The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-07-31
The Indian Ring ana Secretary
DelamO.

affairs and the influence OF the secretary Oh
the Interior upon their management which
is published in another column. II VIII be
read with deep and painful interest. We have
an interesting history of the inside OF the
Indian Ring and the names of the gentle
men who control that organization. We
have the evidence of the report OF the
committee of the House of the Forty
first Congress that the character OF
this contractor was known TO the Secretary
of the Interior upon the responsibility of no
less a witness than Hon. William Welsh, of
Philadelphia, member of the old Board of
Commissioners. We are shown that the Secre-
tary of the Interior was informed of frauds at
the MILESTONE Agency and that the presence
OF member of the Indian Ring, high in the
government made investigation impossible.
1t is known that as far back as 1873 direct
charge of fraud was made by the old Board
of Commissioners against two beef accounts
of General G. M. Dodge, and that in spite of
this protest the Secretary of the Interior took
personal pains to SEQ that the fraudulent
account was paid. Another fraudulent account
for cattle said to have been ''stolen from the
Indians" payment of which the law forbade,
was paid by Mr.. Deano from "the appropria-
ton for subsisting the Sioux"
1t is also alleged that in 1873 voucher for
$50, 6S5 Sc was paid by the direct order of
the Secretary OF the Interior, although the
Board of Indian Commissioners only approved
the sum of $33, 500 As as being justly due.
These payments we're made by virtue OF
opinions from William II. Smith, Assistant
Attorney General, who is regarded by our
correspondent as so plant tool of the Indian
Ring" 1t is averred that the department
approved exorbitant rates for transportation
and for corn, and gave private contracts to
members of the Ring and overlooked breaches
of contract, and that even before the conduct
of the present agent in the Red Cloud country
was called in question Commissioner Smith
and Secretary Delano were overlooking viola
tions of the law. "The facts cited" our cor
respondent says, represent only small
portion of the thefts accomplished by their
aid, either active or passive" Our CORE
spondent also sho VS. that so far from the Epis-
copal Church sustaining the agent appointed
by its members, DR.. Dyer, of the Protestant
Episcopal Commission, will testify that Mr..
Delano protected the agent in the Red Cloud
country after his 'rottenness and corrup-
ton had been shown. He shows, further
how this Interior Department in 1873 directly
interfered to prevent the exposures of huge
frauds at the Red Cloud and MILESTONE
agencies; how they punished the agent of
A. e
cred these frauds. 1t also appears that the ex-
posure made by the HERALD correspondents
and sustained by Professor Marsh were known
to the Interior Department two years ago. Our
correspondent explains how the Secretary of the
Interior acted directly in the interest of tho
Indian Ring, and that in every attempt of the
old Board of Commissioners to secure eff
cient management in Indian affairs Mr.. Della
nos official position was used to paralyze
their efforts and sustain the robbers of the
Ring. Our correspondent shows that be-
tween the old Indian Board of Commits
sioners, composed of such men as Mr.
Brunot and Mr.. Welsh and Mr.. Delano,
there could be no harmony that Delano had
resolved upon destroying the Board and had
taken the best way of attaining that result.
Whenever an agent of the Board indicated the
least desire to interfere with the operations of
the Ring he was destroyed by the direct infu-
ence of the Interior Department. sin Short
says our correspondent 'Mr. Delano, Mr..
Cowan and Mr. Smith have at all times shown
an absolute personal objection to economy"
He repeats rumor that during the last cam
paign for the Presidency Mr.. Delano was
assessed with thirty-three thousand dollars as
his contribution for the campaign, that The
amount was paid by the Indian Ring, and
'the secret leaked out through quarrel In the
Ring as to the amount to be paid by each
member"
1t is impossible for Mr.. Delano or the Presi-
dent to be silent in the presence of charges as
grave as these emphasized by our correspond
emit We say emphasized, because they sus-
tain the statements OF our special correspond
ent to the Sioux country, whose report of the
manner in which the Indians are treated has
made so profound an impression on the coun-.
try, and has been the origin of the present
excitement. The correspondent sus:ains also
VIC VI AIOlCooCE SIuISll, VI
New Haven, who was so prompt with his evil
dence in support of the statements of the
HERALD He shows the existence of q power
full Indian Ring at the seat of the govern
ment-a Ring strong enough to control the
administration of Indian affairs; TO bring dis
credit upon our country; to call forth from
these poor untutored sayages heartrending
circumstances; to threaten us with cruel
and unnecessary wars. At the head
of this Ring is Mr.. Delano, tho Sec
rotary of the Interior, and prominent in tho
enjoyment of its profits VIC have the brother
OF tho President OF the United States.
We repeat, that unless an explanation is
made of tho most convincing and absolute
character the effect of this agitation Of the
Indian question will be not simply To destroy