New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-02-01
FRAUDS IN TIE INDIAN SERFICE

A COMMENTARY on THE PRESIDENTS APOLOGY FOR
THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR-ExrRAvA-
CANT RATES OF TRANSPORTATION on MCANN 5
CoNTRACT-PAYNIENTs TO LOBBYISTS-wHY IT Is
DIFFICULT 10 KEEP TRACE OF OFFICIAL TRANS
ACTIONS.
IRON THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUSEI
WASHINGTON. Jan. 3O,-The President, in his last
annual message makes the following remarkable
statement in regard to the management of the In
terror Department.
The duties have been added from time to time until
they have become that without the most per
feet system aud order will be impossible for Sec
Rotary OF the Interior keep trace OF all the official
transactions having his official sanction and done in his
name and for which he held personally responsible
The Interior Department, justly or unjustly, is
generally believed TO be the most corrupt and ex-
travagant of the divisions of tho Executive branch
of the Government and an apology like that quoted
shove arouses a natural suspicion that the Admins
tratIon expects at no distant day. that the suspected
rottenness of Secretary Delanos administration is
sure TO be exposed and that it needs some defense
in advance Some people have provokngly sug-
gested that if Secretary Delano would remain in
Washington one-half of the year he might be able
70 keen trace" of more of the official transactions
done in his name than he does now, and that if 50
disposed he could stop now and then one OF these
transactions of doubtful character
During the investigation of Indian contracts made
during the last session of Congress il was proved
beyond doubt that the Department was knowingly
paving higher rates and for greater distances than
it was proper to pay on the contract with D. j..
McCann for transporting Indian goods and supplies
from Cheyenne to the Red Cloud Agency McCann's
sub-contractors testified that the distance from
Cheyenne to the Red Cloud Agency was 1S6 miles,
while the Department was paying McCann for PIP
miles. Mr.. DeanO had the evidence before him, in
the shape of alldavits of McCann's subcOntractOrs
that he paying too high rates and for too great
distance as early as January, 1874 that he could
have deducted the amount Overpaid McCann if he
had chosen to do so but he paid the fraudulent
claim in spite Of the protest of the old
Board Of Indian Commissioners and when the
evidence became overwhelming, McCann told the
Investigating Committee Of the last session that he
had voluntarily left between $4,000 and $4,000 in
the hands of the Government until the correct
distance should be ascertained by the Secre-
tary Of the Interior 1t now appears that Nc
Cam received full pay for every pound of the goods
and supplies transported to the Red Cloud Agency
except 80 barrels of sugar and two sacks of coffee
as may be proved by the vouchers i'll the Second
Auditors office; that no other deduction was made
ana none can De maze from any OtneT Oh McO
contracts for overpayments in 1874.
During the last session of Congress the sum of
$4,000 was paid TO two Indian lobbyists for sery-
ices as attorneys The circumstances under which
this payment was made were as follows: This agent
of the Usage Indians asked for an appropriation of
$4,000 for the purchase of farming implements for
his Indians, the money TO be taken from the pro-
Goods of the sale of their lands This fund amount
10 md tba npno mi inc
it knew better than the agent how much was
need for this purpose, asked for 100000
year for two years. This was granted
by provso in the Indian Appropriation bill of
June %, 1874 (Stat. at Large, LIST SEES. 43d Cong
page 1917 1t is now reported that the Indians have
received about $4,000 worth Of implements, &c.
while $50 900 of the amount has been paid to attor
neys nominally for obtaining settlement for the
Osages for the sale of their lands. The fact is and
IT was or ought to have been known to the SeCre-
tary Of the Interior, that the Land Office had
charge of the sales and turned the money into the
Treasury 1t is also believed that the two men
who got this money were never legally authorized
to act for the Indians. in which the payment of
any money to them, even if they had rendered ser
vices, would have been illegal. Is it possible that
this money was divided among ring" in the
corridor opposite the cash.room Of the Treasury
Department. few minutes after it was paid
Suppose q man connected by marriage with a
promrent official of the Interior Department fur
nishes -four for the Sioux by contract for the pre-
sent year at price, 80 cents on 100 pounds higher
than that at which the same quality Of flour was
furnished to the same Indians during the last fiscal
year while the price of flour is lower in the market
this year than last could it not be explained by the
fact that 1T is impossible for any Secretary of the
Interior to keep trace OF all the official transactions
having his official sancton;" and would it not be
perfectly natural that the facts about Merriam's
flour contract should DO among those of which no
cannot keep tracer