The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-08-07
ARE THESE OUR WARDS?

PohiANT TESTIMONY BIZ A REGULAR AhMA
OFFICER ACTING AS INDIAN AGENr-DRIvEN
FROM THEIR LANDS, STARVED TO DEATH
AND CHEATED OUT OF THEIR NEW HOMES.
From the Omaha Herald, August IL
Lieutenant Leo, just returned from the Indian
country, is courteous young officer, but expressed
some objections to talking through newspaper; but
when It was insisted that the question was one OF ma
tonal importance, which was at present commanding
tho attention Of the whole nation. and about which
the thinking men Of the country were very ANXIOUS
10 get reliable tniormaton and that Vt net IN any
sense u personal matter. but one OF humanity and
justice, he consented to talk.
q Where ID the reservation to which Spotted Tail
wished 10 go? A. 1t Is on White River, about one
hundred and severty-1ve miles west OF Dakota City.
little north Of west, 1t lies well Dakota Terri
tory.
q. You at the agency when the commission
came out there short time SINCE were you not? a.
Yes, was there.
A. have acting agent Tor the Spotted Tail Ia
dians Tor year and hall.
Q. How did II come that you, an army officer, were
appointed as Indian agent? A.. cont know
acty bow IT came about (turniug to General Kng)-
How was It that was appointed to take charge Of
tnemY
General KiNG--I told General Crook that l thought
ypu were very suitable person to appoint to such
position.
Q. How was it tina. army officer was appointed
at all?
Lieutenant LEE-It at the time that there
was SO much trouble with the hostile Indians, and
the Indians General Crooks department. put
his cOntrol; The agent at the old Spotted Tail
Agency SUMMARY dismissed aDc General Crook
detailed 10 their agent; have had charge
O Tnsn you were with them when they
moved 10 tho Missouri K.ver2 A. Yos, SIR
O. WI you DC kiId enough to give me The partc-
uiars about tnatY A. or course the Indians
very much opposed to coming; that was their coun-
Try where they hal been born lived wnere they
had buried their dead; they attached 10
the same as white people would he; they did not
consent TO 70 un I'll they nad most positive pro-
misses, couoaod IN the very strongest language That
lney should be removed early Ia the spring TO ands
of their owl selection; It VAS III the winter II WAS
u most inAuman parbar0us thing to force them
to make tho journey at that season VI the year.
EIGnrEES DAYS. SUPPLIES FOR yonTr-FivK.
Q. they have trans port&tion FURNISHED or did
they move the Indian IashonY a. had little
but The main body OF them had 10 60
took forty -lve days journey ola women
waikou the whole 800 miles ia inc storms and in-
clemency OF the season; II was inhumah ana brutal
TO make the Journey ~ mat season the year; 1t
had been ia the summer they could lave made II
without suffering; we started IA snow storm and
they mad blar kelS their supplies being Vt the MIS-
sour River.
Q Why was transportation not furnished? A. l
don't KNOW; General Crook lot me have all he could
spare.
Q. Dia the Indians seem satisfied whom they
reacned the Missouri A. NJ; they never salts
ned; there was u great zeal VI sickness, more than
there In the tribe before, aud great many
died; but ,hoy mado no complaints unlil the lime
Tor 10 60 10 the resuI vation they had
lccted and whom o word came, and no order TO move
them, they became very mucn dissatisfied; bu! they
waited until after Congress had adjourned before
making much trouble; whcn Congress had adjourned
ana gone homo ,hey began 10 think they had again
been deceived, ANA they would not be pacIned.
We're you there when tho commission arrived
A. Yes sir.
POSITIVE PROMISES VIOLATED.
SAID to them A. Well, lbey had had the most POSI-
sprng; had iortynve or Oily OF tho pamphlets
in which Inc promises were printed; you have seen
these pampniets. nave you DotY
kEPoRrER-No, sir; never raw one.
Lieutenant LEE-Weil, The language Is very strong.
There POSITIVE promises by tho Presidents tho SEQ
retury ami the Commissioner that they should be
moved early Ia spring. fhey could 10 coucLed
stronger terms. l had distributed them, and the
Indians knew tho contents. spotted TAN was very
positive III his speech. He said he would not remain
there thirty days, twenty days, ten days Ho
would burn tue agency buildings and 90 to thv Shite
River, ho had been promised no should 90.
q What KIND OF min Is Spotted TuilY A. OF
course he is an lnaian and has Indian notions and
idcas but ne Is man OF great intelligence. He per-
fecty Understands The situations no Knows that his
gone and that the game has disappeared He
morrill, The south, the east tho west that the
Indian mode OF liis must be changed.
Q. How many IndianS Wcrs IereY a. Five or SIX
THE ISSUING OF SUPPLIES uuMBuo
O..
DO the agents take receipts Tor the goods distributed
the IndIansY A. Yes, that Is the way Lhsy 10 It,
but It is tho biggest numDug OF all How IL Indian
tell whether The agent has gwen hin 1ity pounds
OF beef OF 800 pounds when TIC docs not know what "a
pound II rs the system that Is at tauiL there IS
no check h agent al all An Indian Toll you
whether he has been well Ted whether no has beoa
starved, but no tell you nothing alb how many
s'pounds" OF beef Hour been issued to him The
eovornmant SENDS men on a salary OF ST. 5O0
where, II man has family, It Is almost impos-
siblc Tor MIN ~ live II, anG puts him worry
In. pla ynerq hmm nj
Of dollars worth OF supplies. ana expects him be
honest Tho temptations are very great, and under
such circumstances 1t takes very strong to
sist Them know 1t Is almost Impossible Tor man
500, VINO has family, 10 live out there IN any
comfort Ny salary was IN UGH more than that, and
iound IL difficult make both ends meet / don't
how "a honorably accept such position,
honestly got nothing but MS salary and Il no talks
about pcrquisites It Simply means stealing, and
nothing else.
q What IL tho nature Of the treaty under which
these Indians wore 10 receive annutisss A. cannot
remember tho words Of the treaty, but the nature Of
Il That consideration Of their giving up the Black
Hills country, aud go on reservation aud remain
there the would furnish them supplies OF
food sufficient tusm i've on; tney gave up
their lands aud went on the reservation.
Inaians would not stay on tne,r rcscrvationf Al
will tell you how That Is; their supplies have never
been issued 10 them regularly; thcy would have
enough Tor thirty days, tnon they would be ieh
without anything; the Indians would stand 10 until
they nearly DEAD IRON starvation and thon they
would 20 Oh to hunt: SO tncy will come 90,
and 70 all time; they had boon supplied they
would not have ieit their reservation.
q. They say the Indians viii not work? A.
thought myself when was orderei to tako charge
OF the agency. Tho treaty provides that they sha
have agricultural implements aud seed, aud "a good
many Of them came to me at tho ola spotted Tail
Agency aud waniod Implements and sceds to plant
4 applied TO Washington Tor them, but they told me
they were TO be moved and II use TO furnish
them informed General Crook about H. and he
told mo TO go ahead and spend small amount aud he
wouu use iniuence to have the money rofunded
spout about 5000 In buying seeds aud I'm plemsn
and hiring some mon To assist them In ploughing A
| large number oil them went eagerly to work. They
had little patches OF one, two and three acros, and
| ono Indian lad fifteen acres In cultivation. They
great deal OF pride In II and would ne into
the agency aud talk ABOUT their tc paches with all
tho enthusiasm Of old farmer
BECOME FARMERS.
q DO you think incy really desire learn 10 farm
| A. they are very apxious to; alt the Older Indians
fully understand their changed position many OF
tho Younger ones. but they have never had anv on