The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-06-07
THE INDIAN DIFFICULTY.

THE COMMISSIONERS OF INDIAN AFFAIEs AND
TIE FORT HAL A0EScY-BANSocK DEPRE-
DAT1oNs coSrIRMED-AN EXPLANATION OF
THE DISSATISFACTION
IRON OUR REGULAR CORRESPONDENT.
wAsHIxcToS, Juno q. 1878
Tho Commissioner OF Indian Anars. Mr.. uayi, re-
ceivcd tonight telegram from the Fort Hall agency,
which confirms the reports OF Bannock dcprcdasions
10 tho west or that point Mr. Hayt tecsraphcd last
night for this statement as he was becoming appre-
hsnsve about the situation OF Affairs among the DIS
conisnted Bannocks aud Shoshoncs
WHAT AGENT DASxLsos SAYS.
Tho telegram is from Agent Danieison and reads:--
Nine hundred and eighty Indians here. mostly
Shosnonos, engaged in farming Most VI the Ban
nocks have lott the agency. Have seen by papers
that they arc committing depredations in CaDas
prairie ana Vicinity. $50 miles west OF agency. A
Snoshonc has just come IN from there aud confirms
newspaper reports. Indians here very much ex-
cited. One officer and twenty-five soldJcrs here.
need moro troops van keep you ADVISED Of s'iua-
ton.
DELEGATE PENIS CHARGES
The c 'mmissioner refused, make statement n
reply Delegate Fenns reiterated charges Of fraud
In the Indian Bureau. published in oday's HERALD,
the OF the outbreak saying that the bureau
prepared Ut all times to stand by ITS acts aud did
not sock newspaper publicity. lie seems to think,
however that there have been gross exaGgeratons OF
the situation the frontier and that these reports
have boon inspired in Military crclcs Tor purpose. He
was asked If no saw proper 10 sve his opinion as to
tho real OF the dissatisfaction Of tho lulans
II it not maladministraton OF agents but 10 this
he had nothing further to say than that there was not
u single vol founded charge OF corruption against
either OF tho agents, and that tho department
had been considerably hamperei In dealing
with these Indians account OF tho ex-
haustlon OF tho Congressional appropriation
Tor that purpose. He added that ths emergency had
been met by drawing upon contingent fund to the
extent OF So 0o0 which would run tho agencies until
| the beginning Of the new fiscal year.
CAUSE THE TROUBLE
The department tho present troubles back TO
q personal difficulty between q Bannock ana two
white men, in which tho latter were ambushed and
shot This was in December last, and an
afadavit TO that effect by settler
named William A. K:mball has been nled IN
the Indian once This was followed by increased dis.
satisfaction among the tribe throughout the
ton until some time 10 January. when this dsafec-
ton became prom ounced that the military authori-
ties IT. 10 capture their arms and ponies. This
they did on the 10Th OF January, upon which date
Agent Danieison toicgrapned tho Commissioner as
toliows:--
Bannocks surrounded this morning; thirty-two
guns and 800 ponies captured without disturbance.
No pistols could DO found. The three companies Of
cavalry from Fort ID. A. Rust returned on tho 18th
inst Recommend that the Blnnocks DO sent Win
tbcm and held there until you decide what DO with
thcm unless removed sufficient military force Will
10 required TO keep them IN subsection
This action is asserted IN the Indian Bureau, pre-
cipitaed previously bad state Of feeling between the
agents military officers into hostiltes, and tho
Tempt agency disclosures soon followed. Tho agents
ascrbe entire Trouble to the action OF tho troops.
II Is further charged by them that tho troops were
systematically manipulated through the influence OF
General sheridan, At Chicago, in such manner as to
cripple the civil and bring II into dsreputc.
| On the other hand, officers accuse the agents OF
cowardice The agents. dispatches show Thorn to have
boon very badly throughout tho period Of the
| troubles OF the reservation.