Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1875-07-21
The Indian Frauds.


From the Detroit Free Press.
In the statement accompanying
Professor Marsh's letter to Presi
dent Grant on the frauds at the
Red Cloud agency, the evidence
upon which the Professor bases
his charges is presented. Before
taking up in detail the several
points made in his letter, Professor
Marsh briefly recapitulates the
course pursued by the Secretary OF
Interior and Indian Commissioner,
and quotes the letter of instruc-
tons issued by the latter to the
investigating commission in order
to expose its erroneous statements
and misrepresentation and to show
how it prejudges the case. Though
the Professor was apprised July
LIST of the appointment of the COM
mission he had not, up to the date
of his letter to the President, re-
ceived any intimation that it had
organized, but stood ready to aid
it in every way in his power.
To prove the unfitness Of Agent
Saville, Professor Marsh points out
that he charged the government
with 27l,242 pounds of beef, said
to have been issued November 8.
Now the truth was that he issued
no beef to the Indians on that day
nor for several days afterward.-
The first issue was made Novem-
Der IA, and the Indians were suffer-
ing for the food which Saville
claimed were in his official report
to have issued. And Professor
Marsh aims this centre shot at the
Indian ring:
The incompetence and true char
acter of Agent Saville was well
known to the Interior Department
before my visit, as is shown by the
Official report made by United |
States Indian Inspector ]. d. Be-
vier, October 81, 1874. In this
report the Inspector exposed a
fraudulent contract made privately
by Agent Saville with his father-in-
law, A. r. Appleton, by which the
government wonld have been large
ly a loser. Inspector Bevier states,
moreover, that while inves tigating
the contract, Agent Saville made
false representations to him, and
Mr.. Appleton endeavored to bride
him TO silence. Other special COM
of the Interior Depart
nent had likewise reported un-
favorably Of this agent, and affairs at ,
the agency. And yet this man has
for the past two years, with the :
full approval of the department,
had charge Of the most important 4
agency in the west, where nearly
half q million of dollars annually :
passes through his hand. !,
In all Of his official relations
Agent Saville has proved himself I
\ weak man, and he should never 6
nave been placed in so responsible {
, position. II honest when ap- 9
pointed, as some good men believe,
ne fell an easy victim to the wiles !
II beef and freight contractors of Q
he Indian Ring, as many stronger I
men, agents and higher officials I
ave done before him. Z
SayiIle reported that 1917 In I
ians received rations at the agen- I
y October /, 1874, aud 1851 I,
november 8. Professor Marsh v
tates and presents proof to show o
hat the number of Indians actual 3
at Red Cloud Agency when he Il
ms there, in November last, could e,
OF have been more than 1000 a
'dges, or $500 individuals. The 1
ss to the government occsssioned Il
y the over estimate IL enormous. a,
SavilIe certified that on Novem- G,
n IL, 1874, lac issued thirty-five
ills Of blankets at the agency. b
rofs~or March states that bis at Il
nuop heving been called to the N
after BY Red Dog, the chief next 3:
rank to Red Cloud, he felt rca-
nably certain that NOT moro chan Il
snfy balls were Issued, and that d