New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-08-02
THE INDIAN SERVICE.
OPENING OF THE INVESTIGATION

OMAHA July 2S.-1he Commissioners appointed
to conduct an investigation of tho alleged frauds IN
the Indian supplies have begun their abors here.
They arrived on the evening of the 2Gib anh early
on the 18th set out individually and collectively to
obtain such information here IA would enable Them
10 proceed inteligcntiy. The earlier part OF tho
DAY was devoted to finding sources Of Information.
Some Of those who had information or suggestions
To offer preferred to consult with tho Comuiss'9ners
privately Having obtained all the information pos
sblo during the day, formal session OF
the Commissioners was held IN one OF
the parlors of the Grand Central Hotel
in this city, Besides the witnesses tho only other
persons present not officially connected with tho
commission, were THE TRIBUNE correspondent and
DR. Miller editor of The Omaha U,rdid a warm
friend OF the Indian who had made interesting sng-
aestions in regard to the Investigations Commas
soners Fletcher Harris, and Faulkner alternately
examined tho witnesses, making inquiries On tI'o
spetial points which occurred 10 each and winch tho
Others had overlooked. The witnesses were not
sworn.
TIE FIRST wIrNFSs
The first witness examined Barclay White super
intcndent OF Indian Affairs Omaha He testified that
he inspected -four the Red Coud Agency, and for tho
shoshone and annock Agencies the two latter agencies
being nnder the charge Of James Irwin. His hrst con
neetion with the inspection Of -four under nstrue
lions from Indian Commissioner Smith, ~ follows;
DEPARTMENT or THE IsrTRIon OFFICE or
SIR: there certain supplies To- be deiiyS were lag AZ
Omaha daring the ysa. for Red cond ASspry he oon
nyetion and se,dsa,r ,a yTm are of s m9s
1 pes tS pc% @'n the "spscton You win please
| lind some competent person IN Omaha whose services
may be secured when required. For snch services he
will be entitled to per day All goods should he
! plainly inarked " Indian ID parncnt" aud eIrh vac.
Yo viii provide yourself with the necessary implements
for such branding senciling Cetincates a, per az
to the parties entitled 10 receive the same, ana duii
cate forwarded to THIS Office; very espsouny, yp'"
Barclay White, sup't Indian Affairs. Omaha, Ncb.
This was a general appointment, but time after
ward the witness received specific authorization az fol-
| lows:
Dgr,Rrvrxr or riIE INTERIOR. OFFICE OF INDIAN
| AtrAns, wAsuiNGroN, y. e., sept. -, 1874 :
SIRE Twenty-Five thousand sacks Of iVnr for he Red
f'% a A ST are II ns g S Fac a%poron Of iris
houi is already provided for The ,eryice required on
hour Is In accoTiauee wi me sample which Mr.. nutod
has in his possession aud VIII furnish you on application,
IN that II branded la ian Department ny the con
tractor and has tie required marx ol Inspection ny tbo
party whom you employ for ms service; n'orn II ,
formed OF tie of nscction anu VIA cill nlFn
y0n when he s ready Tor service very your
rarclay White, Supt. Indian AhiiIs Omaha NeD
Til. latter VIA erroneous AN exir, o having been
| aided To the amount makins 1t $1,000 sacks, when II
was really only $500, and was so understood by all
Tie witness furnished with samples ~ Hour ny
Mr. Hurford portion Of which samples bc here handed
to the Commissioners for their inspection, and FOX their
use In Their Investigations further West. tho witnesses
deputy inspected 2.7i9 sacks, aggrcsatng 250,J41
ponds 0uf furnished by o. p iurford FOR the Rod
Cloud Agency; oil OF this -four was Inspected by tho
sample subIntei except ear load OF about 2O,O0O
pounds, about POO sacks Anor inspecting by that
sample for time Mr. Hurfori called upon Wit
ness and said that his piurfordsI boys had fur
| ab,h Cns,h
he would furnish another sample not quite 50 nno Ths
was known IS sample No. y portion Of which witness
here handed to Gov. Fletcher IN order that the nyest
eating Commissioners might compare II with NO. l. Inc
regarded this inferior. b. Rnsb Roberts of tho
indian Commissioners arrived about Oct. !, and the
witness having shown him the sample, he concured AZ
10 It's quality Ar. Hurford informed that moro
-four would be inspected by that sample. About one ear
load 200 sacks had IN the mean time been inspected
by sample No 2 Tho witnesss deputy said that the only
difference between the two samples WA that No. was
somewhat darker than No Il in other respects No. was
good This carload the only lot Inspected be
low the sample for Rcd Coud Agency. Tie our Inspected
WAS delivered the Union Pacific Railroad for deyerytc
Mcann the contractor for the transportation 81 Indian
sappes This 6odr probably delivered nj Cheyenne
the point nj which all goods for tho Red Clond Agency
arc received McCanu's contract fret for ship
| ping annuity gc.rs from Eastern cities IA Omaha and
FOR annuity goods for Red Cloud Agency from Omaha
When the witness began to ship, be male requ1soD
the FOR transportation, when McCann ID
formed him that he had contract for tho transportation
OF goods Referring again to the -four, the witness
SAID that he had had the samples submitted In HE pos
session ever since they were furnished by MI
| Hurtord. Every sack OF this -four in
| srrcted. proved, tried and stenciled az required
by the Department The weight Of the sacks varied !;
some weighed only IS pounds. An sack Of BOu
weighs leo pounds yross, 90 net these weighed 30
gross IS net The inspectors certificate contained the
number Of sacks the weight Of each, etc. The disceP
ncy i the number " sacks and furnished
in this way Mr. Hurfort supplied carloads of sack- To
tie requisite amount He then stated To the witness that
although Le had furnished the required number Of sacks
he was short of weight Tie witness told Huf0rd thai
he was authorized inspect Is 900 bags OF -four 250
900 pounds, and II he wshod Ia furnish tits -four and
| take tic chances or payment from the Govern
ment the witness would inspect IL; hence 2,7S9
Sacks or 250.9i4 pounds furnished After b. Rush
Roberts OF tie Indian Commission, had gone home he
wrote tho witness letter, dated Nov H. lS7i stating
that IN AZ interview with Mr. Smith, Commissioner ot
udan AlIs thlt gentleman adyertiDs to The substitu
~ sample No for No. J. expressed the fear that
had been to cheat and asked whether any
OF the four hid been pass at tho iuferr sample but
Mr. Roberts expressed the belief that some Ind been
passed below sample No l. After this the witness In
,pecd 1873 sacAs 1902 pounds Of -four for Irwin
VI sIoshOne and B2nnDr Agencies. Tho entire lot
iasp ,csei from singc No IN the han h ~ the Commit
Tns dour shipped to Bryan, on the union Pr
cinc Railroad Government rcgusition, delivered to
| Tie order oi James 7 win, and wac not transported
by McCann Mr. irwin has Just entered into contract
with MI Hurford FOE lJur aud has not made any
comp anto to its character The subins ec.or
poyed by witness aus ~. Yates, who personally III
spoctcd the Oar. iAo inspection satisfied tho Witness
s he VAS present various times during the Inspection
and that IL properly performed. From Aug l.
is7; TO Jan. 10, 1879, the witness inspected 1920
| a,