The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1875-10-19
BY TELEGRAPH
TO THE
WHEELING REGISTER.
Associated Press Report. by western
Union Line, office Northwest cor.
of Main and 18th SITS.
THE RED CLOUD AGENCY
Report ofthe Commissioners.

report on the charges OF mlsnhllaSeIhrht
and fraud at the Red Cloud Agency,
made by Prof. Marsh:
The Joint Commission for the investi-
CATION OF affairs at Red Cloud Agency
have closed their labors, and sub.
mi.tcd a report to the President and to
the Board of Indian Commissioners,
BY whom they We're appointed. Adopt
ing Professor Marshs letter TO the PreNl-
dent, setting forth the charges OF fraud
and acknowledgement in the Indian al
fairs as their starting point, the Commis-
sIouers take up his allegations Sertat'm,
examining all available sources OF evil
lencc, and scrutinizing all records and
documentary proof which might in their
Judgment throw light upon the subject
The private testimony 80 taken compris-
ing more than 500 octave pages. The
Commissioner sustains the charges OF
official incompetency preferred against
!. j. Sayille, Indian Agent at the Red
Cloud Agency, and recommend
his removal, but cXoneratc HIM from
the charge OF dishonesty, and point to
him as one OF the Indian agents who
goes out of office poorer man than
when he entered With the charges that
the number OF Indians nt Red Cloud
Agency had been greatly over estimated
for purpusr, of fraud. the Commissioners
notice the fact that the array o: proofs
concur with Prof Marsh in his belief,
and there were not so many there II, had
been represented but i'll supper. of
the charge AL opinion merely has
been offered. The enumeration Of
Indians was attended with great
difficulties and delays, such was their
determined opposition to being counted,
and the tact that northern or wild In
d!ans were liable To- visit the agency and
demand goods and ratiUns. The census
OF last year shows that there were 3,i21
y, Red Cloud agency. This result Was
believed by the Commission to have
been Obtained through the best mean.
within the command of the agent. The
Commission find that the system o!
keeping accounts at the agency was ire
ourutIv loose and detective and for this
reason the Indian office Is justly crnsur-
able. They also observed that the pro
vision of the treaty OF 1866, requiring
the presence of an army officer
at ali issues OF goods has been
utterly disregardei, but could not con-
clyJe from that. in the absence of other
/ proof that fraud had been practiccd.
/ Specific allegation that, on the 18th Of
/ November, 1874, the Indians were churg-
ed with thirty seven bales of blankets,
/ wbijr only twenty five bales were issued
To them. Is pronounced wholly without
/ foundation. Tnequestion OF beef forms Il
/ principal part OF tle report. The annual
/ expenditure for its supply Is large, and
| the frauds charged IN connection with
/ the contracts are commensurate with the
magnitude OF the sums involved. In
taking up this subject the Commls.
sion recapitulute Prof. Marshs charges,
that the cattle had been inferior owing
10 the systematic frauds pructlced by
agents and contractors; that, IN consc-
qucncc of fraud and mi,manag"mcnt,
the Indians suffered greatly during the
past winter for food; that Agent SnvlIe
withheld from them provisions which he
charged against the Government as haN-
;nr been issued to them; that frauds in
weights are cousummatcd by direct col
Iusion between the agent and the con-
tractor. nr d that equal rascality Is prac-
ticcd in regard to the number of cattle;
,Lot or,,bo- fra,Id i the system of stam-
,,aji,,,, and thai these frauds have been
gigantic and long systcmatIZcd. Pro-
fc>-or Mursh's pamphlet partakes rather
of the nature of an argument than the
purc presentation of facts, and in review
,L..o s.v.r,I CHARGES the Com
- - fnd ,bnt he has based hi,
.',.ar,,';,rs ,,,oro rro, beorsoy evidence
,Ln,, ~, r.r.nrol krowlrdce and well.
,..,atl;.bna fact. The charge that the
o,n,, Sovillc and :. w. Bosler, With his
o-.,ri.tns combined to defraud the gov
,'.,,,,.rt !. fnnnd 20 he entirely un.up-
,,rtcJ Lv clcts. In support of his
tL,r,a Prof Marsh almdes to the con-
,.nn, ,,r ,hn I,.t fiscal wear and argues
,L., :; was tainted with fraud from it,
;rr.rti,n The contract. it appears. WAS
,u,,r.I.j tnJ X. Foreman. who was the
/ lowe, bidder. and who complied with all
/ tLc pubH,hrd requirements. Subs"-
! oucntly. for busiLess reasons 1t was
! S,.gurd To- W. \. Paxton, in or
! der that combination might be
| formed To- carry out 50 large contract.
/ Mr.. Boslcr furnished the capital and
purchased the cattle in the name Of Pax
ton. To execute such a contract with
success and profit, 1t required capital and
skill and business capacity, and in con-
| sdcration OF these Bo,lcr con-
cludcd he was entitled to receive the
greater share OF the profits; the Commis-
/ Sion failed to discover in all the facts,
any evidence of fraud In the same con
ncction, Prof Marsh speaks OF Mr.. Bos-
Ter as connected with the frauds in the
previous contracts, and for this rea-
SON excluded from further par
tcipation in the government contract.
After examination OF the facts
/ bearing on this allegation 1t was found