The Portland daily press., 1875-09-15
THE INDIANS.
Prof Marsh's Testimony Before the Red
Cloud Commission.


Cloud Commission.
WASHINGTON. Sept. 14-Prof. Marsh to. day,
before the Red Cloud Commission, was cues
toned at length. He said Boster was the real
contractor for supplying beef to the Sioux
agencies, though he might be acting under the
contract of others. A great many bids were
made for supplying beef Boster probably
stood outside aud bought out the successful
bidder, being on the ground and having capital
and all other appliances for filling the con-
tracts.
Question-How is the government defrauded
as you charge. if Boster does furnish the beef
and complies with the contract?
Answer-If man obtain a contract at o
large price, and can sublet it at lower price,
the difference between the two is the loss to
the government
In support of the charge that Boster is noto-
tracts, Prof Marsh referred to Kemble and
Albert's report to the Indian office, in which
they say the quantity of beef received by the
Whitestone agency was unquestonably much
less than that recepted for to the contractor.
He then referred to the report of the House on
appropriations, in February 1871, in which it is
stated that Boster delivered Texas instead of
American cattle, and was paid 81 centsa for
gross weight when the cattle were delivered
Prof. Marsh, in the course of his statements,
said he judged from his experience with the
Indian bureau that the commissioner was I'M
willing to receive information of the loose
management of affairs at the Red Cloud agen-
cy. He said in further testimony that the
commissioner might believe what was told him
about the mismanagement,b but the information
was unkindly received. He was much more
apt to be indignant with the person who
brought the information than with the person
against whom fraud was alleged. Prof. Marsh
having been asked whether there was anything
offensive in the way he brought the informa
ton to the attention of the commissioner he
hpr Wq . hp ho 1nin
favor in bringing the attention of the COM
missioner to the fact of mismanagement, but
the reception greatly amazed him and but for
the seeming reluctance of the commissioner to
receive complaints he should have given him
all the information in his possession. (At this
point Commissioner Smith came into the room.
What the Commissioner of Indian Affairs
said would be found in his (Marsh's) statement
given in New York The commissioner doubt
ed the truth of some of Prof. Marsh's state
ments, thinking he had been misled by state
ments. Apart from the samples of sugar, flour
and tobacco brought to the attention of the
commissioner he could have given him other
information if he had been disposed to receive
it.
Prof Marsh was interrogated as to his
charge of frauds in beef weighing at Red
Cloud agency and loss to the government and
the Indians by fraudulent stampedes of CATTLE
lie was asked the question whether the govern
ment and the Ipdians suffered any great loss
Dy Suen SlampeueS, Wnen ne replled ne believed
it to be the case but could not state it as fact
of his own knowledge. He had heard others
say SO. He did not charge that Mr.. Bosler or
agent Saville had any part in these stampedes
They might have been caused by herders for
their own benefit.
Prof. Marsh was Intercepted concerning his
charge that the heads of barrels were knocked
out and their contents; pork, turned on the
ground. He said that agent Savile reported
that only the head of one barrel was knocked
out, but that he saw several thus treated and
noticed that the pork was of very inferior quail
ity. He understood from Commissioner Smith
that The pork was imported in Kansas City. 1t
was difficult to say who was to blame for fur
nishipg such pork, whether the contractor or
inspector The pieces of pork he saw were odd
shaped and some of the barrels had more
BRINE than others. The pork smelt strong and
was musty. He saw Is or 20 sacks of flour in
the warehouse at Cheyenne without brands
AS he did not examine the flour he could not
speak of its quality. He saw at three different
lodges, flour similar 20 that distributed at the
agency. 1t appearee to be very poor and
sticky.
The examination was continued at length as
to various points, including the quality of the
sugar and coffee furnished the Indians, tending
to show that they did not correspond with the
samples.