, 1875-09-18
INDIAN AFFAIRS.
secretary De1ano Tcstlt1cs Before
thu Marsh Commission.
A Fiat Denial Of Certain Statements
Made by Marsh and Welsh.
An fntimntiOn TINT Welsh Desired thu
Oflico OF Commissioner OF In
dinn affairs.

WASHINGTON, .. O.. Sept. 17.-Bccrstary
Dcfhno wss before The He'd Cloud Commission
to-day. He said, IN response tn qnustlon, that
he remembered though indistnctty, that Drunot
cxpresHod to him au opiu!on in favor Of the
separation Of tho Indian Duroau from tho
interior Department.. subsequently tho rrcsi-
dent informed thu Secretary that Drunot had
expressed such AT, opinion to him, and tho rresi-
dout asked the u cretarys Yiowa % to tho pro-
prlcty Of ASKING legislation to that end.
This waa during tho sesaion Of Cong.oHs Of
1878 to 1A74. Towards its close tho Secretary
Informed tho President TINT he wished tho
Interior Department. TO be rplioved of tho In
dim Bureau. Bone simo aftor this tho Prcal-
dent informed hin that Bruuot shortly after
his resignation aa o member OF tho Indian Com
mission, said lle Was in error as to what ho bad
slated In hls letter Of resignation concerning tho
Secretary, relative to tho separation Of tho H.
dian 1'uroau from tho lntorior Department, ns
tho Secretary had exprcssod his wifIinKucss to
board aaked lie Secretary whether ile desired TO to
rropouna any questions concerning tho stato-
1nollts, In Wow Of Mara.l'a pamphlet, aud tho
SECRETARY said ho had no desire to do 80. His
purpose 0ns to lcayo this investigation, 10 far
III hn WAS concerned, to tho
OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS,
and to such documensn as Prof. A[nreh might
furnish. mud snch as tho Commission itsotfmight
aeek and obtain. Tho Secretary, by rouuuBt,
atatod tho relations OF tho Indian Bureau 10 tho
Interior Department. and said in response to Il
question that Ito did not remember tint tho
board OF Indian Commissioners cgcr differed
with him in tho allowance OF accountB on tho
ground that thoy wore tainted with fraud. His
attention had been called to
ALLEGATIONS or TnAuD
at tho Ifed Cloud Agency, and he had taken
stepb to protect tho interests Of tho Gpvern-
fnent by appointing Commissioners to inyosti-
gate thu charges. 1lo would not fail while ho
WAS Secretary to tako all proper stepa to punish
gil WRONGS committed Within the hmita OF his
Department.
Tho Secretary vas hsltcd whether any member
Of tho BOARD OF Indian Commissioners OK
prcsHcd dcslro for tho removal Of Mr. smith
a8 Commissioner Of Inlan A1airB, and lie
replied TINT former mou,her Of tho Board
William W4lah, had e1pEeesede such dearc. This
Was in tho fall OF 1878. Woteh said II tic Secre-
tary should remove Smith he vontd escape
trouble ard avoid Congressional investigation.
ford to ro1noVo at ofltcor 10 whom he had oonil-
deuce. Tho Secretary fufthor said to Welsh
that II lie would mako charges against Smith no
the Secretary would appoint Committee to
be pamod By Wolsh, to Investigate them, Or ap-
point
wElAu n1MsELp
as such committee. II tic report should s,1s~
tain the truth OF tho charges, tic Secretary
promised ho would aek tho President to remove
proposition. subsequently Welsh was suggested
to him a. the proper porson to be Commissioner
Of Indian Affairs, but tho Secretary objected to
Wolsh, owing to his indtsoretton and want Of
adaptation to the place. Prot. MArHh aaid be bad
no questions to aBk the Secretary.