Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1879-12-16
Ghs Daily Eress aud 9atstaias
yAhKToh DAKOTA.
Tucsda, Evening, Dec. l6, 1879
A PERSONAL EXPLANATION.

-
DUR Travelling Correspondent Attacked
Through Another Newspaper. Gives His
R~joinder-An About Affairs ~ Chcy-
e""e Agency.
Yankton, Dec. 10, ls79.-Editors Press
and Dakotaian.- IL notice in the last issue of
the Herald 8 disconnected, incohorent but
wrathful communication from Fort Bennett,
written by a recently discharged soldier Of
the llth infantry, and addressed almost al.
together to me, instead Of to the paper to
which he intended 10 write, and such Deing
the case, / am constrained to take some NO.
tice of the e%ffusion, though if it were less
personal it might pass into oblivion %unnotic.
ed BY me.
The wrath of this embryo correspondent
has got to boiling heat, in the presence
Of Capt. Schwan, his late superior officer,
and present Indian agent at that point. "
ing to a letter Of mine which appeared in
the Press and Dakotaian of November 7th,
showing the true workings of the agency,
based On reliable information, not OBJ.
tanned in Schwan's office, but from
parties whose word cannot be disputed, who
would fain come out publicly with their
statements, and are only deferred from
doing SO, by the we'll known severity Of
their boss, the captain. The entire com.
munication in the Herald is devoted to an
attempt 10 defend Schwan and convince the
public that he is as good and Immaculate a
person as he believes himself to be. As the
thing was evidently written in Schwan's
office, and dictated by him to a former
soldier Of his regiment, the consideration it
other wise would command, is unfortunately
wanting.
Considerable attention is paid to a re-
mark of mine that during my stay at Fort
Bennett the "air was full Of war and rumors
of war;" and the matter treated as a joke.
1t may be looked upon as a huge joke, now,
that everything is apparently quiet, but at
that time the joke was warlike enough ia
induce Captain schwan to telegraph the
commissioner Of Indian affairs that fifty
lodges of Indians had left the agency with
out permission, that troops had been sen
after them, and he had strong hopes tina
they would be overtaken. brought back ant
subdued. What does that mean? 1t il
also a fact that some Of the scouts who pur
sned the runaway warriors, returned to tn
post minus q few ponies. which had beef
shot by the latter, and refused to %continu
the pursuit fearing the loss Of their scalps
If that does not smell like war, allow me t
ask what does?
l am accused in the letter Of abusing Capt
S,hwan because he did not invite me to hi
house aud kill the fattcd calf for me
This singular mark Of attention on the par
Of the captain l never expected, az ! hav,
friends there with whom 1 might have re
NAMED for an indefinite period, whose goo,
opinion l value more highly, and who's
friendship I appreciate more than the write
Of the Herald let'e- does the royal and au
%tocratic though constrained mod" of the
acting agent.
The record of Captain Schwan may, as
said before, be good. l do not say that il
is bad, neither do l say that it is good, as
am entirely ignorant on the su beet, and
presume my opinion of that record is imma
terial to him, as the record itself is to me
No disgrace certainly attaches itself to HIN
for securing an appointment from the vol
unteer service, as many brave men did tn,
same thing. My reference 10 it was mad,
ito show that, while never expecting to oc
fcupy his present position, his arrogance ant
petty acts we're more apparent han if tn
same course was pursued by an officer cdu
Gated for the army.
l am instructed to ask Mr.. Fielder. O
any other man having experience in Indial
affairs, who is the best agent that eve
reigned at Cheyenne, and the reply will be
"Schwan !'-Of course, l don't doubt it, j
the question is asked in the office of sal,
Schwan and in his presence. ii Fielde
made any other reply, he might pack up hi
moccasins and so forthwith. and the chance
are that the ferry boat would be called int,
requisitioa to move him off the reservation
ANY Other employe would find himsel
/ SHudlty ulAioI INA uuOSl elultlhi ClICuul
stances, go that an interview or council con
vened in that manner is not the wa,
to get at the true inwardn.s
Of the machine. No, | adopted a difieren
plan, and got what seems to be the truth
After a talk with Capt. Schwan, durin
which he showed me his papers and ex
planned his theory and practice, he yer,
kindly offered to send for his interpreted
and other employees, to explain him admira
bly, he administered the affairs Of the aver
cy. This offer l respectfully declined, as
knew very we'll that no emyloye dare sa
aught IN contradiction to the statements a
ready made by tn" boss' or shown BY his pa
pers to have existence. I thanked the car
tain and retired, and On the zane evenin
secured the services Of an interpreter an
made the rounds Of whites (including en-
ployes) and Indians. Then and not till thel
did the scales fall from my eyes, and til
hair from my teeth. Thewhole thing was lai
bare, the magnificent theory Of the capital
turned into nothing when it's stupid pract