New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-08-30
THE INDIAN COMMISSION.
TESTIMONY ABOUT THE SUPPLIES.

TESTIMONY ABOUT THE SUPPLIES.
INDIAN AGENT sAvILLE RECOMMENDS HIS OWN RE
MovAL-coNrRACToR MCANN's EXPLANATION
OF TIE sHORT-wEIGHT FLOUR-BAG CONTRACT
IRON SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUSEI
CHEYENNE W. T., Aug. 24.-The witnesses exam
ined by the Commission yesterday were Indian
Agent Saville, ID. J. Mccain, tie contractor for
transport alton; Major Stanton Paymaster. u ). A.,
Cheyenne, and two cattle dealers VINO sold the cattle
that were taken to Red Cloud Agency.
TESTIMONY OF Or. sAyIILE.
Dr. savilles crosscxaminaton being resumed, he said
that at the receipt Of provisions at the Agency they were
weighed; at time only portion OF the flour was
weighed and the remainder estimated from this weight
but under the Martin contract -four received at
the Agency which short in weight Mr. Palmer the
then storekeeper called his attention to the shoTtagc
far known this -four put up in ss-pound
sacks intended to pass full weight the contractor
never mentioned the deficiency in the weight but az
it to the witnesses knowledge he ordered
that -four should be received that was not full
100 pounds the facts reported to the Commissioner
Of Indian Affairs, who returned the that provided
the -four received at its accual weight 1t did not
matter in what sized packages it was packed none OF
this -four to his knowledge was ever received at
beef contracts referred to in Mr. Walkers
charges witness would reply, that there was
have the beef contracts and that Boslcr did not keep
them for him. the books in which these accounts had
been kept had not been altered tempered with in any
way since the Walker report there had been pcIm,-
nent record OF the supplies issued to each head man. In
the matter OF the education OF the children 1T Red Cloud,
the witness only carried out the instruction or the Com
missioner of Indian Affairs; soon he had time to
attend his legitimate business, the work OF erecting
schoohouse would be attended TO- perhaps within four
or five weeks; ratons were 10 be issued to the children
and teachers issuing beef to the chiefs, he witness
extra amount TO the chiefs head men, because OF
head men were treated alike cattle were received the
Agency October, 1873, wlich the az mt did not see
shrinkage the weght OF cattle by reason Of hard dry
ing witness had been told that Nh Appleton the clerk,
had made allowance OF 35 pounds head 10 Mr. Boser
Oh account Of TINS shnkagc Mr. Appleton denied That ma,
show much OF the trouble ami seeming fraud
ont OF the lack Of system III keeping the books t the
plrEcn failed to provide him with formula for book
keeping: he had experience, AID the compensation
he received not being sufficient to enable him to pay
cOmpcton, bookherper matters ran behind and became
dsordered, hence much OF the trouble which lad en-
sued the best interests OF the service would be promoted
by change in the administration at led Cloud Agency;
his influence mad been weakened VITA the Indians; many
oppose, to him; did not remember single order
gwen by the Interior Department locking beyond the
MGR, distribution vi supplies.
The feature of the day, however, the examination OF
D. D. Mccain, the contractor for transportation. sart
as a steel trap" but family expresses Mr.. McCann's
characteristics He Is about 40 years OF age, of me-
dunn hi gl spare Frame intelligent cOuntenance and
has quick and decided manner of expression. OF the
many shrewd men whom have met since this invcstga
Out here he is known the shrewdest member of the
Indian Ring, and his rapidly given and plausible state
ncnt in explanation of the Charges against HIM would
have made favorable impression were not the facts
AGAINST him supplemented by sinister expression which
occasionally passes over his cOuntenance.
TESTIMONY OF L. J. MCANN.
Tic stated that hrf contract for the transportation
supplies the Indian enCios and for the transOrta
ton of all Indian annuity goods from NewYork, Phila
de IL, Ia
also contract for furnishing 100000 pounds Of
four and 100000 pounds OF corn to the Spotted
TAN Agency; he had NO contract last year, nor
Was he Interested in any contract; john ii. Mar
tin was the contractor for -four, but OWING to the
fact that lie was very slow in delivering it, the wit
meas undertook assist him in order that he might
avoid the expense OF keeping his trains waiting in idle
ness at CaeycnDc he communicated with Martin and
told that he could got the -four at Omaha; Mar
tin replied telling the witness To buy 100000 pounds OF
nous and be woui py him contract price and $50 for
the trouble; Il contract made with Mr.. Hartford at
- per 100 pounds, who shipped tie -four; In October
Martin again wrote to the witness TO buy more flour at
the same price Wneh he ana; mahlng contract win
Hartford for . per loo pounds the witness had no IN
wished to utilize bis transportation caIts tuis nour
which was delivered at Cheyenne at - % per 100
for it had not the witncss allowed Marin the
bsneht OF the special contract nav when men ne ne
Witch Tdi Ge ws s' cnaS:d to rednts his expen.c
of this cur put M IN - bound sacks TINS Was
u,r sacks ad these smaller sseAs were supsituteu, az
the OF the -four neng put up in sacks Weighing not
Mr. Hartford wou.d deliver SsOVnd sacks, but hcsitaicd
receive them and COMMUNICATED with the Department
were CHARGED weighing eS pounds and the witness
esyed FOR either -four or transportation than the
weight of them actually entitled Inn 10 receive The
-four delivered Cheyenne, under the special contract,
neted Martin f2 49 cost the freight bsng 3i2 cents,
ana tho -four costing q II per 100 pounds the witness
souH asy, nj. b, snned Srse aTanes Of
mil eud MAID
special contracts With The principal railroads ami trans
portaiton ooipanes ana the indian D1Lr iI NAG
with the Eastern railroads and transportation companies
Nc Isi Of sEniy ' goods his CONTRACT for transport
ing goods between Cheyenne ard ked Cloud Agency hai
~ % per 100 pounds for the entire distance between
those places, and 81 - per 100 pounds between Chey-
ZOE the delay in forwarding annuity goods when had
arrived at the railroads the Department had instructed
then snip ths IN ia bulk to the az ncies year 81
bales blankets had been shipped, but only 30 arrived
at ils other having been delayed some days he
could testify that 81 Dales wed ana had been shipped
10 Red Cloud.
Major A. K. Long testified that he herd OF
cattle wni would average 1000 pcunds, and that when
he testified before the Commission he thought he made
liberal estimate when he said $50 pounds the
age weight of cattle.
John Ellison and George schollcy, cattle dealers, tes
fed that they had sold cattle W. Bosler for delivery
at the Indian agencies and that the cattle would average
1000 pounds.
TESTIMONY OF MAJOR T. H. STANTON.
Major Tnaddeus II. stanton, raymaster u. s. Army
said he the Red Cloud Agency last November and
was present the issue Of supplies; lie thought the cot
fee was the poorest he had seen II had black grains
and gravel mixed with ii he should say Ii all unfit
for use tho sugar Of very coarse quality, and
se, med 10 nim have dirt in it lie tasted and II
gritty the -four issued very dark and poor IL did
not seem TO DC made of sound heat IL had sour smell
probably the result OF bad wheat it full of black
specks; there check upon the issue OF the sup
plies; some clerks employed in agency bore bad