The New York herald., 1875-08-25
| respectullv WILLIAM WELSH.

Illegal and also fraudulent II made without the
consent OF the Indians. You also that these
views have since been confirmed by a decision OF
the supreme Court And you can no doubt call W
mind the preparation of "a bill introduced into the House
of Representatives, December IL 1874 by Mr. Isaac c.
Parker, with this titlc:-"A bill TO provide for tho
government and To promote the civilization OF tho
Indians" You must be of the discussion that
bill received in the Interior Department You surely
ean also remember that the nrst nine sections
intended as blind, and that section designed
nullify this decision OF the Supreme Court OF tho
United States by authorizing the sale OF timber
Indian reservations and by confirming sales already
made ! think It by the vigilance OF the Hon
Samuel Randall that the OF this niquitous
bill prevented could pursue this subject almost
indefinitely from papers lying before me, but think
this will suffice to show you that commits.
soners appointed by and under the influence OF the
Interior Department without authority 70 compel the
attendance OF witnesses could possibly detect and
pose such complicated frauds . -
had written thus far when l received the following
letter.
PHILADELPHIA, August %, 1878
DsAn siR-In this mornings Of the Times read
The false voucher transactions A. H. Wilder. As have
lived n for the past four years and ha1
voucher transactions with may be Of interest to you
a. II. Wilder ihrough his confidential clerk requesting me
10 MAKE o1t ana sign ase 4 aisS o0Oas % dian
and the government and should one depnzed b
willingly submit 1t for their eonderasiS1 Y9a'
uuly, T. j. MUKREr
On receipt OF this letter first made digent inquiry
rs the credbilty of the proposed witness and be-
well satisfied that Mr.. Murrey is thoroughly re-
and satisfied OF their ruthfuness He Is willing to
submit them to the scrutiny of the United States Dis
Attorney II you desire it, This WILL however, be
hardly asked for as 1t is understoo that Mr. wider no
longer denies the truth of Mr. hurreys testimony, ~
the entries are in the weknown writing or Mr. Samuel
Gordon, hls confidential manager and clerk. The hrst
fraudulent voucher recorded Is for $50 IS instead Of
81 35 the sum actually paid TO Thomas Murrey by A
H. Wider The following s the order for this voucher
which saw in the handwriting Of Samuel Gordon:-
ToMPleasc make up three bills like copies below
'''''' Sr PAUL AND Sioux CRY RAILROAD COMPANY.
April is. For supper breakfast night Of
party Of fifty Indians :; s54 rs
May O. For supper brcakiast and lunch for three
Indians. ................................ ~
Total .$39 65
The next vouchers were for $5S7 27 for $225 66
tualy paid The entries in Mr. Murrey's books for
these also in the writing Of Mr. Wilders clerk No
record made of the other vouchers. Connivng at
such frauds would invaldate testimony in some re-
gions, but not in Washington, where false bills are ha
bitually made and certainly not in Minnesota. Store-
Keepers there who will not conform to forsaken
by their most profitable customers or course do not
justify Mr. Murrey; indeed he does not attempt 10
justify himself Having read law he showed unusual
caution through fear OF the operation OF law by efus
ing " give false vouchers, unless Mr. Wder's author
lied representative would make the vouchers and
make the entries in his own handwriting Mr.. Murrcy
learned that the same character of vouchers were
claimed and obtained the entire route of the Wnne-
bago Indians from Wisconsin to Nebraska Indeed, the
prices must have corrcsponded, Wders fraud in ST.
Paul would have been discovered in the Office OF the Sec
Ond Auditor OF the Treasury although perhaps not
department l never heard of Mr.. Wilder's voucheA
sticking there. With the power to compel the attend
OF witnesses who elect between telling the
truth and ten years Imprisonment | unearth
scores such frauds As James Smith Jr one of the
Delano commissioners, Is practising lawyer in st.
Paul 1t can be easily understood why he did not want
authority to compel witnesses to testify. If you desire
ii Mr.. Murrey give you information about the
social and business relations between Mr. John L. De-
lano and A. II. Wilder. 1t now be readily under
stood why the Hon. Columbus Deano sent Mr. Wilder
my note to the Hon George H. Stuart about the false
Ponca voucher and why Wilder considered that ex-
posure a loss to him of 800, 000 and laid his
damages at that sum. This is the man who swore
falsely that he had not in any way disposed of or
veyed to others any part of the tract of Indian
pine timber that you and the Rev. f. p Smith sold TO
HIM, III violation of law and frauduently because OPP
posed by the Indians. | dwell upon the evidence Of
Mr. Murey and OF his books of original entry because
you, Secretary Deano, Indian Commissioner Smith and
Voucher Wilder have nterchangeaby testified that you
are equally honest and equally anxious to protect the
interest of the government and of the Indian in whose
welfare both temporal and SPIRITUAL you all feel so deep
interest.
The other point is what you are pleased to term my
refusal to testify before the Committee OF the House
Indian Affairs April 2, 1874 You say:-"Here, again,
dence Of the guilt of officials by refusing to testify he
has virtually screened those guilty officials and him.
self guilty of obsructing investigation" am horrhed
at the thought of my obstructng investigation and OF
screening those guilty officials and If these accusations
are capable of proof will petition the Legis-
lature Of pennsylvania to change my name 70
Delano, Cowan Smith II you had quoted
from the minutes of that committee they
originally noted down by the shorthand re-
porter before they moulded by you into. their
present shape readers would have understood the
without my throwing any additional light upon IT, Oh
that you would give all the information within youi
reach to the appointment of that committee and the
patronage received by the various members OF 1t!
you will undertake that work in earnest will
your help with much valuable information in my pos
session. The exclusion from that committee of such
democratic members as would have any investigating
force was thoughtful The published report of the
mee in spite of your notifications, reveals all thai
need be said to show the into which you have
fallen, The resolution of inquiry, adopted March 10,
1874 is as foows:-
Whereas repeated complaints have been made of fraud.
Indian a. supplies and % & for the fiscal years ending
Resolved That the Committee Indian Affairs directed
70 make thorough Investigation into the facts connected
1t will be that this resolution gotten up by dis
appointed contractors restricted the Indian committee
to consideration OF frauds In making contracts and
not to the execution Of contracts other frauds unless
it showed fraud unfarness irreguarity in making
contracts. ! told the committee that was quite pre-
pared To give them valuable information to frauds,
including sales Of the Indians pine timber II they de-
sired it, The majority placed the strongest restrictions
upon my testimony, but as there was some
difference Of opinion | was sent out OF the
mttee room until vote OF the committee could
be had the liberty they would allow me- The re.
sriction written down and read to my being
recalled and under it could not testify II had
seen l 600 oxen weighing 200 pounds each delivered
and paid for 600 pound oxen unless could affirm
that this fraud was designed in making the
The two democratic members of the committee the
trick and that il would be impossible under that
luton, get any information Of value They there
fore, prepared the following resolution, which
HlSt opposed Dy benerd ANerll, the CHAIRMAN OF tho
committee, Mr. Wildcr's pine timber man. IL finally
passed the House, OH the 18th OF April 1S74;-
Resolved That the resolution passed by House the
10Th day March last directing the Committee Indian
Affairs to investigate the OF Indian
plies and transportation for the fiscal ending
1873, June 20 1874, amended
require said committee to make thorough investigation
into all frauds unfancss rreguarity, II any connected
with the administration OF Indian affairs for the named
You are fully aware that was invited to
ty under this resolution. IT. after reading the letters
that | have already written you will not withdraw the
charge that virtually screened those guilty officials
hope that you will yet do So intend II possible, TO
avoid any such mputation and have papers and docu
ments IN my possession that will surely convince you
you have not already been convinced Some very sug
gesvc documents have been brought to me, and will
close this letter with reference of them II is
bill made out by Buckley yelling Co., whose store
is the headquarters Of the Indian Ring for large pur