Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1876-08-31

in other instances nothing at al
White persons, full-blooded Indian
and others who had been dead 70
years, were applicants for this scrip
There were 1,S75 applications 70
scrip, of which 1t was issued t,
1,160. All these applications wer'
examined by the Special Commission
and evidence taken in about every
case, showing the nationality of thu
applicant, age, sex, whether head o
family, and residence. This involved
an immense labor upon the Commits
sioners, and particularly upon Mr.
Neal, who was Chairman, and who
as the report shows, personally ex
amined every case except a very few
who were reported upon by Commits
sioner Clark.
OF these, 199 were issued to Lu
ther E. Webb, none of whom were
entitled; and 6S3 to other parties,
which were likewise found to be
fraudulent.
Mr.. Neal also examined 495 cases
which were presented TO the Commits
sion by attorneys, and 122 cases
which had been taken by r. F.
Crowell when Special Commissioner
and allowed by him as valid. The
testimony OF two or more witnesses
was taken upon each case, unless the
applicant was personally seen.
OF the applicants presented by at
torneys, 4S4 were rejected, while but
IL were approved; and Of those ia
ken by R. F. Crowell, 122 in number,
but one was approved.
Twenty seven persons appeared
before the Commission. But four
were allowed.
The Commission (excep:ing r. F.
Crowell) also found that VIM. P.
Dole, while Commissioner Of Indian
Affairs, was directly implicated in the
frauds that were perpetrated, and re-
ceived a portion of the fraudulent
scrip that was issued. They recon-
mended-"That immediate action be
taken on the entries at the Saint
Cloud Land Office, and at the Duluth
office, and that the same be Cancelled,
all being found fraudulent; that en-
tries made at any other land office of
this illegal scrip be cancelled; that
the ruling originally made be return
ed to, and that of Commissioner
Dole revoked; and suggested that
"the interest of all true government,
both of its honor and justice in COM
ing time, seem to require that such
fragrant wrongs as perjury and subor-
dination of perjury, and forging and
embezzlement, should not be permit
ted to escape the mark of condemna-
tion and punishment, and especially
do zoe hold 1T important that an Of
fcer of the Government made a
guardian of the Nations wards
should not be permitted to enjoy
with impunity the fruits gained by
such crime, at the expense of his
wards"
Mr.. r. F. Crowell filed a minority
report, non curing in the report of
the majority, for the following rea-
sons: First-Because the report re-
flected upon the decisions and prac-
tice of the Bureau and Department
which appointed the Commission,
etc.
Upon this report the Hon. Francis
A. Walker, then Commissioner Of
Indian Affairs, made the following
decision:
First = "That the construction
placed upon the treaty by Secretary
Upsher, May is, 1868, has been most
unfortunate in its results"
And he dissented from the same,
and adopted the construction recon-
mended by the Commission.
Secondly-"That the treaty did not
contemplate or authorize scrip in
any form or sense" =
Th,rdly-"Such certificates not
having a validity except as means
of Identification to the Bureaus of
the Department of Interior of the
the person of the claimant, have ves-
ted no right in any claimant, and can
therefore constitute no objection to
any action which the Department
may deem it desirable to take to car
ry out the provisions of the treaty of
1854 through any other form Of pro
cedure."
Fourthly-"That the total mass of
such certificates outstanding has be
come so vitiated by fraudulent. ad-
missions, ETC., as to render it wholly
unsafe to treat any certificate issued
subsequent to May IS, 1868, as af-
fording any prima facie evidence
that the holder is entitled" etc., etc.
And he recommended accordingly.
Secretary Delano adopted the rec
ommendation of the Commission and
of Professor Walker, and reversing
the ruling of Secretary Upsher, re-
turned to that of Hon. George W.
Manypenny, who was the Commits
sioner of Indian Affairs in 1856. He
also stopped the issuing of patents,
and directed that all entries made of
fraudulent scrip should be cancelled.
1t will be seen from the above syn
opsis of the report, that Mr. Neal
faithfully and laboriously discharged
his duty, and that he preserved to
the Government hundreds of thons-
ands Of acres of the most valuable
timber and mineral lands we are
possessed of. In addition thereto he
did much toward breaking up the
ring which had fattened off the boun-
ties provided by the Government for
the Indians. In this work he did
not have the active assistance of one
of the Commissioners.
The st. Paul Dispatch democrat
ic, in publishing this report dis
played the following headlines:
@RASCALITY UNEARTHED,
e,rrx i. r,uxr rxr1 Dnrrro oDxr-~vrr,e, :,