Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1875-09-14
The Indian Frauds Investigation.
Proceedings ro-nAY

Prof. Marsh, before the Red Cloud commits
sion to-day, was questioned at length con-
cening the purchase of beef cattle. He said
that one Bosler was the real contractor for
supplying beef TO the Sioux agencies, though
he might be acting under the contract of
others, AS an illustration, he said a great
many oids are made for supplying beef Bos-
>.ands outside and buys out the succe5 IS
iul bidder, Bosler being on the ground and
having capital and other appliances for I'LL
ING contracts.
Q. How is the government defrauded, as
you charge, If Bosler does furnish the beef
and complies with the contract?
A. III a man obtains contract at a large
price, ana can sub-let IL at lower price, the
dlherence between the two is the loss 10 the
government.
In answer to the charge that Bosler is no.
toriOus for frauds in former contracts Prof
Marsh referred to Kemble and Albert's re-
port TO the Indian office, in which they say
the quantity of beef actually received by
greatly less than that receipted for by the
contractors. He also refer. cd to the report
of the House Committee on Appropriations
In FEBRUARY, loI In which IL is stated that
Bosler delivered Texas instead of American
cattle, and was paid 6h cents for gross
weight, when the cattle delivered were not
worth more than half that price. Fraud was
also practiced by Bosler in the weight of
cattle. The Professor said he could also give
Information which he himself obtained while
he was In the west. He was next questionei
lated the terms of any contract or failed to
comply with it, thus committing fraud in
any bid made by him. He answered not of
his own knowledge, but he referred To the
report of the old board of Indian commission
els made to the President, in which it was
stated mat contracts were sub-let or permit
ted to be filled by an individual whose bid
had been rejected the previous year by the
Indian commission on suspicion of fraud.
Prof. Marsh, in the course OF his statement,
said he judged from his experience with the
rE0 O fhx fN.r..t .f~nF
unwilling to receive information respecting
the Loose management of affairs at the Red
Cloud agency. He was Intercepted at
length, the allegations in his pamphlet form
ing the base of the questions. He said in
further testimony that the Commissioner
might believe what was told him about mis-
management, but the information was uu-
Kindly received. He was much more apt 10
be indignant with the person who brought
the Information than with the person against
whom maud was alleged. Having been
asked whether there was anything offensive
In tho gay he brought the Information to the
aticntlon of the Commissioner, he replied
there was not He thought he was doing a
favor in bringing the attention of the Co n
missioner To the fact of mismanagement
but the reception greatly annoyed him, and
but Tor the seeming reluctance of the Com
missioner to receive complaints he should
have given him all the information in his
possession.
At this point Commissioner Smith came
into the room.
from the samples of sugar, flour and tobacco
brought to the attention of the Commissioner
he could have given him other information
II he had been disposed to receive il.
Prof Marsh continued his testimony with
reference to weighing cattle at the Red
Cloud agency on the 18th of November, 1874
and said in his opinion it was impossible
that Agent Saville could have weighed 7O1
cattle between daylight and ten O'Clock, as
he asserts he did. He went on to make an
estimate on the basis that one animal could
&c weighed minute, but Gov. Fletcher
stated that the commission wanted no tn o.
ries; he desired TO get away, as he had inn
pOrfant business interests to look after, and
the commission must economist as regards
time.
Mr.. Faulkner thought il very important
TO have the Professors estimate. 1t took
them two hours when the commission was
i'm the Indian country to weigh 400 head of
cattle, and the question was how long would
Ii take TO weigh 700?
The Professor also thought this an import
ant point. He simply wanted to show that
Il was physical impOssibility to weigh 7O1
cattle between the hours of half past seven
AZ d ten O'Clock. The Professor then submit
ted memorandum by Bishop Hare, of a
conversation he had with Agent Saville In
Washington.
The commission were taking up the various
charges of Prof. Marsh seriatim, and cues
uon1pg him in regard thereto when our re-
port closed.