtl'
had sent for Butterneld Immediately upon the
/ discovery OF tine facts and being asked why he
had permitted his chief to deceive the partic'
| Interested, replied that he supposed Mr. curtis
was fully aware OF tine facts. I'M. man Butler
! field Is one OF :. L. Browns creatures. lie II
| the clerk who helped brown with the Geo. q
| Evans PENNSYLVANIA claim. Evans, II Will he
! remembered, paid Brown S3lUU tor his services
/ Ii is well understood here that in other casti
! Brown used Butterteld In the same way. LtrgeY
nv the way, says he was approached some tim'
since and tuli that II he went to ;. r. Brow
his claim would 90 through all right.