New-York tribune., 1875-07-14
the highest possible standard Of humanity and strict IN
tegrity.
10 which my reply was as follows.

George W.
committee To investigate affairs at Red Cloud Agency.
h.v, as vet r~ce,vedno communication frcnthe gentle
tailed statement embodymg the evidence this sl,-
net @1w IN y fI C0mmy i :" s@ as they
me that they have organized and are ready TO ae very
truly yours, w. u MA"o"'
INSTRUCTIONS TO THE COMMISSION.
The Department letter of instructions to the Com
mission although the gentlemen named had not ac-
ceped their appointment, as intimated in the Com
missioners letter to me, was published also THIS
letter of instructions as published, contains several
erroneous statements and Misrepresentation cspc-
cially as TO the nature and extent of my Ohserva-
tions at Red Cloud Agency, and virtually preJudges
the case How it corresponds with the facts may be
seen from the evidence given below. The letter is
as follows:
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, OFFICE OF INnAS}
AFFAIEs, WhsHrNGTOs, j. G." July !, 1870. -.
GrNr1rMl.N: ON the nomination of the Chairman OF
The Board of Indian Comlns'onet az the ngueSa % t h
Secretary of the Interior YOU hav" bccn alhntc1 'E
him commission TO investigate the affairs OI thc heu
Tb" occasion for such investigation has mainly origin
ocd i'm statements made by Mr o. G. Marsh. Professor IN
Sheffield Scientific School, Yale College concerning mat
tiers which he while at the agency during NOV
embcr last As yet these statements have no dthlt"
form known to the office other than as lncH nave ~,
pcared in public press and as made 'erDay Dy MI
IN he iit;cr par Of March last Prof Marsh brought TO
me certain samples OF tobacco and -four ana sugar wicn
he said lie did in accordance with promise mace 10 iu
Cloud in consideration Of promise by ls1d oOu 10 pro
curc an entrance him into the Black Hills country or
scnfiac nnioses He stated that in private interview
with Req Cloud that Indian chief co,nlanca vGry p
change. and that c had gwen MN thcSe as s.limns %
tie supplies which he receiving from GoNcllichi.
lie also stated that the beef cattle issued to the Indians
were small in size. ana Otherwise OF inferior character
and that there much confusion in agency mallcis
osn.cy in the Ssilin- - large amount OF goods III
single day. Prof. MaTI eXprcs sd his belief that inee
mhr have been exchange OF articles purchased IoI
tie Indians for other, of III cior quality Wlc en- r9nc
bel grcn CHEYENNE and The agency He also stated nat
his views TO agency affairs were coni1'd by cOh'~-
Snfi IN " v
Prof Marsh stated that le lad not taken any measures
10 satisfy himself that the samples given {" nm ny hcu
Cln6 y fair samples of the supplies which were then
hcing issued and could not say from ms ""h .nsri n
tlun that the, lair samples; but mat on one ogra
81 H. when a sack of Nour had fallen ON an lIs'',n M
woinams arms and broken Opcn he saw ic sool oI tc
fonr as il lay upon the ground and Thought It not mnc M
djdrr,nt from tc sample furnished nv Red Cloud, hUt
NOT being dge Of -four he could not make the compaI
ison with any degree Of accuracy The slncs ~I.oiied ~
10 prof Marsh did not leave win me. ana IL Is leoicu
that he has them still in his rossc s~ion ~ . ouo -,
His other siatementS III regard 10 aSchoS "n'"' " "
n sill more indefinite character. - 90 . ,,
In an interview subsequently held win 'he honnIapie M
Secretary of the Interior, Proi. Nai1h WIS n
him to reduce his statements OF frauds OF
in The Indian service 10 wr'ing IN snch tor s "%g s
best aid in their uvcs;iSaion 70 tlS rcieSi io'i
Marsh has moi yet responded nor las lie dcliheu IL.
have this day notified linn of yonr apInlnil9en, M ana ana
again requested him 10 furnish sch statements Oh suS
ecstios may aid in finding the acts as 10 tle aihs-
r. however prof Marsh should still decline TO furnish
such assistance. il is the desire Of the hon'Iae secretary
that Won proceed in the nycsi g1tipn, ana aNd your
selves Of all the means that can he found altr aidlvn!
upon the ground or bcioe 10 learn the Sll,e "i haS
matters pertaining 10 that agency so hoiVnsIF % ~ ="
satisfy yourS,lye beyond doubt as to facts upon
which you viii make clear report ;fdt,'c 10 is Ptf'
aud vrcse,lt ccnd n and managrmcH h sI'ch recon-
mcndlOn~ viii cnabc the DepI nent ~ take p oeT
You Viii unlonhicdv meet With persons of strong par
feelings enlisted b0h for and against ;he admins
will become fully aware The Misrepresentation which
parts shp naturally produces. and the eXtriie
statements and M CATIONS.
Wnic guarding against giving undue weight to accusa-
all
viii hesitate to probe ali questions to hc hotiO nd
bring LIGHT any Official neglect or fraudulent or unfair
transactions of any kind degree. by whonis0eycr
committed. copy Of Agent Sdvilcs letter requesting
such investigations IL hc'N i'm furnished for your ii-
foIlna also full lepOrt CT The couEes ieii WIN
Rcd Cloud and dele cation OF the chiefs and head men
Rcd Gcud Agency, at the ID paincnt OF tAe neroI'
At Cncs cnnc you will find C. II. Bostwicb tie store
Inspector OF -four and the supplies which have been
yrar Yon are also rcnu sed While in the Indian country
t. make such observations pertaining 10 indian affairs
gcnt rally Red Cloud Agency Viii he oi assistance 10
Ihe admin ilation Of the Indian Bureau.
Of this Commission the Hon. A. II. Bullock Of Wor-
ccstcr, Mae,., is The Charan from whom yon viii e-
cciye notice OF he lin. % T." ceiing TO Cheyenne hour
compensation while actu y engaged III this service VIII
be at the Tdie Ei - per Gay, III auul'ion On 10 10
the inolusod rrGui>tios for transportation VIII u" non
orcd ny the tickc, oi the Union Pacific Railroad at
weekly stage at LARAMIE led Cloud leaves
Cheyenne on Monday, early in The day.
honorable second Controller Feb I,71 aud 10 De
ragrcnt crciar OF july l. 1874 for nlolnaiion as 10
requirements ~ scitln- }OT accounts Iof cAHei5os
Ney respectfully your oociicnt SERVANT - Co..
To the Hon A. IT, Bullock. Worcester N lass; Geo. w.
Lane NcW-N NOrk City Thomas G. Fletcher 81 Louis, No.
I'pto the present time have received no III
formation that this Commission las organized, but
stand ready to aid it il every way lii my power. In
the mean time, the communication now transmit
to you contains the information asked for BY the
Commissioner Cf Indian Affairs. The results of my
investigation into the affairs of Red Cl0ud Indian
Agency are embodied in the following statements,
arranged for convenience under distinct heads:
l. TIE INDIAN AGENT Al RID CLOUDS AGENCY.
In the first conversation had with Red Cloud,
when Gen. L. T. Bradley and Col. T. II. Stanton
were present, lie complained bitterly of his agent.
J. J. Savillc who for the past two years has had
charge of his Agency. Red ClDuJs specified charges
were. that lis agent was incompetent, weak, and
vacillating having no influence over the Indians
and especially that lie was in league with The con-
tractors to dcfraud the Indians of the food and cloth
ing sent them by the Government. regret to say
that all saw myself AZ the Agency. and all learned
from trustworthy observers ANA Official records
has convinced NE that these charges were we'll
founded. As l met the agent HIMSELF
and observed his method Of dealing with Indians, it
was at once evident tome that he was entirely unfit
for the responsible position he occupied. This fact Is
illustrated by an occurrence, now well known, winch
took place few days before my arrival, when the
agent, by single act of folly, aroused the bitter
hostility Of the Indians i'll his charge, and tamc
near sacrificing the entire white population of the
Agency This was avoided only by the coolness
and bravery of Lieut.. L Crawford, I'd Cavalry, who
came with his company to the rescue at the critical
moment. Without military protection, the agent
could not have remained i'll charge of the Indians
;,,1, J,x- fbafr IA for
ties and alleged frauds continually practIced upon
thc,n were omen and violent OF the more dcJasing