Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1879-01-02
THE NEWS.
Gen. Sheridan Talks Back Off,
cialIy to the Secretary Of
the Treasury. !
The Removal Of the Red Closd and
Spotted Tail Agencies . Fea-
ture Of His Communication.
The Potter Committee Has a Short
Session in New Orleans Which
Receives Evidence Upon Fa-
p, -
= miIar Subjects.

tu0o0l oUOJCVs0s
SHERIDAN AND scAuRz.
SYNOPSIS OF GENERAL sHERIDAN's SUPPLE
MENTAL REPORT.
Chicago. Jan. 2.-Gen. Sheridan makes .
supplemental report to Gen. Sherman, in
which he states that he does not feel it incum-
bent on him to answer any matters in Sec
retary Scburz's letters of November l6,h |
and 29th, but as they have been referred to
him by Gen. Sherman, it ia possible that
officer may desire statement Of the facts
that for.ne, the basis Of conclusions in Ills
annual report.
Gen. Sheridan says the secretary disin-
.nuously places words in lis (Gen. Sheri
dan's) mouth to make the charge that cor
ruption. exist at every agency in the mili-
,ary division Of the Missouri, except Spot.
ted Tail and Red Cloud; that this charge is
not warranted by the lans suage Of the snnu-
al report; that the object he had in view
was to show that the first wars with Indians
were inevitable, but that second wars could
be averted, and were the results Of bad man
agement Of Indian affairs, and that he now
gives The data from which his annual report
was written. He says he made no charges
againat the secretary of the interior, or any
one else, but simply states his belief that
the destruction Of property on the frontier,
and the horrible and unmentionsble barbara
ties Of Indian wars might be prevented by
better organization, more complete system,
and more integrity IN the agents employed.
Gen. Sheri Ian then proceeds to relate that,
since 1874, he has retained copies Of all re-
ports on Indian matters passing through his
office, and that, as copies Of all these reports
have been forwarded to the interior depart
ment, it will be seen what shallow ground
the secretary had for the disagreeble allu-
sions in his second letter Of November 29th
tlla. these reports were made by eome Of the
best officers Of the army. az inspectors Of the
Indian bureau, or in some official capacity,
that they were on the ground, and surely
the secretary vii! not impu.e untruthfuluess
to them.
Gen. Sheridan then says. the report of
Lieut.. Lee, recently agent for Spotted Tail,
is given in full, for the reason that it gives
fair and com prehensive idea Of Indian
management, and may bs assumed as fair
explanation Of what has occurred at other
agencies that Lees report was called for
because he (Gen. Sheridan) was familiar
with the facts contained therein that indeed
he was partly instrumental in the detection
of the McCann frauds. Lees report gives
an explanation Of how affairs were conduct
ed at Spotted Tail agency previous 10 the
time military officer was detailed "a agent
-says that E. H. Howard was there in
charge as agent-that he had instilled into
the minds Of the Indians almot every pos
sible prejudice against the military, but
that when theschange was made, it was
done SO suddenly that the good effect was
spesdily apparent. Lieut.. Foot, who pre-
ceded Lee as acting agent, found, when he
relieve civil Agent Howard, the supplies
reduced to starvation minimum, and after
getting supplies from the military to feed
the starving Indians, his first official act was
to take census, and he then found Howard
had been issuing, on paper, to $40 Indians
when the actual number was only ATS.
Lee took charge Of Spotted Tail agency,
March 81, 1877. BY treaty annuities for
{ the Indians should have reached them the
list Of August, Of each year, but they did
not arrive till midwinter, thus causing
much suffering. and this has been generally
the case. Lieut.. Lee then gives history
Of the Mccain frands, which had been re.
ported ~ early as 1875. and says notwith.
standing these frauds, McCann received the
contracts for y very large portion Of the
transportation for 1877. Lee then relate,
infinitely, the McCsnn aad Davis fraud.
shows the method of inspection, states The
Deficiencies that occurred! on account o.
them, says he reported the facts to the In
dian Bureau, and that finally he received
a telegram from acting commissioner say
ing, I'VE trust McCann no longer" lie.
then shows the method of doing busincs,
in the Indian Bureau left the agent in III,
dark a. to the quantity OF supplies turned
over V contractors for delivery At tbs sRen
cy, aad tha, he could get at ihiS snforma
tion By communication At Omaha. He ssy,
good, bad and Indifferent beef cattle hse
been received a The agency by Howard