The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1875-07-22
INDIAN INIQUlTIES.
PROF. MARsHs STATEMENT
Extracts Showing the Agents Dis
honesty and the Frauds in Bee1'
Pork, Flour, Sugar, To-
bacco and Freightage.
,Er.ANo AND SMITH RESPONSIBLE.

,,.psu,s pRooF-AGENr sAvILLE-CONTRACIs
WITH DISHONEST PARTIES-EFFoRrS OF
THE DEPARTMENTAL CONCEAL THE FACTS
WRONG WEIGHTS AND MIsCOUNIs-dbNbh
AL CHARACTER OF THE SUPPLIES
IANo AND SMITH HAVE LONG KNOWN or
THESE FRAUDS.
In cor uection with the letter OF Prof
Marsh to the president, published Wednes-
dav morning, the professor submitted long
statement of some of the frauds when came
under his own observation. The following
is an extract, showing that the Indians are
svstamaticaIiv miscounted aud that thev are
s1nnljed with insufficient and rotten blan-
kets beside much other matter, being neces
sarilv omitted for lack OF room. AFTER e4-
pIaining how the matter was forced upon
mis- atten ion, the professor says; 10 the
first conversation L had with hsd cloud
wneu Gen. l.. 2. Bradley and Col. Z. ii.
Stanton were present, he complained BIT
terIy OF his s2ent, J j. Saville, VINO TOR the
past two wears has had charge OF MS agency
Red Clouds specified charges were, tbat
his agent was incompetent, Weas, aud
vacillating, having no influence over tbe
Inoians and especially that he wasin leagus
with the contractors to defraud the Indians
of the food and clothing sent them by the
government. I regret to say that all saw
myself at the agency, and ali learned IRON
Trustworthy observers and Ofnclai RECORDS
has convinced me that these charges were
well founded. As soon as L INST the agent
himse { AID observed his method Of dealing
with Indians, IL was az Onc9 evident to me
that be was entirely unit for the responsl
bic position he occupied. This fact is illus
tra.ed oy IA occurrence, now well known,
winch took place few days before my arri-
val. when the agent, Oy single act OF folly,
aroused the bitter hostility OF the In
dams IN his charge, and came near sacrl-
ficinc the entire white population OF the
aU All
GOODNESS aud bravery of Lieutenant T..
Crawford, Second Cavalry, who came with
his company to the rescue at this critical
moment. Without military protection, the
agent could not have remained In charge OF
the Indians a single day, as the threats
a.,si st him for Indignities and alleged
frauds continually practiced upon them
were open and violent. OF the more debas-
ing influences which this agency was openly
exercising upon the Indians, will roE now
speak, although tbs evidence on this point
Wss obtained by direct observation. That a
chief OF such not and ability as R5d Cloud
should be subjected TO the caprices OF such
an agent, is in itself
GROSS INDIGNITY,
and i'll calculated to inspire him or his PEG
pie with respect for the advantages of civili-
cation. There appeared to be total want of
system in the management of Agency at.
fairs. The issues of annuity goods, of beef,
and other supplies all were made in a loose
and unbusiness-like way, in which a just
distribution among the Indians was impOs-
sible. Agent Saville was placed in his posi-
ton to guard the Interests OF the Indians
and of the government, and it appears that
ne betrayed both alike. He defrauded tbs
Indians by withholding from them provis-
ions which he charged against the govern
ment as issued to them. For example: In his
abstract of provision issued for November,
ho rondorod the intarin- 10
partment, and which is there on file, be
states that November s, 1874, he issued TO
II, 351 Indians fresh beef amounting to 27l, :
24S pounds, or oyer 260 head of cattle, &C.
cording to the average weight which he al
lowed the contractor on the last herd re-
ceiyed, The truth is that he issued no beet
whatever to the Indians on that day, nor for
several DAYS afterward, as / ascertained
from the agent himself and others at the
agency. / arrived at the agency November
9. and was informed by the agent that he
lad been tor some time withhold
inc rations from the Indians until
thew would consent to be counted,
and this fact he communicated officially
in the department, and subsequently re-
peated it to Bishop w. H Hare III my pres
ence in Washington. The first issue after
the counting was finished was Nov. ii, and
/ was then present, and knew that for sew
eral days previously the Indians had been
suffering from want of the very food he
claimed in mis- official report to have issued.
In the same manner his official reports rep
resent other issues that never took pl2cs.
How he, at the same time, was detrauding
the government in receIpting for beet when
he did not receive is fully shown in this
state ment. The Incompetence and
TRUE CHARACTER OF AGENT sAvILLE
was well known to the interior department
before my visit, as is shown by an official
report made by United States Indian In
spector d. Bevier, Oct. p, 1874. In this re
port the inspector exposed fraudulent con
tract made privately by Agent Saville with
his father-in-law, A. r. Appleton, by which
the government would have been largely q
loser. Inspector Bevier states, moreover
that while Investigating the contract, Agen
Sayille made false representations TO him
and Mr.. Appleton endeavored TO bride hin
to silence. Other special commissioners o
the interior department had likewise re
ported unfavorably of this agent, and affair
at the agency. And yet this man has 70
the past two years, with the full approval o
the department, had charge of the most iul
portant agency in the West, where nearly
half a million of dollars annually passe
through his hands. In all his official reia
tions Agent Saville has proved himself
weak man, and ne should never have bse'
placed in so responsible a position. Il
honest when appointed, as some good mel
believe, he fell an easy victim to the vile
of beef and freight contractors of the Indial
ring, as many stronger men, agents an
high officials, have done before him
@s The frauds perpetrate
in supplying the Red Clou
agency with beef cattle have been so gigan
TIC, and so long and systematically con
tinued, that it is well worth while to shOV
how they are accomplished, and who j
responsible for the outrage. The contrac
for furnishing cattle to this and other Sous
agencies for the last fiscal year was given q
j. K. Foreman, of Omaha, and was signe'
by Indian Commissioner Smith, July IA
1874. The cattle delivered were required &
average $50 pounds for the first six month
ana 900 pounds for the last six mouth
and the price was 81 80 per 100 pound
gross weight, on the hoof. 1t was