New-York tribune., 1875-10-19
TIE REPORT IN BRIEF.

sion consisting of Thomas G. Fletcher Is. W. Harris,
Charles j. Faulkner, aud George W. Atherton appoh'eu
TO investigate the charge Of Acknowledgement anu d"o
at Red Coud Agency made by Prof Marsh, nave rc-
portel 70 the President and Indian Commissioners.
succnc and thorough ana Of the report il presented
herewith The Commission adopt the letter or Pro''
Marsh to the President setting forth charges of fraud
and cement, their starting point They 'he
take up his allegations Seridtn, examining AL avIi'pe
sources OF evidence. and scrtinling al records ana
documentary proof which might, in their Judgment,
throw an, light upon the subject The printed testimony
:. taken comprises NOR. than 500 octave pages.
sAYIIIE'o EoONPErENCY.
The Commission sustain the charges of official incon-
pctency preferred against j. j. 1ayilc Indian Agent at
Red Cloud agency, and recommend his removal Ih"y
exoncrufe him fOm impltations of dishonesty, ana
point iIn Indian Agent who goes on OF once
a poorer man than when he entered
Tut CENSUS AT RED CLOUD.
with reference 10 charge that the numbero OF Indians
At Red Cond ccnry wa. greatly 0verrsulated for pir'
noses of frand. the Commissioners notice the acf nat
army Officers with Prof. Marsh IN the beief that
there we're not man, hcrc ao had been represented;
but IN support Of the charge, opinion only has nee OIL
f.red The enumeration OF the Indians was attended
with great difficulties aud delays, such ~ then deter
mined opposition being counted and the fact that
Northcn or wild Indians liable 10 visit the agency
ana G.nand goods and rations. The census of ast year
shows that there l3,423 Indians at Red Cloud
Agency This result bolic' ed bN the COMMISSION To
have been obtained through the best within the
command Of the agent.
LOOSE SYSTEM OF BOOKKEEPING.
Tho coup,iss orers lind trt the system "a keeping
.ous at the agency vaf exceedingly loose and detect
ia, and for this reason the indian Olicc Is Justly censur-
able They also observe Iha, the provision of The treaty
of a. requiring the presence o ~ army officer ~ AL
issues of gous has bcen utterly disregrnlrd; bt tE'y
cannot conclude from that in thc absence OF "tr proof
b.. NO ipe1
that on The 9Th ~ November, 1874, the Indians were
charged wi37 bale, o hlankcs,whic emily - bales were
i,sd 10 thcIn pronounced Ia Ia wholly without i0nn
daton.
B0SIERs PROFITS LARGE But RIGHT.
Tho hing efeatle, by t@r the most extensive
branch ~ The Indian service received attention from the
Commission COMMENSURATE NTH its Importance ana
large portion their report is devoted to the coSdea
ston OF that shjec Mr. " j. Eoslc~ who has charge of
carving out most Of the contracts tor the supply of beer
cattle for the Indians and who has combined capital
.k aud AN Xpercucc Of many years IN the Conduct OI
the llsiuas is made he object nf Prof Marshs most
swerpu. charges. sir. H0cr placed his private books
and ots r. al hc command of tbe Commission for their
iaspection aud ufornaoD show ing the number Of cat
tie purchased diyercd ami lost the c0St oi heldE III
cideuai expenses, The amount of capital empoyea ana
the net profits realized. The total cost TO the Govern
nenl beef for ear was SI0os5i 49, ana the net
profs to the contractor $1l75l0 1s. The Commission
was satisfied from the idcncc that that profit was per
ccty far and legitimate They found that the facts
rompetoy cAo Aonerate Mr. Boser from every imptail'n
and charge Of fraud, and they accord h 'he character
Of a perfect, fair and upright business man.
THF COMMISSION SEE A NERD WEIGHED.
IRE allegation tnat the cattle furnished 10 the Indians
were small aud inferior found 0 he based solely
rpon the irresponsible statement OF Red Cloud and two
other Indians Nhile. the contrary, the Commission
demopsraed By actual observation the superior quality
NJ the cattle on the t of August they Witnessed the
weighing Of 81 head which delivered on that morn
ing The scales examined by the Commissioners
and balanced before the work began AT the cattle were
weighed except three Wild powerful steers the lasi
~ tbe herd which broke through the partition dividing
one portion of the corral from the other. One OF the
commissioners took down the weight Of each draft from
tic scale beam, the other members being present watch
iug tbe proceeding. The average weight of the lot proved
10 he cjj pornds each weighed more than loo ana
some over 300 pounds But IN order - he certain mat
s io had DO; been selected for the occasion, the Com
m,,son visited and carefully inspected the contractors
herd from which theSe had been taken aud where there
were siil 800 head. They fully satisfied That
! tLos. weighed were a fair sample.
NO PROOF OF DECEPTION ~ BEEF.
pio,isons were withheld from the Indians for a time
by Agent Sayiile complained oi by Prof Mairh nut
only for purpose of compelling them by hunger to
cousout 10 De enumerated. This action Of the agent Ia
commended by the Comm! SION The charge Of frauds
not only gigantic long practccd growing Out of
system of stdmprdng cattle from the Government herd
IA that of the contractor from which, il is claimed they
Nre Iedc cred and rcccptcd for second tin2, Is lot
supported by shadow Of proof In concluding thelr
r.uort on the subject OF beef the Commission say they
nni no sufficient evidence Of fraud They recommend
however, ~ = sarard against the possibility OF COLD
sion between corrupt agents and contractors, thtt tie
deliveries Of be.f under the supervision of he
CommissaIy General of the amy.
FRAUDS FouND IN PORK AND FLOUR
Fragrant fraud was found in the matter Of pork con
tracts j. W slayins, the pork contractor, was found
guilty Of fraud in furnishing GOO barrels Of pork of
grade vastly inferior to what he contracted 10 deliver
They recommend the removal Of Inspector T.. r. Thre
sed who passed the pork, and the exclusion OF Slayins
from all future contracts In any department. or the Gov
ornment They cannot acquit Commissioner Smith from
the responsibility OF neglect, in allowing clerical error
In The contract pass the Indian Office, which rendered
the fraud possible The matter compromised by the
delivery of bacon make up the difference NJ value In
be or received and that contracted for, with little oss
| 10 tho Government.
Commission also find that flour OF an inferior quail
y which Major Long directed to inspect, slipped
through without inspection. and got To the agency IN
manner which not been explained but they conclude
that the Department erred in awarding the contract for
-four TO j. II. Martin, who was mere speculative bidder
without business responsibility An attempt at fraud
wa, also discovered the part Of d. j. McCann In the
uutg only sS pounds Of -four IN each sack which was
reauired contain 100 pounds The sugar coffee, and
tohacco furnished to the Indians by tho Government
were Of low grade, hut desenedly 30, and no abuse
whatever discovered in the matter Of their supply
Red Cloud evidently aduerated the -four, and picked
out had grains making mp the samples he TO Prof
| Marsh.
| INDIAN MPRoyIDENCR.
| Whatever suffering there may have been among the
Indian, traceable tn. mnrOvideDcs and the