New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-06-22
STARVATION OF INDIANS.

FLOUR FURNISHED.
lfRoM AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE.
WASHINGTON, June 20.-The Interior Department
has received through the Secretary of War, the fol-
lowing reports from Gen. Pope, and officers serving
in his Military Department, concerning the question
of Indian supplies for the tribes in the region of
Forts Sill and Wichita. These reports are for
warded by Lieut.-Gen. Sheridan with his approval.
Aside from the regular appropriation of $4,000 for
feeding these Indians, Congress- just before its last
adjournment, made extra appropriation Of
100000 for the same purpose, and provided that it
should be Immediately available. The reports are
follows:
HEAD9u .RrERs DEPARTMENT OF THE MISSOURI
-Four LEAvENwoKIH Kansas. May ~. 1879
Col X. G.. DUNN Assistant AojutdRt General, Military
Dirsion or The Missouri. ChicGgo H.
Colonel: In addition to the report OF Lieut. Col j. b.
Hatch, 4th Cavalry, forwarded the 18th ut. have
the honor to transmit nclosed the reports OF the cont
Arapahec asnc These reSortS u re- t 70 The Sam" eject
and show as bad If not worse, condition of things at
concerning the agencies at Fort SIN While have
ceived nothing official the subject, see from dis
partment, while not denying the facts. has been msed
into attruting them 60 failure Of contractors to get for
ward supplies for the Indians account OF bad roads
II the scarcity Of food had been confined to the four
five months of bad weahc aud bad roads this eXplana-
uon might he moderately satisfactory so far as relates to
supplies which must be hauled in wagons such Hour,
sugar coffee, but of course satisfactory to
their quality and conditions; least OF all could such cx.
have been rea lily driven anywhere al any tire OF the
year and in almost any weather which is likely to pre-
reported by all these officers that this scarcity Of food
has existed nearly ever since the beginning OF the present
condition Of affairs obtained is net stated During the
whole Summer and Autumn of 1874 the roads We're III
even, have had any dculiy in supplying the troops
at me Cheyenne and Arapahoe Agency, as wen as the
the Winter, with all they wanted.
Indeed. could AZ readily have sent FIVE times ne
nll N "A al
who make the inclosed reports can have any rpose In
stating the facts other than to perform their duty me
tacs they do state true, they ore not truc III
true, il is certainly the intcre Of the Interior Depart
met to accept and act upon them at once ana 'gor
prove in order that the officers vino report them NAY DC
military the ground, and whose great
apprehension Is thal under the pressure or bdngr ana
cannot entertain doubt that they have report truly,
and have rather undcrtacd than Oyer5tat Tho facts
send forward these reports, having NJ d0ut whatever
of their truth in order that the authorities IN Washing
ton may ,now the facts and take immediate measures
TO protect The honor and good fith OF tue Govern,
ment and save these unfortunate Indians from wrunR ana
suffering revolving to humanity VINO can blame ineni,n;
raLer tnan starNe 10 DEATH and see their women anu
children sufcIin- the pdngs of hunger and In sow pro
cess OF starvatcn they break away and eet food Tor
them in any manner and they had sup
pos'd of course that all such facts would he gratefully
received by that Department Of the Government which
has the Indians in charge, and tnat that Depat nent
would be lndgnaDs rs the witnesses 70 su'h tfSc-
tionS and prmpt and vigorous measures 10 redress
tie wrong and bring the wrongdoer TO punishment. u
may lbs permitted TO Judge from what IL set f0rlh III Tue
PLANTATION from the Interior department, 1t should
seem that am mistaken in ths Nv, ri that any one
VINO reports such thlhss CIV - pc h'h onty ~
do SO, is looked upon by AT with feeling
which cannot be called gidL
myself certainly do not wish To attack any depart
of the Government, any official pcrsonago con
nected Herewith A state of facts seriously Involving
the honor and GOOD faith of the United States sndange
ing important public interests, ana working shocking IN
humanity thousands of human beings no man Is iust-
fled in withholding the khOWlcdgc OF the Govern
ibe results Of snch trausscons both TO the tovcrnnut
Ter
thereby. and having any sense Whatever OF hS oplga-
lions officer human being. the rlgh TO Keep
silence the knowledge Of sncb facts or even by III
direction permit the highest officer Of ne Government 10
nation and aphOlrcnt 70 humanity am. Gcn"lal, very
respectfully, your obcdient servant, JonN Port,
Brcyet MaOr-tcner1lU. :. A., Commanding
REPORT or LIEUT.. KYLE. - ,0,,
To The Post A6jufcnt Fort sin. III
which came under my observation while .tatichcd &c
Michta Agcacy L. T. Ince are row at 'n"t aien
are temporarily Their agent - not there and mas
not been since they ist arrived Inc,e ha'I l" aow
tr beef and that is not enough 10 Keep them two
davs Tncir robes procured by tien while their road
from Nebraska are all gone and they have nothing TO
barter for provisions actually knew of poor sqda"
WHO was 50 weak that she fell by road de vhe
her way 10 camp They even gather the corn left in The
sand hy the horses fed there
Ii 10 10 he disgrace tO the Government that
such state OF things should exist The agent AT Wichita
IL Co not believe to blame lu in my opinion the fault
il above hu The Indians belonging I" the reservation
have had nothing issued Ia them since January. and they
are about hungry and starved as the awntc. II any
Oi these should take to the prairie VIII ", 10 save
themselves from starvation. Tsey have worked this
Spring hard aud Faithfully win scsrcey .30d meal az,
man would give ny in DISGUST You cannot arec WIN
Washington is 20 powerful why does he no' schd us
plenty to eat" There is little -four on tie road for
that Agency, but o. is for the lawntcs and when
it il issued if they get none (and they viii not am
afraid there may be some trouble
Ii an correctly informed and believe ann the con
tract for -four IS made for its delivery the ~ Kan
sas City, Mo On the reccpted billof adnG The contractor
such way that the contractor may haul The stores when
be gets ready-In the mean tune The Indians are thc
IN" military authorities slould know how the matter
stands hat in case any OF the lndans ~ w. Micd
pTairic il may not be clancdby the Agents that such
action caused by the Interference OF IN" military ai-
fhorities. Very respectfully your 0bedent servant,
W ]. KYLE, First Lient 1ltl l. : Inft
Approved by Il. s. Mackenzie, 4ih Cavalry
REPORT or IIEUT.-COI. NELL,
Font RILEY, LAS. May :. 1870
To Meut-Co, r. WILLIAMS Assstem tGIgtc",, Gc,.erat
To,f LeorenpOrih, Kansas.
COLONEL: have the honor TO report. in accordance
connnnndng the Department. that was in command AT
Cheyenne Agency J. f., of all troops operating against
ff"m that point. During mis- time have had daily and
constant opportunities OF observing tbe manner II bi'l
car for 6y Tie Indian Agent John H. Miles The Indians
referred to those who remained pcaeciuly on THEM
Ever since arrival at nc Agency The Indians above
referred to h'He mtn poorly au and i
,av The beef which was simply outrageous and cost
the Indian Department only ~ Gl per 100 pounds
Iho, lie 9th Of January, s75, the ndln tgri' Was
hlicrd 10 send away from TIE Agency l1o0 friendly
Ara,hocs audabOul 900 friendly icy cnnes on Junalo
luni for 20 DAYS 10 prevent star' alton.
This failure 10 feed these Indians by the Indian Depart
cnt in proper and sufficient manner cye4'2- iscoh'
tent and suspicion unfair dealing, aud Is. IN my
nunnn fruitful Of Indians leaving their r'seNa-
lions and going the warIuth. The ration allowed by
The Indian Department is too small 10 prevent hunger,
and was made with the expectation mat tue
Indian would derive portion OF MS snDsist-
cnce from hunting, which he docs not d., ON
his reservation. Tie ration. small as 1t Is, 10 supplied
AT irregular and uncertain times from inc ialinG Oh