National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1875-10-19

Julius a. Grt " a. Sssd" ~ nastie deIYverc
At Red Cloud we're rostiy steers outTery few COW
among them, rnd u. the cattle received NJ t6
they weigh more than sason for the faet that h
killed good many two. 1saIS =, if tbs s1 Ss u
Of the post; ,d he slsS ya winter the cattle
this country, the Texas cattle en- fH way grea
deal. Last spring they got thin. as last snr Tn
herd here which was thin Ihat% he herd her
referred to was the one seen by Major. Se, an %
Mr.. Green also says: @. You remem. b% ~ t N
easion when eleven cattle were killed ~
Q. In what herd were they killer A In t9'
post herd. They were taken from the post her
| and dressed at the Cheyenne camp DR.. Saville
made them good afterwards, and allowed me to
| select eleven from the agency herd. selected
netted $50 pounds each without the sEanks, tai
| net above 500.
! As this testimony comes from a practical
butcher connected with the army it Is significant
1 and of great weight The cattle delivered in May
| last were doubtless smaller than those usually
( delivered, and considerably below the average.
They were receipted for at 965 pounds each. These
cattle were turned in under the new contract made
| necessary by the short supply, and were wntered
| in the country of the Platte; were purchased by
the contractor at relatively high price, many Of
/ them as high as SIS per head, and had doubtless
! suffered from the rigors of the winter.
While Lieutenant Carpenters statement is
az IL S Sa S
Of fraud either upon the Indians or the Govern
I ment.
During our investigation we were informed by
| gentleman Of high character that DR.. Irwin, the
| agent of the Shoshone agency, informed him in
the fall of 1873 cattle were delivered to him by
which came from the same herds as those which
| were being delivered at Red Cloud and Whet-
stone and that those which he received weighed
only 800 pounds each, while those delivered at Red
Cloud and MILESTONE were reeeipted for at an
to Wilmington the a auditor furnished US with
copy of the voucher given for the cattle by DR..
Irwin, which clearly shows that our informant
pounds the voucher shows the weight to have been
4s9 pounds net, or 9TS pounds gross. Its effect
| weights certified to at Red Cloud rather than
| otherwise. The facts that the cattle had been
driven two hundred and fifty miles, and were es-
| timatea and not weighed will account for the
slight difference assumed.
The voucher given by On. Irwin is as follows:
Received of G.. NJ. Dodge for the United States
| Government, at the Shoshone and Bannock In
dian agency, Wyoming Territory, three hundred
and forty nine beef cattle, averaging four hundred
| one hundred and seventy-hve thousand five hum
| dred and fifty-one Q75, pounds.
United States Special Indian Agent.
| SHosHoNE AND HAMMOCK AGENCY,
WYOMING TY., Sept. 30, 1S73."5
count upon which Mr.. Dodge was paid for those
cattle at gross weight the total gross weight be-
ing sSl, lo2 pounds. Price, $3.50 per 100 pounds;
The subject of stampedes may be dismissed with
| very brief notice. Professor Marsh asserts that
it is fruitful source of fraud and that 1t sap
pears to have been practced" at the Red Cloud
| agency as system" at least since the present
agent took charge. He also declares that ''from
such stampedes and the fraudulent results follow
| ing, both the Indians and the Government have
| suffered losses"
with these statements as our only guide, we
we're little prepared for the discovery that only
| two stampedes had occurred since Saville took
charge and that the total number Of cattle lost in
consequence was but 1876. Yet such is the fact as
| shown by evidence which is not disputed.
| On the 9Th of October, 1873, in the midst Of q
storm, the cattle Of the agency herd were fright
ened by an Indian, as the herders stated, and
about two hundred Of them were stampeded and
scattered over the country. As the agent had not
men enough to hold the remainder Of the herd,
turned over about six hundred to the herd of the
contractor, taking his receipt therefor, and then
| sent his herders to hunt up the strays. In the
course of three weeks they recovered all but sixty
| seven head. The chief herder was considered
| negligent in performing his duty and was found
| to have made several false statements about the
! matter of the loss. He was in consequence dis
| charged by DIR. Saville.
| fthese cattle were stampeded by the Indians,
| as was alleged, they undoubtedly secured every
head Of them without waiting for the formality Of
the agents permission; and It is more than prob
able that they did So in any case as they have an
invincible objection to seeing beef cattle running
! at large about the country. The facts were duly
reported to the Indian bureau by DIR. Sayille and
we find no blame attributable to him in respect to
! any part of the affair."
! Inc second instance OF q stampede occurred on
the It'll Of September, 1874 and the matter is fully
detailed in the letters and affidavts on page AS
| The number stampeded was 2s4, out of q herd of
S34. Most of the cattle were found to have re-
/ turned to the contractors herd. The chief herder
I MeBratney, believed that all but thirty-six had
page as, as follows @Whie have not. and can,
not get, the positive evidence that the whole num-
Der of cattle lost entered the contractors herd yet
the circumstantial evidence leaves scarcely
doubt that they did sou
/ Mr. Bosler claimed that no trace could be found
nj to ar saas an5 per
Quoted on the receipt given to the contractor by
Sayille. The course taken by DR.. Saville pre-
eludes the possibility Of any collision with the
contractor in this affair." and relieves him, in our
opinion, from every Just suspicion of wrongful act
| or purpose. OF the remaining 1874 head were
49, If these 2s did not return to the contractors
herd, the Indians doubtless received the benefit of
them; and If they did so return and shall not here
after be accounted for in his settlement by the
contractor then they were loss to the Indians as
| we'll as the Government.
| The question has remained unsettled up to the
present time; but in view of the facts that all the
trails led directly towards the contractors herd,
| whittier the cattle would naturally have gone,
that there was no indication given by the Indians
of their having picked up this considerable num-
6eE.as for example by an increased sale Of herds.
herders could have identified each animal that
had returned to the herd we are led to the belief
that DR.. Sayille's conclusion was correct.
| 1t will be seen by Professor Marshs testimony,
pages lO3 to los, that his statements were based
on Information only, not on personal knowledge;
| The statement in Reshaw's certificate, page 16,
that these same cattle were afterwards driven to
the agency and were recepted for the second time
by the agent" has not q shadow of foundation,
except in the fact already stated, that $50
turned, but were not receipted for second time.
| Before concluding upon this branch deem it
our duty to say that, notwithstanding our careful,
| and as we think thorough and exhaustive investi-
cation into the subject of the supply of beef to the
| Sioux Indians we have found no sufficient evil
dence to justify us in coming to the conclusion that
/ fraud has been committed by the agent or con-
tractor during the period covered by our inquiry,
yet that the present system is one which we can
/ not approve. 1t cannot be doubted that under IL
Is possible for corrupt agents and contractors TO
i combine and to successfully defraud the Govern
There is no proper check for the prevention of
fraud, and, indeed think the system invites 1t.
This is so apparent to every observer that 1t may
justly give rise to and justify suspicious Of fraud
| where no fraud exists.
| No Indian agent however honest should be ex-
| posed to the great temptation laid open before
him. Nor should he be placed in position where,
| honestly he may serve the interests both of the
Government and of the Indians, and act up to the
| highest standard Of morality and honesty he may
| still be suspected, and run the risk of retiring
from his position at last with empty pockets and
| impaired reputation.
/ tiOn has fallen upon him, not because he has
stolen, but because 1t thought that he had tho
opportunity 70 steal we tninS that; 70 protect
agents against temptation, and honest men called
/ to the public service from unjust suspicion and
/ accusation, change of system is demanded.
We would earnestly recommend that, from the
/ army officers stationed at the nearest military
/ camp-who are already under the pay of the Gov
/ ernment-who generally men of education,
| integrity and competent skill, with no arduous
duties to perform in time Of peace, an officer
/ should be from time to time detailed at each
| agency, and under the direction of the Commits
/ sary General of the army to inspect and accept
or reject all beef offered by contractors and report
| his doings; that the agent be allowed to receive
none except his certificate, and that no voucher
be paid that does not bear the inspectors sigma
ture in its approval. As security for his integrity
we have the known high sense Of honor among
military officers, and the court martial for all de-
| linquents-
THE MORROW CONTRACT.
|. Professor Marsh presses upon our attention the
subject Of the Morrow contract, not referred to in
HIS letter to the President and the alleged double
payment for cattle delivered at the Crow Greek
agency in November, 1870, to the amount Of $4,000
Ii should be said that the fraud, II such II were,
| occurred before the present Commissioner of In
| dian Affairs came into office.
1t appears that in November, 1870, Morrow de-
| livered to Agent French, for that agency, about
400 head of cattle, for which French gave receipt
in the usual form, which was paid in the February
| following; that the receipt was given by French
| with the expectation that It would be held as
| memorandum-he having received the cattle at
| the request and for the convenience of the con-