New-York tribune., 1875-02-11
WASHINGTON TOPICS.

BE CORRECTED AFTER THE BILLS HAVE BEEN
| AUDITED-TnE DISTANCE AN EASY PROBLEM
| PAYMENTS TO LoBBYIsTs-FAyORs TO RELA-
TIvEs OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR.
| lFRoM THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE.I
| WASHINGTON, Feb S.-The Indian Ring in the In
terror Department while it refuses to give any
information which will throw light upon its opera
tiOns, hastens to DENY, through its organ in this
city, some of the accusations OF fraudulent transac-
tiOns contained in of recent letters. quote
from editorial article printed IN The National
Republican of Feb. 8. Referring tOathe letter in
| question it says:
IL alleges that McCann been paid in full for his
services under the contract for carrying supplies from
Cheyenne TO Red Cloud Agency. This is false. sufl-
cient amount has been withheld to settle any difference
that may the distance between the two
points named and the distance named in the con-
tract. Measurements have been twice made Of the dis
tance, each time resulting in showing TO be even
than that named In the contract, and commits
sion OF army officers under appointment to make
a third measurement, which Will doubtless settle the
matter definitely.
| What was asserted in that letter that during
the last session of Congress it proved conclu-
sivey that the Interior Department was knowingly
paying higher rates and for greater distances than
it was proper to pay the contract with ID. D. Nc
| Cam for transporting Indian goods and supplies
from Cheyenne to the Red Cloud Agency, and that
while McCann told the Investigating Committee
that he had voluntarily left between $4,000 and
! $4,000 in the hands of the Government until the
correct distance should be ascertained by the Secre
tary of the Interior, it now appears that he has
been paid in full except for 80 barrels of sugar and
| two sacks of coffee.
The Interior Department, as quoted above, say
that sufficient amount has been withheld to set
lie any difference that may be found" &c. The
| nd in Left
am able to state the records OF this Of
fee show McCann transported all the annuity goods
and supplies including and -four purchased under
for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1874 Tor the
Red Cloud Agency, from Cheyenne to the Agency ana
that accounts for said have been allowed in this
Office except for the transportation OF 80 barrels OF sugar
and sacks Of coffee, for which no claim has as yet
| been received.
SO it appears that no money "has been withheld"
| for when an account is audited at the Treasury
Department the holder of it gets his money, If he
wants it, and no deduction can thereafter bo made
on that account. AS to the question of distance
| there ought to be dispute. Ii is easy enough TO
! ascertain the length of the haul for which McCann
| paid, and surely the Government ought to pay Ior
no more. On page 256 of the report OF the Commit
tee appointed to investigate the contracts for Indian
supplies and transportation may be found an aih-
| davit Of John Compton, McCann's wagonmaster in
| charge of the train carving the supplies.
| He declares that the distance is 1873 miles,
| G. w Perkins McCann's agent, also signs the same
| affidavit On page 123 of the same report may be
| found the testimony of G. Perkins, sub-contractor
under McCann, who explains the terms OF his con-
| tract and says that the whole distance was 40
| miles. for which McCann paid him, and moreover,
| that he performed the service and received pay IN
accordance with that arrangement. In the same re-
port page 127, is the testimony of C. Hecht'
| another contractor, who says that he put III
! hid to carry the supplies for 81 - per hundred
pounds per hundred miles, but was informed that 1t
was for the interest of the Department to give the
contract to Mccain for 81 % per hundred pounds;
thatbe afterward made contract with McCann to do
| the Transportation and that McCann paid him for
ONLY 17j miles He claimed 19l miles, but offered to
settle for 1856 miles but McCann refused TO pay him
for that distance So it seems that the greatest dls
| tance was set at 1856 miles, while McCann charged
| the Government for 2l2 and now the Ring say that
| two subsequent measurements make the Instance
.'even greater than that named in the contract
In regard to the $4,000 paid to two Indian lobby
| ISIS The Republican says:
Tie truth Of this matter is that two residents OF the
Indian Territory and members OF the Cherokee nation
had contract with the Usage Council by when they
were 10 receive 80 per cent proceeds OF the sale OF
certain lands belonging TO the Osages in Kansas Under
this contract said attorneys would have been entitled
| O
on payment being made according to the contract A
the last session of Congress appropriation of 100000
was made the proceeds OF the SAFE OF the Usage
lands in Kansas for the purchase OF stock ana agr
cultural implements opening farms. erection OF houses
and for the civilization and support OF the OsaGes ana
NJ tber tribal government" out OF this appropriation
The said attorneys paid, not the full amount OF
their contract- OOObnt s5OOO and this ony after
repeated and urgent requests from the Usage Council
~ The very fact that the Osages made contract
for the payment of $4OOOOOO for a service which
the Commissioner of the General Land Office was
| Inv law required to perform, shows the fraudulent
character of the contract.
l2l IL requires a considerable stretch OF the Ian
puage of the appropriation to make 1t cover the
claims of lobbyists; even the Indian King III the
interior Department knew better than to mention
this claim as one of the reasons for asking the ap
nropriation Not one cent Of it would ever have
been voted if Congress had supposed that it was to
he used for any such purpose. Finally Ihe Repab-
| licdn says:
| II is charged again. that a man related to hgh
official in the Interior Department has obtained con-
tract TO furnish large amount or flour TO the Indian
Office for the year. at price 80 cents per 100
nound higher the contract price OF the previous
| oor This story contains,two hes relation OF any
official in the Interior Department has any interest di-
recty or Indirectly in any contract Tor Indian sup
Us and the contract price for -four this year just
lu cents Der 100 pounds lower than 1t cost Tasty
No such charge as here stated was made in the
letter. What was said was that ii "a man con-
nected by marriage with prominent official of the
Interior Department furnishes flour for the Sioux by
contract for the present year at price 30 cents on
100 pounds, higher than that at which the same
quality of flour was furnished to the same Indians
during the last fiscal year. while the price of flour is
Ioyver in the market this year than last. this may
he explained by the fact that it is impossible for
anv Secretary of the Interior to keep trace of all the
onoinl transactions having bis Ollicial sanctlOn!N