The Leavenworth weekly times. [volume] (Leavenworth, Kan.) 1870-1880, 1878-01-10

segvices Will therefore from this day be dis
pensed with"
Report Of the Board Of Inquiry
which shows n Gross Neglect on
the Part Of the Chief CferK Of the
Interior Department. and Others.
WASHINGTON, ID. c., January The re-
port submitted to Secretary Schurz by Jas.
NJ. McCammon OF the department of JUS
tice, Capt Thos. Bradley of the L. :.
Army and Geo. VI. Lockward, Chief Clerk
of the Interior Department. The board OF
inquiry convened by him in June last to in
vestigate the Indian service is very elabor-
ate and volumnious making sixty five printed
pages, exclusive of the testimony.
ITS CONCLUSIONS
in regard to the charges preferred against
the Chief Clerk OF the Indian Office will be
found in the letter OF Secretary Sc,uz To
Galpin. The difficult nature of the extern
sive investigation, made by the board, in
regard to the general conduct of the service
is indicated in the following statement:
The regulations prescribed by the Presi-
dent for the management of Indian affairs
and directions from the Secretary of the
Interior, seem to have been ab$O. utely nee
essary to full compliance with the law,
but no regulations or directions under the
statutes have been found by the board, for
the control, either OF the bureau officials OF
subordinates in the Indian service, here or
elsewhere. The instructions, regulations
and other advices promulgated by the COM
missioner, over his own signature have had
a limited effect, not having been
RIGIDLY ENFORCED
or fully respected under any circumstances.
The TACT exists that no bureau or office OF
the government has afforded more opportu-
nifty fol- down right irregularity and con-
cealment of fraud than. hes the manage
ment of the Indian Bureau and service.
The board say that during the late admin
istration Of the Indian affairs, the C minis
sion and chief clerk, with three others,
namely, the stenographer, the correspon-
dence clerk and annuity clerk formed a
group which gave direction to all matters
Of importance passing through the office
and often acted upon the same BY means oil
personal and unofficial correspondence.
THE REPORT CONTINUES,
there is no doubt after considering the evi.
uenCt tHt HcmDcIS VI Tic ETOuI
welded, defacto the greater power or in.
influence over official matters. The evil
dence of various witnesses and dOcumentary
evidence show that the commissioner, after
making promises or decisions, based upon
his own conviction refused to fulfill or exc
cute them, or absolutely departed from hi.
own views in order to indulge the capri.
ciousness Of his chief Clerk. The Irregular
ties of correspondence or REIMBURSEMENT Of
authority operated to cover the question
able transactions and keep the favorite per
sons in several positions. This kind o
correspondence with the fellowship it engen-
dered, readily spread throughout the office
and some continuance of 1t will doubtless
exist until he removals are made and
orders issued to check
UP THE EVIL, THE
board say they desired to interrogate the
commissioner upon sundry matters and
otherwise to have the benefit Of any state
ments he might be pleased to make, but II
did not urge its request after he wrote to
ascertain conditional, if any evidence had
been submNted rejecting on his character
as an officer Or on the purity and efficienc,
Of his administration of business of the
office. That was considered 10 be regarded
as evasion and no further efforts were
made to secure his attendance As a witness.
In reference to persons who were immediate
" associated in the two rooms, the evidence
shows that the chief clerk was too strong in
his attachment, and too bitter as an enemy
to be invested with the power and preroga-
words was unable to control himself, and
therefore
COULD NOT SATISFACTORILY
discharge the duties of high administrative
Office. After reciting several instances Of
loose management on the part of Commits
sioner Smith 3Rd his subordinates, the board
remarks the absence Of regulations, sys-
tens and methods, the suppression OF
charges and specifications the carrying of
a semi-official correspondence the careless
disposal of papers and records; the relin-
quishment Of authority or delegation of Of
fetal power to another; the
DISAPPEARANCE OF VALUABLE PAPERS
the unwarranted opposition to the board of
Indian commissioners; the un6tness for
their respective positions Of chief clerk. cor
respondence clerk, annuity clerk and others
and the persecution of the chief of the med
ical division, the incompetency of the chief
Of the account division, the ineficiency
Of the acting chief Of the land division; the
habitual lack of circumspection in the
financial division; the useIessue-s. without
instructions, Of the place in the civilization
division, and, finally, the general democrat
ization Of the force OF the bureau through
out, did not afford data from which the late
commissioner could find an abuse.
THE REPORT CONTAINS
. review Of the operations in the New York
Office in connection With the annual LETTING.
at New York city, for the bulk of .upoIies
for the Indian service. A temporary ofi;ce
has been annually established there. vhers
bids have been opened and awards made
and supplies inspected and shipped. Tits
office has been in charge Of q clerk detailed
from the Indian bureau, with deIerared
powers TO act for the COMMISSIONS In mat
ters Of routine, and to perform such oebe,
cuties ~ are incident TO the ofice. n ,.;r.
cunstances might require. The dut;es Of
a -