The Portland daily press., 1878-07-16
TIE INDIANS.
Startling Frauds at the Crow
Agency.
The savageS Defeated by General
Miles.

exception of Ais aud Eagau's bands THAR
people are not with the hostile Indians. They
claim that Eagan is with them, dismounted
and under duress, and that Acbeky, who left
the vicinity of Camp Bidwell, has not Joined
the hostile Indians, but was merely placed BY
his people out of the way of harm from either
party. The five companies which left here the
9th inst will arrive at Vancouver today, and
be taken by special boat to Umatilla. The lat
ter movement is by Towards order, | have
ordered up five companies of The eight Infantry
from Arizona
MCDOWELL, Major General.
New YORK. July ia special from Crow
Creek ageucy Dakotah, says that an emlssary
of Sitting Bull has been there and has gone TO
the other agencies on secret mission. A let
ter signed by Red Cloud and fifteen other chiefs
was received by the Grow Indians, in which
they are reminded that they are Sioux and
must aid their oWn people. 1t was received
with enthusiasm and feast.
A despatch from Fort Thompson, Dakotab,
dated July IL, says that Indian Com missioner
Hoyt dropped on the Crow agency on that date
without notice. He obtained the books and
papers of Indian Inspector Hammond, and
discovered frauds and robbers unheard of even
in the Indian agencies. DR.. Livingston is agent
at Grow Creek, and he and Agent Grover at
Cheyenne and Gregory at Lower Brute have
been conspirators together Their robberies of
the Indians are traced back to 1870. They
built a hotel at the governments expense, and
supplied it with beef, potatoes. milk, grain and
hay from the government warehouse Ham,
mond discovered that the agency blacksmith
shop was the source of a private income; that
the trader, clerk, head farmer and the families
Of the employees were furnished with govern
ment provisions; that trader Hudson's ware
house and store were stocked with government
stores; that Livingston was partner with
Hudson; that private stock was fed on govern
ment forage and hogs on corn, when the H.
diaus were living on bull berries and coffee
made out of wild cherry bark that the agent
sold all sorts of Indian supplies including cat
tie. mules, hogs, moving machines and wagons
and pocketed the proceeds; that Livingston or
bis clerk violated the mails; that two steam.
boat loads of Indian goods consigned to Lower
Brule Indian agency were unloaded at Crow
Creek agency and confscatej; that every body's
house and outbuildings were filed with cloth,
muslin, tobacco and hard ware sent out for the
Indians; that two cattle ranches belonging to
Bingham of Cheyenne agency and Livingston
were stocked with stolen cattle and supplied
regularly with agency stores; that hay put up
at the governments expense was sold and the
proceeds never accounted for; that hay and
food contracts for the agency were given to
trader Hudson and all labor of filling them
paid out of the government warehouse; that
the Indians cut and hauled large quantities of
wood and hay, and were paid in their own "a
tions and annuities; that contracts for hay and
wood at the neighboring military posts were
paid for by work and teams in that way; that
private servants were carried on the agency
pay rolls; that shelves of medicine were found
in the dispersary not reported upon the agents
last property return.
The average cost of running the agency for
seven years was over 1874, 900 yearly, or $170,-
600. The agent drew that sum from the
government for work and other things paid for
in stolen Indian goods, much of it was for
fictitious purchases and extravagant bills.
For instance, a Yankton firm got $62 ton for
coal. Livingston drew ratioDs and annuites
for 300 more Indians than be has had on ressr-
walton for three years. He issued very scant
rations and made margin in that way, and
extra annuites were appropriated.
since the agency was seized search for
stolen property not removed from the plac
reveals immense quantities covering three
hundred classes. The agent reported in his
return to the department large lot Of planters
AID hoes, but none we're found on hand, six
hundred flos were reported but none found;
1909 pounds of tobacco were reported. but
1000 were found in the loft OF carpenter shop;
fish lires were reported, and 900 were found
and so on through the whole list.
Joseph Mcdonald, laborer, never had
contract, but his name appears to voucher
! for $1,000. Every body who ever did anything
| about the agency seemed to have signed a
great many papers which afterwards turaed up
| as vouchers.
Livingston began lif4 as theological STU
dent. He gave fonts and stained glass wio-
dows to churches during the time he was
landed estates, town lots and interests in three
Nevada mines. Ia Yankton he is interested in
almost every industry, and stands high.
| Hammonds life is thre atened by anonymous
letters, and it is freely asserted that it will be
taken If the ring cannot break him down by
SANDER and force compromise
Mr.. Hoyt, the commissioner of Indian
affairs, heartily approved all that had been
done by the inspectors and acting agents in
seizing goods etc. He thinks the Oh ain of
aVi0nnpa comn1pta Gnnpral Hammond has
superseded the agents at Crow Creek, Bruls
and Cheyenne by army officers.
Commissioner Hoyt held a council with Red
| Cloud Thursday last. Red Cloud said that he
creek, 200 miles from the Missouri river, and
| be was going. He wanted 500 COWS, oxsp,
wagons, farm houses and school houses. This
| is not in accordance with the designs of tbs
| government, but Red Cloud 8 demands were
| endorsed by Commissioner Hawort and agent
| Irwin. Spotted Tail sides with Red Cloud, and
| says that he will burn the agency buildings if
his removal from the Missouri is hindered.
| Commissioner Hoyt is disappointed with this
! result and goes east shortly.
| SAN FRANCISCO, July ia Wslla Walla
| despatch gives the following account OF the
| fight on the Umatilla reservation:
News reached Miles, who was at Pendeton,
| that the hostlles were at the reservation. He
| at.once started for the scene with 300 regulars
| After march of about six miles. and within a
between 400 and 500 warriors about o. clock in
the morning. Getting his men into position,
| Miles opened fire on the hostles, who returned
| it, but without effect neither side sustaining
| injury. This continued till - o'clock, when
| the Indians attempted to charge Miles lines,
| but were driven off, the redskins being unable
| to stand the fre.from howitzer. In the charge
| the Indians sustained considerable loss, those
present estimating the dead at Is. Miles
casualties consist OF two men wounded. At
| 1 O'nlonb tho Indians Foil hoe
mountains This is the first time during the
campaign that the hostiles have attempted a
charge, aud show. they were driven to desper-
alton. During the whole fight they shot wild.
Miles object, IN view of the overwhelming
number against him, was to prevent the ad-
vance of the hosties, and if possible hold them
in check till reinforced. This he did, although
| his force was on foot AID the savages we'll
| mounted.
| Among the interested spectators of Miles ,
| fight We're large number of Unatllas who
took sides with neither party, but Tho appear
| ed to relish the sport 1t is stated that num-
Der OF young men belonging to this tribe under
| Wenaposnoot, have joiLed the hostiles. COL
Conroyer reports that ths young warriors pass
| ed beyond his control this morning. Col. For
| syth with his command at Weston have been
ordered to yesterday 'scoDhct and are moving as
rapidly as horses could travel. The force now
| in the Umatilla country amounts to 700 men
| and it is thought will be sufficient to bring
s"Se-A
ports to the contrary it is most certain Dor
lion of the hostiles succeeded in crossing Column
bia and the danger go far as the future is con-
cerued is with them. Several millmen who
have come into town report they were driven
out of tie mountains by Indians who appear to
be 10 large numbers. A volunteer company
has organized here and placed themselves at
the disposal of Governor Ferry.
PORTLAND, Oregon, July 15.-The following
despatch has been received from Pendeton:
Troops under Gen. Miles drove the Indians
into Fort Hills, near Cayuse station. They
fought four or five hours at long range in the
valley, but finally the troops and volunteers
made charge aud drove them four miles to the
hills, capturing several horses on the field The
volunteers did we'll and the officer in
command complimented them highly Quite
number of Indians we're killed, but
the number could not be learned.
Nothing is doing today but scouting. The
Indians have not moved up to a late hour in
the day and are watched closely. Tonight Col
Barnard's cavalry arrived on the Umatilla
river near the other command and will move
on the Indians early in the morning. Col
Sanford is coming up from degrade to be near
the Indians on Mecham's roads. Indians are
surrounded. Warm work is expected to-