The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-07-15
How the Indians Are Robbie

The HERALD's special telegraphic de-
spatch from the Crow Creek Agency,
Dakota Territory, gives the result of
General Hammond's investigation Of the
Indian service on the Missouri. The
fact that persons acting as Indian
agents have robbed both the govern
ment and the Indians for number OF
years Is not now learned for the first time.
But the shameful details Of their rascalities.
now officially stated, are not the less start
ling on that account. 1t has been
q favorite theory with those who have
opposed the transfer Of the Indian Bureau
to the War Department that under the civil
authorities the Indians are favored with
doses Of religion and morality as well as
with beef, tobacco, blankets, rum, sugar,
coffee and other stores, and the apostles OF
peace have been Mortified at the thought of
putting the gentle savage under the rough
treatment OF the soldier. Probably this
philanthropy has been honest with q few,
but it has been rank hypocrisy and dis
honesty with the great bulk Of the Indian
traders and their pious friends and hackers.
General Hammond 8 investigation shows that
some Of these agents built hotel at Grow
Greek with government money and sup
piled it regularly with beef, potatoes, milk,
grain and hay from the government ware
house. taking themselves the receipts of
the house, as matter Of course. The
agency blacksmith shop was turned into a
private farriery for the profit of the ''ring. I"
The agent and the trader being secretly in
partnership the former took care that the
latter should be supplied with govern
ment goods instead of having to
buy them and transport them at
his own expense, and cattle ranches
belonging to the agents and traders were
stocked with stolen cattle and supplied
regularly with agency stores. 1t was shown
from the evidence that while Indians who
ought to have been we'll fed by the agency
were living on bullberries and coffee made
out of wild cherry bark the stock and hogs
belonging to the rascally agents and traders
were fattening on good forage and corn. In
fact, the poor Indians about whom the
peace apostles are so much exercised were
rODDcu, starved auu cneuteu on every mana,
while a band of thieves was gathering
wealth at their expense
Of course the money cost of running the
Grow Greek Agency has been heavy, and
the investigation shows that nearly every
one in the employment OF the agent and
trader signed vouchers for fraudulent sums,
which were divided after the approved
Tweed and Credit Mobilier example. When
General Hammond commenced his ex-
animation he was informed that there were
scarcely any stores on hand. but a search
disclosed large quantities hidden away in an
ingenious manner. four thousand pounds
Of tobacco, for example, being found in the
carpenters loft and barrels of sugar in the
blacksmith's shop. 1t is not surprising to
learn that the agents are now wealthy, own
ing large estates, town lots and shares in sill
yer mines, although they began life rs poor
men. Neither will it be regarded as remarka-
BILE that one of the biggest rascals Of the lot
has been distinguished for his piety and for
his liberal gifts of fonts and stained glass
windows TO churches.