New-York tribune., 1875-09-14
WASHINGTON.
THE RED CLOUD INVESTIGATION.

THE RED CLOUD INVESTIGATION.
UNFAIR TREATMENT AND INsINCERE QUESTIONING
OF wITSEssES-A REPORT FAVORABLE TO rHD
GOVERNMENT FOREGoNE CONcLUsIoS-Gov.
FLETCHER TIRED OF THE INVESTIGATION.
IBr TELEGRAPH TO TIE TRTBUsR.l
WASHINGTON, Sept. 13.-Tbe Red Cloud In
vesgsng had four witnesses before them
to-day namely, Mr.. Bosler the beef contractor; DIR.
G. C. Cox, who had been special commissioner Mr..
Walker who clerk to the old Board Of Indian Com
msioners and Prof o. c. Marsh Before the work OF the
day began Gov Fletcher gave notice that far az ~
concerned, he should discontinue tho investt
cation this week, and that the names Of
witnessed must be handed In to-day 70 insure
their examination. His business 10 suffering
and he Is essentially tired Of the inquiry He said slss
that he has called for many documents from the Indian
Office and the Interior Department and that these would
be incuded in the testimony and the CommissionerS
report From present indications, 10 will be impossible
to close the inquiry with any degree OF justice
either to the Department to those who giving
their time and services to the development and punish
ment OF frauds the Government small portion only
Of the testimony thus far taken in type and Of 10
has been reviewed by the Commissioners. IL may be
said that 1t is impossible to treat the subject
with that consideration and which it do
serves. in the brief period Of week. and It 10
impossible to procure the attendance Of important wit
nesses in that time.
Those who have attended the sttings Of the Commis
sion have but idea OF tho result OF the inquiry
and that IL that report favorable TO the Department
assured from the start 1t expected that the Demo
cratic member would devote himself earnestly to the IN
yestigaon, and make rigid crossexamination OF all
the witnesses Instead OF tbs he rarely ntcrpOsed
inquiry and TO be little interested in the proceed
ngs The other members to the casual observer appear
have the interests Of the party and Of the Admnss
ton at heart
Mr. B0slcr the first witness, and was examined
with reference TO his beef contracts a the Red Cloud and
other agencies. He requested in writing TO furnish
and full transcript from his books OF all bis
transactions with tho Indians with reference 10 beef for
1873 1874 and 1873. Instead Of doing this he furnished
statement for the zeal year ending June 80, 1875. He
said:
He did think necessary furnish the other years.
they under other contracts even the acts which
he had declined 70 present except in confidence 10 tho
commissioners IL Ia matter or business with which
the plblc las nothing to do Ho is willing the ComInis-
sioners shall the whole thing, but he is not willing
tnat the results OF bis hfteen years experience shall 10
given to competitors. It would aiec his private bust.
ness lie has made on the contracts $4,000 In year.
Inc business requires an Immense capital lie became
Interested III the contracts as an agent no furnished the
capital and performed the services. He has never been
excluded from any contracts on account oi fraud
Boslers testimony not important, because he
not questioned by the Commissioners in manner TO 90
the whOctiuth Out OF 20 SOC cattle furnished In one
year, and which $4,000 made IL appears the
lost only about 900 from all frsez
Indians 1t is not shown how many the Government ost
in the time stampede at The Red Cloud Agency
lost to the Government 600 cattle but portion Of them
subsequently captured Prof Atherton said there
alleged discrepancies found in going the books
and records and that the receipts given for beef and the
issues did not correspond Boer said that was not bis
fault 1t the fault Of the agent II the Issues did nos
correspond There no Ocrossesamnation.
Dr. Cox was the next witness lie had been special
COMMISSIONER and had spent few days at the agencies
he had never seen any msnanagement on the part OK
the Government officers, he said. He had mingled with
the indians and had been in their lodges lie Gues
toned by Prof Marsh to remarks made tO Col Long
in regard to the bad hou and TO whether he had said
he should report the fact OF the issue OF bad our hs
denied that he had made such statements The burden
OF his testimony to-day In regard TO some shorcako
he had tasted in OF the lodges. He said tbst
his health poor at the time, but that he was
hungry and the shortcake tasted very good II had
not been pretty good 1t would have made him sick He
admitted, however, that the Indians did not 10
know very much about yeast and that the cake was
rather dry Prof Marsh forebcre ask the Doctor IL he
not sick after eating the cake aud had to bc taken
back TO Cheyenne.
Mr. Walker was examined briefly in the evening ses
sion he permitted refer TO any documents
in print The Commissioners informed him that they
could refer to the documents for themselves.
Prof. Marsh had not his documents with him. but
next called upon Commissioner Smith was present bus
not ready 10 make his statement ITOl
questioned with reference to his printed statement OF
last July, and almost every point was taken up. In
nearly all the statements made by the Professor In his
pamphlet his authority venyet he wasquestloned asto
his personal No explanations allowed and
when he was forced to answer Yes No." 1t hap
nened that he had personal knowledge OF very few OF tho
facts stated But he had abundant proof which he waS
not permitted 10 furnish As an example OF the unsiP
Of putting questions 1t is only necessary to state
that Prof Marsh asked il he had personal knowledge
as to the number OF Indians at the Red Cloud Agency
matter which lie had treated in his statement To say
that he had personal knowledge would be 70
imply that Prof Marsh had personally counted 5000 or
10000 indians. He thus made to appear as though
he had made his statements rcckleSsly when IN caDy
he had sufficient proof TO sustain them but was not gwen
an opportunity use it, The fact that the Commission
is oieSide that has not the power 10 enforce the at
tendance OF Witnesses and that has authority TO ad
minister oatls or 20 demand official documents, would
seeu 10 show that investigation by Congress VIII take
up the matter where tho Commissioners leave IT,