The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1875-09-18

bones. He reached the place, and
after taking in the view, he RECALLED
a gaping world with his profound
theory concerning the fossilIiferous
remains there. This theory was that
at n period of the worlds exis-
tence the terra irma" on White
Earth River was under the tropics,
and II swamp. and grew b~uIlrushes as
stately As tamaracks. The gramin-
ivernus brutcs of that period that
roamed those regions, went there to
browse, and some Of them got en-
tangled in the b%ullrushes or stuck in
the mire and did not get out. The
earth subsequently got top-heavy
on one side, and careencd over on its
other end so rs to balance, and what
was left IN the mud of these brutes,
just naturally slid down from the
tropics to latitude 42' north, and re-
mains there to this day, bones and
all.
No one in these parts disputes the
Professors theory, because they have
not the least interest in 1t, and do not
care much whether the bones came
there in hat day or not.
But when the Professor travelled
out of the domain of paleontology
and permitted Red Cloud and Red
Dog to overcome his credulous ma
lure by exhibiting some bad, musty
-four, and some rotten tobacco, To
him, then it was that he hastily
concluded that these guilcless red
men were being outrageously wrong
ed, and that the Indian Department,
from the Secretary OF the Interior
down through commissioners, CON
tractors, freighters, agents, &C., was
one grand frau /. This was his theory
to account for the presence of spoiled
flour and decIyed tobacco in the
hands of these Indians. He gave his
theory to the country, but only a
small portion of the people were
convinced.
Marsh made statements and allega-
tions Of fraud and corruption against
an entire department Of the general
government, against numerous indi-
viduals, and against this community.
He proclaimed his ability to prove his
charges, against one and all of them.
Investigation was ordered. Marsh APP
peared before the committee and stated
that his charges (his theory We're true;
and when pressed to disclose his means
of knowledge, regarding the alleged
frauds, he Innocently said that he was
told there were frauds, and therefore
his charges were true. Red Cloud told
him so! Red Dog told him so! Louis
Richard told him hat out of thirty
seven bales IF blankets, but eighteen
had been delivered to the Indians.
The Commission called Red Cloud
and he stated that the supplies fur
nished were very good, and that the
Indians had received thirty-sevcn
bales of good blankets. Red Dog and
all the other Ogallalla Sioux chiefs
were called and they stated that the
Indian supplies received were good.
and that they got thirty-seveu bales of
blankets from Agent Saville. Louis
Richard was called and he stated that
the supplies received by the Indians
were good, and hat the Indians re-
ceived thirty-seven bales of blankets.
but didn't you make affidavit in
Washington, in presence eff Professor
Marsh, that only eighteen bales of
blankets were delivered by Agent Sa-
Vile to the ~Indians?" asked one of
the Commissioners.
mol" says Richard, Il did not! I
signed a paper there, at the request of
Prof. Marsh, but 1 did not know what
was in it'll"
And this is the way that Prof. Marsh
has sustained his charges. The man
although learned. up to dizzy point,
has no real PERCEPTION of the rules
of evidence, plain and simple as they
are.
That there are irregularities in the
Indian business is not to be denied,
or wondered at, since they exist in all
departments of the government, and
in all branches of business. These
need reforming when discovered.
But Marsh has wholly and grandly
failed in sustaining his sweeping allie
cations and now he may rest from
this part of his labors, with the salts
faction of knowing that simple Red
Cloud and Red Dog put up a job on
him. When i'll quest of fossils here
after, he should keep his weather eye
open for these fellows, as from all
accounts they are greatly pleased with