National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1875-02-27
"BoGY, BoGY & BOGY"-PERsoNAL
HISTORY,

In the commercial history of this country
there are few more interesting episodes
than the successful though brief career of
the firm of 'Bogy, Bogy & Bogy," or as
the French would put it. "Bogy, trsre ct
,flS."
A femark dropped by the honorable Sen
ator from Ohio, Mr.. Thurman, in the Sem
ate, on the 22d instant during the discus
sion of the Indian appropriation bill, that
the Senator from Missouri (Mr. Bogy) ''has
had special means of acquiring knowledge"
upon the Indian question, together with
the recent sweeping attacks of Mr. Bogy
upon the entire Indian service, cannot fail
TO recall to the memory of our readers the
details of an investigation of the Commits.
sioners of Indian Affairs by committee of
the House of Representatives during the
session of 1S66-'67, when the Hon. Lewis
V. Bogy, present Senator from Missouri,
was st the head of the Indian bureau.
The honorable Senator has had so much
to say recently ia regard to frauds IN the
Indian service that we cannot forbear a
brief history of that investigation, to en-
able our readers to judge for themselves
what manner of man this is, who has as
sumed virtue as Senator which the de-
velopments of that examination show him
not to have been possessed of as Commits
sioner. And we preface our remarks with
the fragrant, classical quotation which
seemed to Mr.. Bogy so apt at that time,
that "a man with q rotten nose can smell
nothing sweet" and commend it to the
honorable Senator in connection with his
recent remarks on the Indian service.
Lewis P. Bogy, of Missouri, was ap-
pointed by President johnson as Commits
sioner of Indian Affairs October 6, 1866, to
take effect November 1, 1866 The nomi-
nation of Mr. Bogy was sent by the Presi-
dent to the Senate on the 18th of January,
1867, and no action was had by the Senate
during that session, and his nomination fell
March 4, 1867. He was renominated
March 5, 1867, at the extra session of the
Senate and rejected March 10, 1867. He
served as Commissioner of Indian Affairs,
therefore, from November 1, 1866, to March
4, 1867, both days inclusive.
Mr.. Bogy succeeded Mr.. Cooley, ofIowa,
as Commissioner of Indian Affairs. Mr..
Cooley had issued the usual advertisement
for Indian goods in accordance with the
law and custom of the office, his esti-
mates for supplies being based upon the
acquisitions of the agents and superintend-
ents in the field, according to law, and that
advertisement was then being published.
Mr.. Bogy, without any knowledge what
ever-as he confessed before the committee
of the business of the office, or the
needs of the Indians, or the character of
goods that should be supplied, withdrew
the advertisement of Mr.. Cooley, and is
sued new one, greatly modifying the de-
tails and emitting many articles that had
been asked for by the agents and superin-
tendents according to law and inserting
articles never before purchased for Indians,
and not asked for by any agent or other
employee of the Department.
Mr.. Bogy admitted that he did these
things by the advice of men of large ex.
perience in Indian affairs, and when asked
to name his advisers he furnished the
uducb VI Olu 1uulhu LTduoIS, 64-lQQlAn
agents, convicted of swindling and other
men of similar character: His excuse for
emitting articles that had usually been pur-
chased by the Indian Office was that they
were never used by the Indians. Among
these articles werecalicoes, denims, jeans
and linseys in large quantities. These arti-
cles were excluded from the advertisement,
but in a few days afterwards Mr.. Bogy
sent to his son in St. Louis to purchase the
same articles in open market, and they
were so purchased at an exorbitant price,
not through the superintendent, a sworn
and bonded officer of the Government but
by Mr.. Bogy's own son, who was under
no official restraint and had given no
bond.
But there was still another Bogy in the
business, and Mr.. Charles Bogy, brother
of the then Commissioner and now Senator,
who furnished large invoice of goods to
the Arapahoes and Cheyennes while Lewis
V. was Commissioner, and at good round
prices.
For instance, on the 23d of November,
1866, brother Charles furnished to brother
Lewis V. blue blankets at S23 per pair;