New-York tribune., 1878-01-18
A ONF-SIDED INQUIRY.

THINGS.
fppoM THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE rhIBUNE'J
WASHINGTON Jan. 1.-The late Investigation of
the Indian Bureau was ordered by Secretary Schurz
on the 9TH of last June and its object. as oiiicaiiy
onnounced at the time was to inquire into " cer-
tain charges preferred by j. B. Wolff, and Others,
against $. A. Galpn, chief clerk of the Indian Bu-
rson and concerning irregularities in said Bureau"
Mr.. Garin had been fiercely attacked by a set of
man whose dishonest practices he had exposed and
s,onned. Before the last Congress adjourned they
had gone with their complaints against him TO mell-
hers of the Indian Committee of the House, ana one
member of that committee at least, Professor
coolve n man who bad come to Congress two years
Lfore in no frame of mind to wink at dishonesty III
the Indian Bureau to excuse mal-admlnstra-
tion Of any kind, had looked into the matter
and had come to the conclusion that there
WAS nothing in the accusations against Mr..
Galpin which merited attention; that they were
malicious and false and that their object was re-
veuce upon the chief clerk of the Indian Bureau
for having stopped their authors in their career OF
fraud Nothing has since occurred which has not
iusfed this conclusion of Professor Seelye reached
more than q year ago. The Board OF Inquiry, after
almost seven months of investigation, found only
three of the less important charges or specifications
,ustaned and Secretary SchuTz, In his recent inter-
view declared the assertion that Mr.. Gapin was
convicted and dismissed on the ground OF charges
brought and testimony given by these men to be
absolutely without foundation" He adds that
their testimony was in most part considered as Oh
little value and Importance"
Under these circumstances it seems to Mr.. Cal
bins friends now as it did last Summer, that he had
a right to ask. as he did in july last, Tor speedy
report on the charges and specifications which had
been made the basis of investigation, and that the
Secretary and Board should not wait to inquire into
the whole Indian management before acqmttlns or
convicting.
The fact that accusations had been made was
published broadcast the land, and that an In
ye,tieation of them had been ordered, was known
to thousands who knew nothing of the character OF
their authors or the motives which had prompted
them Mr. Galpn had been suspended from Office
and was subsequently, forbidden to enter any
room of the Interior Department. For some months
he was kent under cloud of suspicion, while
the Board of Inquiry extended its Investigations
into every branch of the Indian Service, spending
weeks aud months in taking testimony on subjects
that had no connection whatever with the charges
and specifications on which he had been arraigned.
Nobody can object to the extent the searching
character of any inquiry which the Secretary of the
Interior may think proper TO make into the admin
stration of any branch of his department. 1t rs hls
duty to avail himself of every means which he can
command to obtain information, but he has no right
Ntllc DONG tllS 10 treat MS "i'ii
thing except the most cven-handed Justice'
"A TRAvEsTY on JUSTICE"
Some of the findings of the Board of Inquiry were
pased on testimony given by Mr.. Gapln's original
aceuser which ne was never allowed to answer
even if they were not made the basis of his dis
missal Four months after the Board was apolnted
the Chief Clerk Of the Indian Bureau was called In
and informed that more than half the charges and
,pecifeations against him had been dismissed,
Al Il aud hot nCt--ar
on his part to these charges and specifications would
be received. The Board say in their report
that no answer would be required" bat their Off
eial order TO Mr. Galpin said received The first
charge made by Mr.. Taylor and dismissed by the
Board was THAT the authority of the President OF
the United States has been ignored and disbonored
by officers and employees of the Indian Office" 10
this charge there was specification, as follows:
"On the presentation of the letter of James Taylor
February Is, 1876, indorsed by the President for
immediate action, s. A. Gapin stated that the
orders of that office were that no letters of James
TAYLOR were to be answered, and that the order
would not be changed for the President" Mr.. Tay-
lor testified to the truth of this himself and no one
else knew anything about it. The Board acquitted
Mr. Galpin without receiving answer from him
VI allowing him to make one.
IL Mr.. Galpn had been permitted to do so he
would have testified that he never saw any letter
IIus indOrsed and would have proved that there is
40 record of any such letter or Endorsement either
Vt the White House or in the Indian Office, while
the records of the Interior Department do show that
letter was received from Mr.. Taylor on the date
given, but remained in the Secreiarys Office and was
not referred to the Indian Office at all
But having acquitted Mr.. Gapin of this charge
and specification the 10th Of October, and de-
cned 10 hear HIM in regard TO it, the Board on the
3lst Of December reported as follows 1.-The Presi-
dent Of the Unte States indorsed one of the letters
containing the protest for immediate action, and
on presentation of the same to official of the In
dian Bureau the delegate of the Board was informed
that not even for the President of the United States
would his letters be answered" 1t is true that the
Board docs not name Mr.. Galpin as the official of
the Indian Bureau referred to- but one who reads
the original accusation. Mr.. Taylors testimony, and
the sentence quoted from the report, reach any
other conclusion than that all three referred to the
same transaction; and # this is not travestbon
lusticeD 1T would be difficult to find one.
THE Ex-PARIE TRIAL or MR. SMITH.
Mr.. Smith, the late Commissioner of Indian
Affairs. certainly has good ground for the COM
plants he has made. On the first page of tho re-
port Of the Board the following remark
With hesitation, yet in justice to myself, the
Board feels bound TO state that at the outset it did
not meet with that cooperation on the part Of the
oihcias and employees Of the Indian Burcan which
might reasonably have been expected, especially
when purity of administration was the boast of
the highest officials" thus effect accusing these
officials OF refusing to aid IL they did not obstruct
the inquiry.
The two principal officials Of the Indian Office
were Commissioner smith and Chief Clerk Gapln.
1he last was suspendedfrom Office in less than week
sier tho inquiry was begun and afterwards for
IdAn IN antaE Al. -