The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1875-07-29
The AdministratiOu's Indian Ring

mense supplies OF blankets, cloth, axes,
tools, beet and all those things which glad
the heart Of the Indian, are either in large
part stolen by the ring. or very inferior
and IN some cases worthless articles sub
The ring includes many, from
the highest officials Of the Interior Depart
ment to the traders of the border. The
of this is exasperation to the
Indians and finally war, in which venge-
ance is wreaked upon the peaceful and
white settlers Of the border.
1t happened that Prof Marsh, of Yale
College, who has recently been upon the
Plains with scientific expedition, heard
the complaints of the Indians He inyes-
tigated the matter and became satisfied
that GREAT frauds upon the Indians had
been perpetrated. He brought home
specimens of the worthless articles fur
nished to them by the ring lie address
ed letter to the President, 4 copy OF
which has been published in the New
York Tribune. Its most important points
we give in the following summary:
|. The Red Cloud agency, which Prof.
Marsh visited in November last, has been
past two Years This man, Mr.. Marsh
asserts, is entirely incompetent and in
n "A
the Indians of the food and clothing sent
them by the government The Indian
chief, Red Clond, bitterly complained OF
his conduct in a conversation with Prot
Marsh at which Gen L. F. Bradley and
Col. i. ii. Stanton We're present and his
charges have been confirmed by the obscr-
yations Of Mr.. Marsh himself and other
trustworthy observers Agent Savlle be
trayed the indians ana the government
alike, He detrauded the indians by with
holding from them provisions which he
charged against the government rs issued
to them, The inetliciency and dishonesty
Of Saville have been known to the interior
department 1or two years. as is shown 10y
an official report made by Indian Inspect
or L. j. Beyier, Oct II, 1874 Neverthe-
less he remained in charge of the most
important agency Of the west
?. Agent Saville has detlauded the GOV
eminent by Understanding the number
Of Indians ut the Red Cloud agency The
actual number was no more than 5 400
while the agent made a statement that on
the first Of October there We're at the
agency over $1,000 Indians
;. At the annual issue of annuity goods,
NOV. II, 1874, Prof. Marsh was present
and heard complaints from the Indian
chief, Red Dog, who is next in rank to
Red Cloud, that the issue was fraudulent
and that the number of blankets was much
less than the Indians were entitled TO
From an affidavit OF Louis Richard, a man
whose reliability is vouched for by Gen
l.. = Bradley, Mr.. s. s. Collins, now see
and Prof Marsh himself, it appears that
there We're only eighteen bales Of blaket,
issued, each bale containing fifty pairs
while the true number Of bales shipped t,
the Red Cloud agency in 1874 was 81 OF
1880 pairs. Hence it appears that tn,
Indians ut the agency received less than
one halt the number Of blankets for whcl
the government paid The size and quail
ty Of these goods Were entirely insufficient
and the cause of many complaints by the
Indians.
A. Gigantic frauds have been perpetrat
ed in supplying the Red Cloud agency
with beef cattle. These frauds were con
summated by direct collision between the
agent and the contractor in weights, as
well as in regard to the number Of cattle
The contract was originally given to one
j X Foreman of Omaha. and transferred
''tor i valuable consideration to w A
Paxton OF Omaha, with the written con
sent Of Secretary Delano. II was vel
known that Paxton was merely the agent
OF a man named Bosler, notorious fol
frauds in previous contracts. and for this
reason excluded by the published regula
tions from any participation in future con
tracts Mr. Marsh shows that Commits
sioner Smith must have been well aware
Of these frauds. The Wretched condition
of beet cattle issued to the Indians at the
Red Cloud agency has been certified by
four officers Of the army. Prof Marsh
proves that 4 large herd Of cattle, fol
which Agent Savil!e claimed that the
average weight per head was $50 pounds
when it actually was no more than $50
pounds, We're charged to the government
BY that official as weighing more than
,O43 pounds each, and that the contract
or actually received pay at that rate.
). The pork distributed among the IN
dams at the agency was, i'll the words OF
a witness, whose certificate Prot Marsh
has Obtained Major Burt Of the United
States army, lean, rusty stuff, unfit for
anybody's use.n The Indians bitterly
complain of it and Red Cloud said that he
thought some of the children had died
from eating it, The contract under which
this wretched pork was furnished to the
Indians was given to j. w. L. Slavens OF
Kansas City, 4 lavorite contractor of the
interior department The contract was
signed by Commissioner Swift
6. Professor Marsh furnishes additional
proof that the flour issued at the agency
was OF = very poor quality. The testimony
OF official observers leaves little or no
doubt as to the affinity" of Commission
er Smith with the Indian ring Mr. Marsh
further shows that the coffee and sugar
furnished to the Indians we've very in
terror, and the tobacco, which is an i'm
portant part OF their rations, of such Il
quality that it was of little service to them.
10, 3I,,l,, T.