The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-08-24

Within few months six separate nests
u corruption have been found among the
Indian agencies of one region alone the
line Of the Missouri river. These are the
Lower Brulc. Crow Creek, Cheyenne River.
Yankton, Standing Rock. and Fort Hcrihold
Agencies. Their frauds vary from the petty
pickngs Of Fort Bcrthold TO the PRODUCTIONS
plumber Of Crow Creek. Among the victims
whose heads have come of this year are
Agent II. T.. LIVINGSTONE, Agent II. l..
GREGoRY, Trader T. T.. HUDsoN, Agent JOIN
GosMAN, Trader J. ;. CLARRsoN. and Agent
L. II. ALDEN. Others had been dcoapitatcd
the ycar preceding. In some cases removals
have boon due to simple inbecility, which
allowed rascalitics or troubles to 20 on; but
in the majority Of cases robbery and per
jury were SO apparent that the worthy
ollccholdcrs were glad to step down and
out.
Tho villainous cheating done In the name
If civilization and Christianity during the
last dozen years among the Indians has at
last COMPELLED official notice by it, au-
dacity. short time since Judge BARNES
charged the Grand Jury OF Dakota that the
money furnished by Congressional appro-
priation for the Indians Of that district is
systematically stolen" and that the bad
management Of these agencies amounts to
public scandal. No men occupy official
positions so high that their conduct in pub
! lie affairs may not be investigated by you
| The rottcnncss of the whole system is
shown by the fact that several Of the guilty
agents bore good characters prior to APP
pointmcnt, but were tempted by the easy
means afforded for theft under the mis-
called administration Of GRANT and HAYES
The salary of the Cheyenne River Agency
Is only $500; that of the Crow Creek
! 81 800; Of the Fort Berthold, Il 400; of the
Lower BrulG 81, 300; Of the Yankton, sl,G0O
All these are in the same Territory, where
also is the Red Cloud Agency, salary, $4,000
| whose enormous frauds were exposed by
| Prof MARSH These salaries are multiplied
fivcfold or toniold, in some instances, by
perqLisites and porjurcs, or by downright
plumber Of the red men. One OF the discoy
cred letters Of the Lower BrulG agent to tn,
trader Of LIVINGSTONE says send you
| my report Qt employees, and wish that you
would put your signature and scal-you cal
consider that | swear to all that is require,
and as much rs Is required This Lowe
Brult agent had been removed from the
POnca Agency, but secured another appoint
mcnt. As for the frauds at Crow Creek
their records multiply with investigation
only the other day 1900 pounds additiona
of hidden tobacco We're brought To light
making 5000 pounds where LIVINGSTON
had reported but 5000
II must not be imagined that those hal
dozen agencies arc the only fraudulent ones
Within two or three years great corruptlo
has been discovered also at Red Clou
Agency the Pawnee Agency, and the Cro'
Agency At the Pawnce Agency, by oilca
report, open fraud was carried on IA
eighteen months. Besides, in most of thos
agencies frauds have Como ON for year
back, each thief retiring with his quota {
plumber 10 make way for successor at Tn
sam" practices. For example, Agent AIDE
of Fort Berthold only porpctratcd the petit
swlndlos Of putting his wife on the pay 70
az clerk while she was not at the agency
and pOckotlng $50 drawn ON n carpcntcr'
voucher; but his iuustrous predecessors
TAPPAN and SpEERY aimed at big game, tn
former, who has since removed his scene ,
operations TO Texas, having, it appcam
divided 81, COD with a Sioux city trader ON
| NoutU'I lNI Fulpl'a never I'fNIN'u iron
the latter. 50 IL was with tho Choyenn
Agency, Whoro M agent, a humble tcamstC
hcfore his appointment, by industrious ~
ot his opportunities retired rich, after ily
> years, on tho salary already mcutlcncO
white his clerk, trader, and other pals wei
also made comfortable. But then no Dire
i ! ratlons ior 1000 Indians where there wei