The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1875-08-19
A DASH AT DELANO.
WILLIAM wELsH's LETTER.

WILLIAM wELSH'S LETTER.
ADDRESS TO THE PRESIDENT BY THE CHAIR
NAN OF TIE LATE BOARD OF INDIAN COM
MIssIoNERs-A LIBELOUS ATTACK AT
TRIBUrED TO Thu INTERIOR DEPARTMENT
WALKER DEFENDED AND DELANo SHARPLY
CRITICIZED.
The following is the open letter from Will
liam Welsh, OF Philadelphia, to the presi-
dent:
PHILADELPHIA, Aug, IL, 1875.
To the President of the United states:-
DEAR STR invite your attention to an
overt act by your representatives at the
head OF the department. OF the interior,
which. with its attendant circumstances, re-
veals the lamentable moral condition OF
that department and demands prompt sc-
tion by you. / refer TO hbelous attack on
Mr.. Samuel Walker, tho confidential clerk
of your original board of Indian commission
ers on account OF official services per-
formed By him in detecting and exposing
frauds under the authority and direction OF
that board. This libel, have good reason
to believe, was concocted and pnDiisned Dy
Gen. Il. II. COwau, the assistant secretary OF
the interior. with the cordial approval OF
Secrstary Delano. This GbelOus paper,
am credibly informed, was rejected by the
agent of the Associated Press, and then
given by Gen. COwan to correspondent OF
the Evening Bulletin, OF this city, In which
paper it was Published on the ID inst, and
to the CORES pOndent OF the lnter-Ocean, OF
Chicago. where it was also printed. 1t was
copied from the latter paper into the wash
ington Chronicle of the 9th inst. This is the
elimination of a series of covert attacks by
Secretary Delano and Gen. Cowan on an
officer of a coordinate branch OF the gov.
erument. because he exposed frauds that IL
was the duty of the interior department. to
check. 1 have, with deep and pain
ful interest. watched closely
thase var ed attacks upon a
poor Young foreigner, because his chief Of
fence in the eye of the interior department
arose from the adoption by the Board OF In
dian Commissioners of a suggestion made
by me under the following circumstance:
Frauds in cattle delivered at the Red Cloud
and Spotted Tail agencies had become so
notorious that the Board of Indian Commits
sloners. although most anxious tor your
sake to work in harmony with Secretary
DaIano, were constrained to reject vouchers
for cattle 70 very large amount, Although
more beef was delivered at these agencies ID
six months than appeared from the hoeIal
estimate made by the department TO be
necessary for a whole year, yet Secretary
Delano paid these rejected vouchers In tull.
This course pursued by cabinet oincer
compelled the Board of Indian Commission
ers either
TO RESIGN AT ONCE
or to ascertain if their rejection of vouchers
was iustihable, and then to report to you or
congress. As Mr.. Dslano had paid vouchers
for the cattle after the beard had warned him
of irregularity, iliegality and of their sus-
picion OF fraud, he could not be relied on to
search for evidence against himself. My
former confidence in Secretary Dslsno had,
from sad experience, so far decreased that
suggested 70 the board 'of Indian commits
sioners, through iss chairman, that cont-
dental agent should be sent to make thor
ough investigation, without notice to the
department; or the agents. Mr.. Felix Il.
Brunot, tho chairman, after comforting with
his colleagues, concurred in this suggestion,
and appointed Mr.. Samuel Walker, the efii-
cient and conscientious clerk OF the board,
and sent him to the Spotted Tail and Red
Cloud agencies. His mode OF conducting
the investigation, and his report received the
cordial approval OF Mr.. BrunOt, as Is shown
in a letter from him in my possession, dated
Pitisburg, December 10, 1878. The accuracy
of this report has since been confirmed by
letters to me By eve witnesses, by the testl-
mony of numerous officers OF the army and
recently by Professor Marsh. 1t would have
shown more manliness If the series OF at
tacks against Mr.. Walker made by Secreta-
ries Delano and Cowan had been made upon
the board OF Indian Commissioners instead
of on their apparently friendless but faithful
officer. The report of Mr.. Walker revealed
so many frauds and so fully confirmed the
action OF the board in rejecting vouchers
that Mr.. DelanO determined to send out a
so-called investigating commission after
notice had been given for six weeks 10 the
Indian agents and contractors TO prepare for
an Investigation. One OF these commission
ers called upon me, and, as bad confidence
in his good Intentions, though not In
his power as an investigator gave him a
letter to Mr.. Cree, the secretary, and 30 Mr..
Walker the clerk of the Board of Indian
Commissioners, asking them to give him
such information as might aid in conducting
proper Investigation. Mr.. Samuel Walker
complied with the requ.st. loaDing him. in
confidence, original papers in his possession
and the original draft of his report. Mr..
Walker heard subsequently tHat his conf
dence had been abused, it is hoped, through
fOrgetfulness or from some similar cause.
The following is a copy of a letter written
by Mr.. Walker 10 that gentleman to pre-
vent further abuse of his confidence. Ii
should, however, be borne in mind that the
loan of the rough draft OF the report was
made to a commissioner appointed by Mr.
DelsnO FOR the avowed purpose OF revealing
all
EXISTING FRAUDS:
wAsHINGToN, February 81, 1874.
DEAR SIK-It seems that my report hs:
put the thieves in fear and trembling, and
am being made the target of the interior
department. Secretary Delano told tbt
board in full session that he saw copy o
my report in your hands, and that it wa;
obtaioed from your Office. This do not be
lieve in view OF your note to Mr.. Welsh.
have to ask that you will decline to inform
any person, no matter who, where you gol
the copy II you can do so, please write me
stating that Secretary Delano nor anybody
else saw the papers gave you. Informed
Mr. Brunot that gave you all my rough
notes and some private correspondence, bu
did not feel called upon to tell him all thai
gave YOU. / therefore used the word pa
pers. Please let me hear from you soon
Verv respectfully, your obedient servant,
SAMUEL WALKER.
The gentleman to whom this very private
and confidential letter was addressed sent i
at once 70 Gen. CowaD, who, thinking h'
could use it effectively, telegraphed for ant
a IL,