The Portland daily press., 1875-10-19
THE INDIANS.
REPORT OF THE RED CLOUD
COMMISSION.
Agent snviIle's Discharge Recommended
Frauds in Pork Contract and Trans
portaiion-Professor Marsh's Charges
ngaInst Secretary DeIano and Commits
siOner Smith not Proven.

| WASHINGTON, Oct. 1S.-The following is a
succinct and thorough analysis of the report
just made by the commission composed of
Mess. Fletcher, Harris, Foulker and Anterior,
appointed to investigate and report on charges
of mismanagement and fraud at Red Cloud
agency made by Prof Marsh. They have taken
up his allegations, examined all available source
of evidence and scrutinized all records and doc
umentary proof which might in their Judgment
throw any light upon the subject
The printed testimony SO taken comprises
| more than 800 octave pages. The commission
sustans the charges of official incompetency
preferred against j. j. Saville, Indian agent at
| the Red Cloud agency, and recommend his re-
| moval, but exonerate him from the imputation
of dishonesty, and point to him as one Indian
agent who goes out of Office poorer man than
| when he entered.
| With reference to the charge that the number
of Indians at Red Cloud agency had been
| greatly over estimated for purposes of fraud :,
| the commission notice the fact that the army
officers concur with Prof Marsh in his belief
that there were not SO many there as had been
| represented, but in support of the charge opin.
ion merely has been offered. The enumeration
OF the Indians was attended with great difficult
| ties and delays, such as their determined oppo-
| sition to being coun ed AID the fact that the
| northern or wild Indians were liable to visit
| the agency and demand goods and fations The
census of last year shows there were 1923 at
| the Red Cloud agency. This result was be-
| lieved by the commission to have been obtained
through the best means within the command of
| the agent.
The Commission find that the system of
keeping accounts at the agency is exceedingly
| loose and defective, and for this reason the In
diar office is justly censurable. They also OBJ
| served that the provisions of the treaty of 1868
| requiring the presence of an army officer at all
| issues of goods had been utterly disregarded,
| but could not conclude from that in the absence
| of other proof that frauds had been practced.
The specific allegation that on the 18th of Nov.
1874. the Indians were charged with 81 bales of
| blankets while only 25 bales were issued to
| them is pronounced to be wholly without foun-
| dation.
The furnishing of beef cattle, by far the most
| extensive branch OF the Indian service. received
| attention from the commission commensurate
| with its Importance. and large portion of
| their report is devoted to the consideration Of
| that subject. Mr.. j. w. Bosler, who has
charge of carrying out most of the contracts for
| the supply of beef cattle for Indians, and who
| has combined capital, skill and experience in
| the conduct of the business, is made the object
| OF Prof. Marshs most sweeping charges. Mr..
| Bosler placed his private books and papers at
the command of the commission for their in
| spection and information, showing the nnmber
OF cattle purchased, delivered and lost, the cost
| of herdng incidental expenses and amounted
| capital employed and the net profits realized.
| The total cost to tho government for beef for
| one year was 500 85448, and the net profits to
the contractor $1l7,510 The commission were
| fectly fair and legitimate.
They find that the facts completely exonerate
| BoSler from every imputatiOn and charge Of
] fraud, and they accord him the character of
perfet tly fair and upright business man. The
| allegation that the cattle furnished the Indians
| were small and imperfect, were found to BE-
based solely upon the irresponsible statement of
Red Cloud and two other Indians, while on the
| contrary the commissioners demonstrated by
actual observation the superior quality of
cattle nf OF HOY xuif.
| messed the weighing of 377 head, which were
| delivered that morning. The scales were ex-
amined by the Commissioners and balanced
before work began. All the cattle were
| the last of the herd, which broke through the
partition dividing one corral from the other
One OF the commissioners took down the
weight of each from the scale beam, the other
members being present and watching the pro
ceedings. The average weight of the cattle
proved to be 1858 pounds each, many weighed
more than 1900 and some over 1900 pounds, but
in order to be certain that this lot had not been
selected for the occasion, the commissioners
visited apd carefully inspected corlals from
which these had been taken, and where there
were still $50 head. They were fully satisfied
that those weighed were fair samples. Provis-
ions were withheld from the Indians for time
by Agent Saville, as complained of by Prof.
Marsh, but only for the purpose of compelling
them by hunger to consent to be enumerated.
This action of the agent is CONNIE nded by the
commissioners.
The charge Of fraud by system of stamped
ing cattle from government herd to that of
the contractor, from which il is claimed they
were re-delivered and accepted for a second
time, is not supported by shadow of proof.
In concluding their report on the subject of
Deef the commissioners say they find no suffi-
Gent evidence of fraud, and recommend as a
safeguard against the possibility of collision
between corrupt agents and contractors, that
the deliveries of beef be made under the super
vision OF the Commissary General of the army.
fragrant fraud was found in the matter of
pork contracts. j. w. L. Stevens, the pork
contractor, was found guilty of fraud in fur
nlshing 600 barrels of pork of grade vastly in
terior to what he contracted to deliver. They
recommend the removal of inspector e. r.
Ihrelkeld. who passed the pork, and the excll-
sion OF Stevens from all future contracts in any
department. of the government. They cannot
acQult Commissioner Smith from neglect of re-
sponsibiity of allowing clerical error in con
tract to pass the Indian Office which rendered
the fraud possible. The matter was comprom-
ised by the delivering of bacon to make UP the
difference of value in the pork received and
that which was contracted for with little loss
TO the government. The commission also find
that Hour OF an inferior quality, which Major
Long was directed to inspect, Slipped through
without inspection and got to the agency in a
manner which has not been explained but they
conclude that tbs Department erred in award
ing the contract for flour to j. Fl. Martin, who
responsibility.
An attempt at fraul was also discovered on
the part of d. j. Mccain, by putting only SO
pounds of flour into each sack, which was re-
quireo TO receive 100 pounds The sugar, COT
Tee and tobacco furnished to the Indians by the
government were of low grade, but desgnedly
SO, and No abuse whatever was discovered in
the matter of their supply. Red Cloud evi
IDENTIFY adulterated the flour and picked out bad
grains in making up the samples he gave to
marsh fhara
have been among the Indians was traceable to
their own improvidence and the severity of the
winter instead of in any way to delinquency on
the part OF the government. The suffering was
NOT believed to have been extreme except in
a case of some remote bands who were reported
Killing their ponies for subsistence.
Ire existence OF some frauds was discovered
which had grown out of transportation. D. J,
McCann, heavy freight contractor, had over.
rated the distance frotn Cheyenne to Red Cloud
as well as misstated the number of teams and
drays employed by him in removing the prop
erty OF Red Cloud agency from the old to its
new location. They recommend that legal
proceedings be instituted against him for the
restoration to the government of the money
irandulently obtained. The comwi ssioner Of
Indian affairs inexperienced the legal force
OF the arrangement by which he allowed set
tlement with Mccain while the question of
distance was pending
The commission call attention to the impoli-
cy OF government in allowing the Red Cloud
and Spotted Tail agencies to remain SO far
away from every point of the railroad and river
transportation. The single items of transpor.
tatlon to these agencies amount to nearly
$l3O,0OO, sum about equal to the entire cost
IN western markets of the provisions transport
ed. They suggest that the time is past when
the government should purchase peace from
the Indians.
Having thus disposed of the 10 specific heads
under which Prof, Marsh arraigned the agent,
contractors and other subordinates connected
with the Red Cloud agency the commission
proceed to notice the grounds upon which he
excuses himself for having made direct ap-
peal to the President to cause an investigation
of alleged abuse.
He announced to the President that he had
no confidence whatever in the sincerity of the
secretary Of the Interior or Commissioners of
Indian Affairs, when they publicly announce
their wish and determination to correct the
present abuses in the Indian management. be-
cause he declares that he has reason to know
that they have long been aware of these abuses
and have made no sincere effort to reform
them; that in all his intercourse with these
tww officials their object maniestly was to as
certain the extent of information he posses ed
not SO much TO learn what the frauds actually
were as to prevent by all the means in their
power any exposure of the matter; that he had
evidence in his possession rejecting untavora.
Oily upon these prominent officials of the gov
eminent o.