The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-07-15
PLUNDERlNG THE INDIANS.
sTiETLTNG ErIDESCE UNEIRTHED AT
CROW CREEK AGENCY.
The worst Case or Thieving. PERJURY. nns
Forgery Ever Made Public In the Indian
service-The Cunt OF Agent Iivtnnston.

Fort THOMPSON, July II, via Yankton,
d. T.. July 14.-Commissionc Iayt from Wash
ington Is visiting the agencies in this section.
To-day he dropped down on Crow Creek agency.
and Inspector Hammond's scaled book was
opened II revealed fraud and robbery unheard
OF on tho Missouri river Last March the Crow
Crock. Lower Brule. and Cheyenne agencies
wero all seized by the military. Sc
crct investigation into their affairs, still
Incomplete. has developed conspiracy
between agents and traders that even startlcs
the natives. DIR. Livingston Of Grow creek was
taken without warning and his office safe cap
tured before he hnl time to remove the evil
dcnco OF his wealth and guilt. Tho mountain
OF testimony sti.l piling up against the Ring.
and Livingston In particular. Is simply over
whcming. II boats all for thievlng perjury,
and forgery. Tie details show that they
have stolen everything in sight. and prostitutcd
the whole agency machinery to their private
use Feeding and civilzing the Indians was
secondary matter. Tho aflldavts false vouch-
crs. forged pay rolls. and Ring letters laid be-
forc Commissioner IIayt prove that Livingston
began his robbery in 1870. when first appointed
Since then lac has accumulated fortune. Be-
sides his large landed Interests he is part
owner in three silver mines n Nevada go
ranches. with stock. rnticns. &c, regularly sup
piled from the Crow creek and Cheyenne agen-
cies They were both seized by the Govern
ment They conducted n hotel suppied rcgu-
larly with beef. milk, and potatoes from the
agency. and forced employees to board there.
private stock were fed q the Govern;
to the steamboats, and hay to the Black Hills
wagon train. Crow creek Is the stopping place
on the Fort Pierre route to Deadwood Indian
annuities and ra,ions wore stolen and sold.
| Two steamboat loads of Indian goods for the
Lower Brule agen'y were unlondcd NJ row
| tain who insisted that they belonged to the
| Brules. The Indians put up large quantities
| OF hay and wood, and were paid In
their own rations and annuites. The Ring
would charge the Government Tor ms nay ana
| wood. get paid for them and then sell the same
10 stcqmboats. military posts and bushwackers.
| and then get paid second time. the crops
| raised on tho agoncy Were sold and the pro;
cecls not accounted for. The trader, would sell
| the Indian his own potatoes. The trader ware
| house was inside OF the stockade and ten feet
| from Government Warehouse.
| The former was stocked from the latter or
| course, all the stolen urmporiy was reported
| issued to tho Indians. Whole bands a dozen
| times year had their ratlons cut OIL Tor alleged
| offences. and the rati0ns not accounted Tor
more Indians than there were on the agency;
| The money appropriated 10y Congress during
| IivingstQns administration Tor the manage
m.ut ~ the agency. und employment and incl
! deutas. amounted 10 100000. Livingston stole
all he could. His employees were all very liz.
raifons AMI ,clotbing. The false, vouchers al.
| ready number $50, ranging from $50 C
$1,000. one laborer, whose, name ID
| Hooker was freely used in fraudulent youch
that he went into lon nnd shot himselfthrougl
! the heart. The instances 81 pcrlurles are toe
numerous TO mention. LIVINGSTON, was Al
Episcopaian apuoin,mept lIc gave fonts ant
stained windows % the chap"'s,
| This is only a skeleton Of the worst case o
rlundering ever made public in the Indian ser