New-York tribune., 1875-07-14


| Nov Ia and I Was then present and know that for
several days previously the Indians had ceon suer
ing from want of the very food ne claimed Ia us
official report to have issued. In the same manner,
his olci reports represent other Issues that never
took place How he at the same time; was drtraua- m M
ing the Government in rcceping for beef when ne
did not receive is fully shown in Section OF tins
| statement. r. ,n+
Saville was well known to the Interior Departneht
| before my visit rs is shown by an o:hclai report
made by United States Indian InspectorJ d. Bev'er,
Oct u, 1874. In this report the inspector eXPoScu
fraudulent contract made privateiy ny Agent
SavilIe with his f,thcr-n-aw, \. X. Appleton, Dy
which the Government would have been laIe'{ ~, -
loser. Inspector Bcvier states moreover. tnHi tnn
while investigating the contract, Agent S3Nliie
made fl-c representations 10 llln, ana MI; Ape'oii
endeavored To bribc lin to silence. Other special
commissioners of the Interior Department had Ike
wiscreported unfavorably of this agent ana AFFAIRS
at the Agency. And yet ;his man has Tor me pas'
two wears with the full approyalof the Department,
had charge Of the most important Agency III III lno q
West where nearly half million of dollars alhuaiy
passes through his hands. - ~ a
himself n weak man. and he should never have nrcn
placed in so responsible position. III honest wlen
appointcd as some good men believe, he fell an easy
victim to The wiles Of beef and freight contractors OF
the Indian King as many stronger men, agents ana
high officials, have done before him.
u-NuMBER or INDIANS AT AGENCY oVEi-Esri-
MATED.
There is GOOD reason to believe that the number OF
Indians suppcd with provisions at Red Cloud
extensive losses to the Government. According 10
tbe proysion returns of Agent Savie for the fourth
ouorter of 1874. which he rend red to the Interior
DEPARTMENT there were 10 II Indians who received
ratious at the Agency Oct. /, 1874. The same Oh
fcol docuncnf states that on Nov. (thc day before
nv arrival there were 1881 Indians led at the
Agency. | was informed by the agent ana oth'r
persons Immediately connected with the Agency
that 1000 or 5000 of these Indians belonged
TO the Northern tribes, AMI were chcamprd
within q short distance OF the Agency, on
tbe north side of White River Agent Savlllc sub
seouently confirmed this statement in an inier'lcw
with Rev. s. ID. llinman and myself, III Washington
Nav 81, 1879 and stated also, that some OF these
northern Indians received annuitics at The annual
issuc. Nov 10 1874. A few days after the issuo of
annuity goods, when abOut to start with my eXpe-
dtjon across Nho River to the norihward was
informed by the agent and Others that the northern
Indians were still in camp there; but on crossing
the river with my party found less than 40 lodges
by actual count and asccriaincd that all or nearly
all of these were Ogallaas. belonging to Red
Clou,i's band During tho next 10 days. moreover
repeatedly crossed the great northern trails lead
ing to the Black Hills. and a>ccrt lined beyond
doubt that considerable body OF lndiins liaa re-
Gently passed over them. For these reasons ana
others which deem equally conclusive, believe
the thousands of northern indians officially reported
al this Agency to be myth.
The number Of Indians actually at Red Cloud
Agency when was there in November last, could
net have been moic than 1.2co lodges, or N,fuo ~,
diyidualS. .judging from all the nl0rDation could
oblain, doubt If ihis nmhibcr has been eXcce"ed
within tie last two years. Some observers. hc'i
qualified to Judge, placed the number lower. ana
among these was jules Ecohe OF Fort Laramie
whom have known for several years. HeWaS WIN
ne at the Agency acted az my Interpreter III one
council and is personally acquainted with nearly al
the Indians there. The siatencntof tie agent MAJ,
n .tt nn
Indians, 40 dsinteTeStcd person. familiar win thc
facts, believes for moaep' rS?eeiay as at tiai at
time The wilder Indians had not commenced u
IctuIn to the Agency for The Winter
nI.-is>UE OF ANNUITY GOODS
was present at the Red Cloud Agency at the
annual ssuo of annuity goods. Nov. ~, 1871, and
personally observed nearly all that wcro delivered
| saw tlc entire issue of blankets and carefully cx-
amincl the quality of those delivered The number
of bales Of blankets did rot count as they were
issued but, after all were given out, my atten-
ton was called 90 . number If these by the chief
Red Dog, who stood near me III tho warehouse dur
Ing the issue. Iio strongly asserted that tha Issue
was fraudulent, and that the number of blankets
issued was much less t.ian Tie Indians were entitled
10; and that the number issued to hin ior his own
band was not more than half what he shou.d have
had This earnest protest on the part OF the chiei
who is next in rank to Red Cloud called my attcn-
calling tie exact circumstances of tie delivery
which had Witnessed few minutes before, felt
reasonably certaia that not than 20 bales were
is.ued and that the number could not possibly have
exceeded % bales. One OF the persons whom
| then saw assisting the agent in issuing the
blankets was Lous Richard or. the name is
usually pronounced and written at the Agency I0uls
RcShaw whom knew personally, and snbsc-
q1cnily employed as interpreter by the advice OF
Gen. i. i. Bradley. who had previously emp'nyed
him a5 guide, and spoke in high trinsof hi faith
funcSs and reliability. | subsequently met Louis
Richard in Wahlngtpn with j. =. Collins, esq, of
Fort Laramie, Secretary of the Special sioux
Commission, who had brought him on from the Red
Ccud Agency as trustworthy interpreter, ana " 10
spoke highly of his trufhfulncss. ON convrr>ing
with Slr. Richard about the affairs of Rcd Cloud
Agency, VIII which we were hoih tonyersani'
learned Incidentally that lie had carefully counted
all the bales OF blankets that were ISSUED Oh NOV.
II, o7l, When he sted IN the distribution Which
| witnessed. lie assured ne that the number of
bales Of blankets then issued was - each bale
containing 30 pairs of blankets, ana he gave me Tie
following affidavit:
hereby certify that the iS-u, Of alruic at Red
Cloud Agency IN November. is' assisted the az nt
DI j. j. SaVilc in the issue and know from actual
that IA Ie we're only eighteen ba.es Of bank issued
each bale containing MY pairs was present at The
whole and all The anntty goods cred. No
bales were let IA tne waIthousc aitT the regular issue.
The brand L. :. l. d. onthc,r blankets injured thc cloth
50 that aItcl short wear holes replaced tht letters.
witness. J. McKcnney f. W. Hague
district " Co"n,bia. sSI. john McKcnney, notary
public and for the District Aforesaid certify that Louis
RcsIaw, whO.c signature Is affixed 10 the WITHIN afiia
VT, before and niade oath that matters
stated in said paper are trdo TO the best oi his know
edge and belief
Witness whereof. have hereunto act my hand and
talill seal TINS Jtl day Ol June, 1919.
J. MCKINNEY. Notary Public.
That no bales of blankets remained at the Agency
after the issue Of Nov. -, 1874, is shown by Mr.
Richards affidavit above quoted, and by Agent
Sayille's Property Returns. now on file in the III
terror Department. This also know from personal