The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1875-08-19

: compel the production of a paper, or to ad
an oath, or to compe
witness to testify, if present.
Or: ~ testifytng, to answer any oues-
, .,on III 81 ne might not choose 10 answer
= Onder these circumstances Won can oain nr
tMriormaion, except such as is volunteered
we must, therefore, in view OF the want OF
jurisdiction, and the necessary powers on
your part In the premises. respectfully de-
CINE TO appear before you in the matter.
we may further remark, that from COPIES nj
Iee,ers and papers before US, we are o.
oFinlen That thorough investigation by a
commission clothed with these necessary
lowers VIII refisct uDfavorably upon tho
oWc.ai e,',o conducs OF Secretary Delsno, from
wEom you hold your appointment. Reiore
SUCH commission we are at all times ready
10 appear and prosecute our charges. The
commissioners then went through the ex-
mnatlon or such witnesses as were pro-
ouced by T.. Z. Smith and by A. Fl. Wilder.
;n 1I .ne peer and pine land rings. IL then ad-
Journod to mset in Washington, where they
nad access to every letter that l had ever
! written 10 any officer OF clerk of the iute-
| nor department, and, as L was crediblv in
! formed, sought out from scandal mopcers
ali that had ever been in circulation in re-
gard to
| NE AND MY DoINGs.
or course the Rev. L, p. Smith was tr;um-
phantlyvindicated These commissioners pro-
ceeded step further than is customary with
men acting in a semi-iudicial capacity, by
attributipg my want of confidence in the
| Rev. E. Z. Smith to some "mental pecpliar-
ity." Some of the more timid OF nv friends
were quite satisfied with this verdict against
my sanity, as they thought no sane man
| would war with the department of the ipte-
rior. will not dwell much longer on this
commission, as its dolngs were printed in q
pamphlet of 146 pages, which was widely
circulated by the interior department. By
| comparing the testimony taken before a
commission, where the LAWYER of Smith and
Wilder was present, with that taken a few
weeks afterward before a committee of the
legislature. a verbatim copy OF which pro-
cured, 1t will be seen how utterly unreliable
Is the testimony before such a COM
mission as that sent by Secretary Delano.
The difference was most marked in the tes-
| timony as to the value of the pine timber
land, Tor the sale of which Mr.. f. p. Smith
bad made immense contracts with A III.
Wilder. Mr.. Wilder testified that no one
was Interested with him in the purchase
and that he had not bargained for the sale OF
any part of 1t, or made any transfer. When
Mr.. Wilder's attorney was put on the wit
ness stand before the legislative committee.
he testified that he had drawn a transfer
from A. III. Wilder TO Mr.. Dwyer for one
| fifth OF large purchase OF timber. That
gentleman's, (Dwyet), agency for the Della
nos Is well known. A. II. Wilder seemed
to manipulate the commissioners and to en-
| tertain them courteously, aud Indian Com
missioner Smith showed his appreciation of
this kindness by giving Wilder
CONTRACTS FOR SUPPLIES
to Indians to the extent of several hundred
thousand dollars in defiance OF the
United States laws obliging him
to advertise and to confer with
the board of Indian commission
Or Nri1 r1nx rotrr fr.x @l<l
ing ground at the Red Cloud and MILESTONE
Indian agencies. AS l have before stated,
the permanent board OF Indian commission
ers, appointed by the president, had re-
iected vouchers to large amount, because
OF real or alleged frauds at these agencies,
and their confidential clerk, Mr.. Samuel
Walker, had after personal inspection, re-
ported that the board was fully justified in
refusing to approve such vouchers. Secre-
tary Dsiano, having paid them, deemed it
necessary to send a commission to see il he
was justified in SO doing. The agents and
the contractors were duly notified of the ap-
proach of this commission, compris-
ing the Right Rev. W. II. Hare
: the Rev. S. ID. Hinman, +. ii.
Smith, one of the newly-appointed perma-
D. Devier, an indian inspector. A careful
perusal OF their report, comprising fifty
pages, will show how thoroughly the spirit
OF the secretary of the interior and OF tue
of the secretary of the interior and of the
, assistant secretary had been infused into
them. The commissioners had an easy
time, as the agencies are we'll prepared for
J them by sending away all the small cattle.
A comparison of their report with that OF
, Mr.. Samuel Walker will show TO any one
accustomed to examine testimony the folly
of sending men called to and trained for
the sacred ministry to play the part Of the
J detective. One OF the most experienced
men in that vicinity thus wrote to me lrn-
mediately afterward: 81 offered them my
services and wanted to make few state
menis, but not single question was asked
me or any one who was not
DIRECTLY INTERESTED
in giving affidavits in favor of the agents
The interior department is rotten to the
core. had, / think, seven affidavits FROM
J Bernard about issues of beet, charged and
/ never made, and other swindling operations
1 showed them to Gen. smith, and then lef
them W ith him." Il is certai q that this com.
mission was deceived cop pletely; but tht
ewes OF its most estimable chairman are,
believe, now being opened. After witness
, ing delivery of very superior cattle, tn,
chairman gave Mr.. Bosler certificate OF ap
probation, which, to the astonishment o.
3 Mr.. George III. Stuart, chairman of tn,
executive committee. who knew him thor
oughly, was presented to claim that tb,
: restriction on his bidding for contract,
; should be removed. 1t will no
be necessary to dwell on tn,
. report of this Delano investigating com
:. mission, as il is now understood that the,
3 were deceived, as was shown by the concur
{ renee between your report and that of Mr.
: Samuel Walker. As to the commission nov
{ in the field, to examine the accuracy of you
o report, little confidence can be placed in j
: owing TO its limited powers. The only hope
o full feature arises from the presence of q re
!. porter for one of the New York papers
: Some of these ubiquitous gentlemen, as yol
d well know, are thoroughly intelligent, snC
t just as persistent as fly on q sultrv sfser
noon, like the one on which 1 am writing
lighting just where il lists, and ii shaken OF
: from one point going Immediately to an
other. You are fortunate IN having one in
q telligent man with the commission, who j
It free tc observe without being restrained b.
= the rules of evidence. Therefore the con