Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-04-17
INDIAN FRAUDS.

INDIAN FRAUDS.
Gen. Hammond on the Var Path Exposing
1hem--Ais Life iM Danger III Cons
qaence-- Men IN High SfandinJin Danger
Of Betng. Bought Hammond Needs a
Gssard to Protect Him.
(Sioux City Journal, 13th.l
Yesterday we published an opinion from
one standpoint, of the troubles now in pro-
gress between Gen. Hammond, inspector of
Indian agencies and certain military officials
on the one hand, and certain agents and
traders at military posts on the other hand.
As we stated, our account of the seemingly
arbitrary proceedings of Gen. Hammond and
Lieut.. Dousgherty, was based upon state
ments made by the friends and authorized
counsel of the agents and traders, and being
their story was but one side Of the affair.
We rightly surmised that there was another
side from which to view the actions of Gen.
Hammond and the military.
just what that other side may be, we are
unable as yet to state with any accuracy, but
from the researches that we have made, we
are disposed to believe that there is big
niger in the fence in a certain quarter, and
that the aforesaid colored person will be
hauled out at no distant day and exposed to
public view, without receiving coat of
whitewash, either.
On March 20, acting under orders coming
from the highest authority, Lieutenant
Dougherty seized the goods at the Grow
Creek Indian agency at Fort Thompson, then
under the charge of DR.. II. F. Livingston.
DR.. Livingston was notified by Lieutenant
Dougherty that, acting under positive and
direct authority from the general govern
ment, it was his duty to take charge of the
agency. and demanded the keys
of the government safe at the
agency. Livingston handed over the
keys to the outer doors of the safe
but refused to unlock the inncr doors, which
are fastened by a combination lock, alleging
that he had large quantity of private pa
pers therein, which he did not propose to
turn over to the government officials. Lieut..
Dougherty replied that the safe and its con
tents were the supposed property of the
United States government, and that if DIR.
Livingston had private papers filed away in
the safe he would be allowed to remove them
when the government officials were satisfied
that they were in fact private papers; but
that it would be necessary that they should
pass under the eyes of the said government
officials 80 far as was necessary to establish
the fact of their being strictly private papers
DR.. Livingston refused to accede to the de-
mands of the lieutenant to permit the ex-
animation of the papers or to unlock the
inner doors of the safe.
On the following day Gen. Hammond ar
rived at Fort Thompson, clothed with the
extraordinary powers of the newly establish
ed Office of general Indian inspector, with
authority far reaching in It's powers. and
scarcely second to that of the secretary OF
the interior, OR secretary of war in its effects
He sanctioned the action of Lieutenant
Dougherty, and assumed the responsibility
thereof, and proceeded to seize upon the
Yankton and several other agencies; but in
these no resistance was male to the govern
ment taking possession of all the property.
DR.. Livingston raised the objection not
only to allowing his private papers to be-
scanned by the officials, but also that he was
compelled to give up the effects of his Office
without being informed as to what were the
charges against him, under which such sum
mary proceedings were instituted.
This is matter upon which we have nc
light. But DR.. Livingston, failing to obtai,
the satisfaction he protested to desire, from
the military, appealed to the civil author
tiles, and it was in pursuance Of this appea
that Deputy Sheriff Edmunds and Attorne,
Boyles went from Yankton to Fort 1homp
son, and came into contact with the militar,
authorities in the manner described in yes
terday's Journal.
Major Clarkson, of the Yankton agency
has gone on to Washington to ascertain
what the charges are against him, and VII,
he has been SO summarily ousted; and othe
deposed agents are making any ious inquiries
to the same effect.
30 the matter rests at present. It is IN
timated that when the full details of thu
causes Of the summary proceedings of Gen
Hammond and Lieut.. Dougherty ar,
given to the public, it will create the creates
oommotion ever occasioned in the Western
country; and men in high standing in tn
West, and III fact all over the country, vii
be implicated in one of the most giganti
series of swindling operations ever unearthet
III the country. It is intimatea that Their
are thousands of dollars ready to be put 81
against the life of Gen. Hammond b
parties interested in his taking away; ans
that the creation of the Office Of general in
| spector of Indian affairs. with its almost un
limited authority, and the appointment of
man OF Gen. Hammond's well known abil1t
and tenaclty of purpose to the position, wa
for the very purpose Of unearthing this yer
| scheme OF gigantic fraud. TIL
| nature ct it is unknown to tn
public The military is recticen
and the opposing party are said to be afrait
to give clue to the real trouble, but it i
said not to be confined to the Indian agent
and traders, but to pursue its ramiication
into various walks of society. So dangerou
is the experiment of unearthing and e1posin
these complications regarded, that the friend
OF General Hammond have warned him 40
to move about without guard. and Lieut.
Dougherty has been to st. Paul for the pur
pose OF attempting to get relieved from hi
portion of the onorous task, without effect
Whether these reports and limitations ar
! merely sensational, or whether they ar
founded upon fact, time alone will show, an,
| the readers of the Sioux City Journal ma
| rest assured that we shall lay before then
moment. The points of fact given above ar
aggerated. Indeed, we have toned Their
down considerably in reproducing them t
| our readers.
a Haul Of Tranps.
Eight of the worst looking lot of tramp
ever captured, were brought to the cit
lookup last night and secured for the nigh
Officers Bosworth and Sheppard, found fv
of them quartered in the shed owned b
the rifle club, located just below the Stat
university. That makes total of an eve
dozen locked up on Sunday, and this morn
ing they will probably have hearing befor
Judge Cooley. A work house would com
handy about these times, and might have
tendency to frighten some Of these villain
! away from the city.