Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1876-03-30
Gen. Clusters Evidence.

Gen Cuser was before the Congressional
Investigating Committee yesterday. Ho testl-
fed that he is n commsod at Fort D. A. Lin.
cou Dakota, where be has been three years.
He referred to the removal of the post-trader
there, s. \. Dckey, and the appoiutm,u BY
Secretary Bekosp, in May, 1874, of Robert
c. Sipe. A partner OF Diekey published let
ter charging that Belkoap was Interested With
Sipe 10 letter to witness Belknap branded
the accusation as lie. Sipe subsequently com.
planned that no officer ought to have right to
nuy or bring goods to the post except through
him. The secretary issued circular which
said that no one had the right to sell goods
but the regular pcst-lrader. Captain Poland,
one of the ufhterS had protested against Sipe
prices, and HAD introduced goods, but ills was
stopped. Gen. Custer Continued:
After the Beiknap exposure | sent for Spe
and asked him what he had been paying 10
hold his post? He said he estimated his pro-
fits at $4,000 ANNUALLY; one-thlrd OF 1t was
paid 10 Gen. Hcdrick. OF Iowa, ADD onethird
to Gen Rice. 10 Washington. Out Of his pr
tits OF SIS 900 be only received 81, 500. lie
said he did not Know, but that he understood
a portion of it went TO the Secretary OF War.
Some time last year some OF my command went
to Kentucky to buy horses. While there they
met man named Tomlinson. He told the Of
pointed, and was Interested 10 ooe-third Of the
profits, and be par;cu arIy inquired how the
pos. was doing Custer said be told the
Secretary of War once that Sipe was
holiiug whip over the heads OF the officers Oh
account Of having great luaueuce with the Sec
rotary Of War The Secretary made 20 reply,
but tossed his head, as If to say, III should ct
believe all you hear. | met BonathG and Orvil
Grant at Que tine on the troutier. They wanted
transportation to visi, four lodian posts Grant
asked me if would furnish him an ambulance
to make the trip. Bouaffn told me he was 10
tere>ted with Orvil Graut in severed posts,
When Grant got back TO Bismarck he found
there would be some difficulty in his holding
the Fort Berthold post, whereupoo be tes
graphed TO Secretary Delauo TO appoint man
named Raymond. who was appointed. hay
mond subsequently said that be had paid Grsnt
81 900 for getting him the place.
=. Did Orvl Grant ever show you any au'
thurlty from the President or Secretary OF the
Interior 10 connection with the Indian post
A. No. sir: be never showed me any au
tLorlty, but he said that be had H.
Wi,uess said in his judgment the law giving
the appe,u,msnts Of post traders t. the Secre-
tary ot War did not affect the morale Of the
army, he Was glad to say;is did have he effect,
however, OF adding to the embarrassmeu's Of
frontier life; he Thought it had increased the e1-
pense and ioconveniesce Of living on the froG-
tier. uuder the old law it was impossible to
form rugs. Witness has known the trader
at Fort a. Lincoln to stop 40 officers Wagon
aud 'nspect it to see that he had bought no
goods at a POST -four miles below, where they
could De gotten al half price.
T. DID you aver represent the state Of affairs
TO tue Secretary Of War?
a. N, sir; | ia not because I was just as
suspicious of the Secretary Of War as | was Of
the sui er beileVs the trader at Fort Butiord
pays 8 avse sum OF money to Gen. Hedrek
The officers OF the arny always regarded the
Secretary of War as ,ilen, partner 10 the
trading posts.
Witness said that Thumb, the trader at Fort
Peck. was about to be removed, when h. ob,
aued some athdavits showing that Orvil Grant
and the Layton brothers were mixed 10 ludisn
frauds. This he showed TO several aud he WAS
allowed TO rcmalD.