The New York herald., 1875-09-16
THE INDIAN FRAUDS.
Statement Of Indian Commissioner Smith
Before the Commission.
A GENERAL DENIAL OF CHARGES.
Old Stereotyped Complaints Not Worthy
Of Attention.


Der Of it, Commissioner OF Indian Affairs Smith read
statement in reply TO the allegations Of Professor
Marsh against him. He commences by stating that
about the 10Th of April last Professor Marsh came
Office bringing packages OF coffee sugar tobacco and
-four, which he had brought from the Red
Cloud Agency, but said that he had not in
any way tested these samples BY comparison with sup
plies which then being issued by the agent and
that he did not put great confidence in Red Clouds
statement concerning samples. Professor Marsh
made charges OF fraudulent transac
tons the part OF Agent Saville ex-
eept in the of Red Cloud, say
ing that Red Cloud claimed and repeatedly
declared that his agent cheating them The inter-
view with Professor Marsh far the Commissioner
was concerned, pleasant one, and had been
brought about because OF the Commissioners request
to Professor Marsh time previous to observe at
the agency anything deserving of attention that needed
correction and TO make a note of it for the Commits
soners information. The next morning account
OF this interview appeared in New York
paper, giving an incorrect ana entirely unfair version
OF it, which had been made the text OF very
vcre unjust criticisms OF the Interior Department, and
especially of the Commissioners official action. In
these attacks OF the press great emphasis laid upon
the qualities of the supplies which according Red
Clouds samples had been furnished to the Indians
the criticisms and charges founded upon it unjust
that the Commissioner Professor Marsh would
be mortified by the false attitude in which he had been
placed toward the Commissioner, who confidently
pected, matter Of courtesy and honor, that the
Professor would at correct them especially in view
the that all the information given to the press
on this subject had come exclusively from himself
and that he known to be in intimate
relations with the paper in which IL APP
peared; but Professor Marsh did make any
such correction On the contrary, allowed the
tinued Misrepresentation based upon incorrect
of the matter and especially based the samples
he had brought, To receive very wide circulation OF
the press without any denial from himself few
days afterward Professor Marsh invited before the
Board OF Indian Commissioners, TO whom he gave
much more extended account of his Red Cloud obser
vations and inerences which resulted in the
appointment of a commission to inquire into the whole
matter and report the facts While the Commission
being formed Professor Marsh was in Washington
and was present at council held with hed
Cloud and his delegates, for the special pur-
pose OF hearing what complaints ne had
to make respecting his supplies and his agent
The opportunity gwen to that chief and his band 10
their grievances most ample The record of
the council would show that Red Clouds grievances,
presented in person, not serious, and that
plant made by him against his agent until drawn
out from him by the inquiry of Professor Marsh
"whether he was perfectly satisfied with his
agentY" Relative TO the allegations OF inferior
supplies furnished the Red Cloud Agency
the Commissioner says that the purchases
made contracts entered into in pursuance of
bids offered and publicly read in New York, on the I'd
~.
made accordance with the advice Of the Board of In
dian Commissioners, who had before them all the
BIDS, ana upon the Judgment ol inc lhspec,
tors of the samples, as to which offered
the values, and, therefore, constituted the best
bids in each for the government to accept The
supplies we're, in the judgment OF the Commissioner,
fully equal in grades TO those in use by the great
joy of the laboring people in this country, and
quality which ought 10 have been satisfactory to
the Indians The Indian Bureau took all reasonable
and necessary means to protect the government from
imposition and fraud and TO secure the delivery of the
ar Indians.
CHARGES.
The Commissioner then states at length three charges
Of fraud and wrong which Professor Marsh endeavors
upon the Indian ofcer:-Frst to shielding
contractors by false statements second that he had
been made acquainted with the wrongs at tho Red
Cloud Agency, but had taken no measures to prevent
them; and third, Of fraud connivance with
fraud in connection with the transportation ser
vice To these charges the Commissioner
gives emphatic denial, and shows they not true
The Commissioners says that Professor Marsh is entirely
wrong when he imputed 70 him any unworthy motives
for the part he had taken in relation to his complaints
respecting Indian affairs Professor Marshs statements
and complaints much after the old stereotyped
form with which the Commissioner had become familiar
and which every man seems TO learn by heart
the FIRST day out Of Cheyenne that he did not attach
much value to them, and it therefore, unlikely
that he showed the feelings which would be natural
when he suspected that Professor Marsh had come
the bearer OF Red Clouds complaints, because of his
belief that Red Cloud had been badly treated and that
the Indians had gotten the better of the Professor
The Commissioner says he is not of any
expression by word or otherwise on his part, from
which Professor Marsh entitled to infer that he de-
sir to publicity exposure fraud. did
charge Professor Marsh with want OF courteous and
honorable treatment to him and the department in al
lowing such public statements on his authority without
the slightest proof having been offered TO the Comms
sioners or any else sustain them, and when he
himself did not claim to know from personal observa-
tion that the statements in connection with his
name and his visit the Red Cloud Agency and his
bringing the samples to the Indian Office true.
The Commissioner asked the Commission, In making
up their findings Professor Marshs charges to weigh
well the condition Of suspicion and distrust in which
the Department OF the Interior had been placed the
shock and horror which those charges have given to the
minds many of the best citizens of the country and
the destructive blow which has been struck at public
confidence in the possibility Of Indian civilization and
honest government; and might he not also claim the
right to consider his own case in relation " Professor
Marshis statementsH
THE ooMxrssIoKER's AMBITION
He had but one desire ambition a a Commissioner
OF Indian Affairs, and that was to do something to lift
27O 600 people Of barbarous and semi barbarous
condition into Christianity civilization and American
citizenship He knew that he despised wrong and
meanness and that in his estimation there was moth
ing rneaner than TO defraud an ignorant wretched
or helpless man, and that no inducement could
be offered 10 make him desire shield
rom exposure and punishment any guilty Of such
crime Up to the present time he had enjoyed the
reputation among large circle Of acquantances Of
being an honest That reputation all that he
had Of any value Professor Marsh had In fact though
probably without intention, done all that in his
position could do TO destroy the commissioners name
and take from him that which he prizes above all
earthly things-namey, the good opinion OF good men,
The Commissioner invited the attention of the Com
mission 10 the provision OF law defining the powers Of
the Board Of Indian Commissioners and of the Secretary
Of the Interior regard to vouchers for Indian sup
plies from which 1t appears the Secretary has power
sustain set aside modify the action OF the Board and
cause payment TO be made withheld, a. he
may deter1nine The Com missioner In Conclusion
notices several other complaints and also says there
loss in receiving cattle beyond the twenty
fourth part provided for by the contract On the con
trary. several agencies there decided increase
in weight which the cattle took after their delivery
by the contractor.
The statement OF the Commissioner ordered to be
printed.
The Commission will interroRte the Commissioner
on the points presented and Professor Marsh has some
questions ask him. The Commissioner was asked by
Mr. Faulkner, Of the Commission, whether he knew
that by the treaty Of 1868 with the Sioux 1t was pre-
scribed that a military officer shall inspect the sup
plies before they issued at each agency
The Commissioner replied that he did
not know there such treaty
stipulation The Commissioner further asked
whether there any necessity for employing a
freight contractor 10 which question the Commits
sioner responded AZ some length showing that in his
nnlninn- the government rs seryed better that