The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-05-19
D0UGlIERTY'S DISCOVERIES
PRETIOUS TO THE REMOTIL ORA CROW
CREEK INDIAN AGENT


dinua IN Excess OF the 0ctuni NumDer.
YANKToN, Dakota, May 3-Your corrc-
spondent had an interview to-day with Capt.
W. T.. Dougherty United States Indian Agent
at Crow Creek. and from him tho following
facts were elected regarding tho causes which
led to the charges against the late agent. Liv
ingstone tho character OF the alleged frauds.
their effect upon the Indians and the present
condition OF the agency:
For the pnst eight years" Capt Dougherty
said the Indian service on the Missouri River
has been In a very dcplorable and corrupt con-
dillon. Ahint OF this state Of affairs by some
means TO me unknown was given to the author
tiles at Washington. and official after OIL
cial was displaced without effecting any
improvement in Indian affairs. Finally
Carl Schurz was appointed Secretary Of the In
terror. and Mr.. Hayt made Commissioner OF
Indian Affairs. Then opened up the move
ment for the publication OF this department oil
tho public service which brought the name OF
Henry W. Bingham prominently before tho
department. supported by a heavy political in
ilucnce, including that Of tho Dakota
mission under Bishops Hare and Whpplc
who advocated his tBingham'sl appointment rs
Inspector OF Indian Affairs. Objections wcro
raised TO this appointment by n number OF
newly -elected Senators on information derived
from various sources in Dakota. Tho attention
OF tho secretary and the Commissioning was
called to tho newly discovered facts. and they
determined to take the whole matter from the
control Of the politicians.
with this object in view Schurz had CONVEX
sation with Gen. sherman, the result nt which
WAS the appointment OF Gen. John ii. liam
| ces. This nomination was made by Gen.
Sherman himself, who had great faith in Ham.
mond. the latter having served upon his stan
| Hs a general officer during tue war. bingham
| was therefore thrown over notwithstanding
the support OF bishops Hare and Whipple.
! Hammond, Immediately upon his conirmn-
| ton. departed for his post Of duty, making
| journey OF observation through the lndlhh
country. and acting for nearly year n super
| lntendcnt with headluartcrs ut lankton. A
| the expiration of this time hc was appointed
| Indian Inspector. During his term as SUI
! perntendcnt he received many reports from
! officers OF the army and certain employees OF
| the agencies under his control. rs well as from
i the Indians themselves, OF maltenshnce ana
| dishonesty on the part of agents but gave them
no apparent heed, preterrng TO authenucpto
nally he made known tho results OF these OBJ
servations To Mr.. Schurz direct
| Two officers were detailed-onc to take
| charge Of Cheyenne Agency und tho other OF
| Grow Creek. ] was detailed for the latter post
| and declined. in response 70 which declination
! nj headquarters Of the Department OF Dakota.
| lyon my arrival. and after conversation with
| Hammond, in the presence OF Gen. Terry during
| which the whole subject was gone over and be-
ing assured that the Government and tho lnte-
| rior Department were IN earnest ana tvnAt
| Department ! agreed 10 take possession ~
| these agencies. Lower Brule and Grow Crock SO
| in accordance with instructions from the De-
| partment OF the Interior started Tor these posts
After taking possession OF Crow, Creek.
| which seemed the objective point OF the Into
| ror Department. m investigation into ia pre-
| vious management under Or. Livingstone was
- nrst examined and counted the public
property. and found 1t vastly IN excess Of the
amount down on the papersi which showed
hid away in secret places. ! found a
very large herd OF cattle twenty, miles
M To not eG SSGRfyd o sreG ona thai pu6
property Of all kinds had been sent away
from the agency. soli,, ana otherwlse dlsposei
was absent. loaded down with material sent 10
ranch owned by DR.. Livingstone and Henry
w. Bingham. AT this ranch was herd OF cattle
consisting OF more than 1000 head. which was
held for them by man in their private en-;
ploy; and those cattle are th-re to-day. and
well known TO be claimed by them as the private
! property II these two men.
sudden change directed my attention 20 m ex-
| animation Of Liyngstone's cash accounts. At
| this luncture Gen Hammond arrived on tho
| scene and assisted mo in this examination Of
! accounts. As We proceeded we found that the
PRINCIPAL records Of Iiviugstone's administrn-
ton were missing-records covering period u
seven years-and such as were found were Ill
kept and very Imperfect Livingst3pe was
refused 10 do SO. Hammond did not wish
10 proceed 70 extremes and break open the
safe without authority from Mr.. Schurz Finally
DR.. Livingstone opened the outer doors oi
the safe. but declined To open the vault and
drawers. In the front OF the sNlt were lhunu
some books and papers. the result Of the ex;,
animation OF which was conclusive evidence ot
frauds in the cash vouchers of large and
small sums. from the beginning OF his al
ministration down to the time OF my tax,
ing possession in March, 1877. | then called
upon Gen. Hammond 10 have the vaults Of the
safe forced. He said that he was going 10 the
Red Cloud Agency. and would briug man
from there who could open it without dam
age. This he did a short time after
ward, When the vault was opened we
found i to contain nothing more
than tho deeds OF DR.. Livingslone's property.
mortgages. notes OF hand. policies OF insur-
Ance aggregHting n value OF more than 500
600 which proved TO my satisfaction that Liv-
ngstone had some other motive IA coming 20
Dakota than the establishment Of his health.
" The feeling OF the Indians ut that time was
very severe against the Doctor. They were
we'll acquainted with the fact that besides being
III treated they were being swindled and de-
frauded: but what could they dor The most
prominent OF these frauds were in voucher cop
les representing large sums for hay and lumber,
The hay was alleged 10 have been purchased
from men who never furnished any hay ut all.
and who were doing days work about the
agency A man is shown in a voucher to have
earned 81 100 before no was at the agen-
cy three weeks This man declared on
oath TO ms that no was engaged by
| There had been sent to this agency two saw
mills | found that both Of them had been sold
for tl0G apiece, for old iron to the trader, Hud-
son. These mil is were IN trst-rate condition
nearly new. indeed-and had cost the Govern
" These are but samples Of the fearful havoc
that was made among the property Of the Gov
eminent at Crow Greek, but they Will sum &c
to show you how money was made 10y
this man while he was in charge. Why.
sir. the agency ofllce at Crow Creek
was little room. about say. 2Oxl6. yet
it cost to run that little Quilt. while Lly-
ingstono was IN charge, S2i 343 per year Tor
seven ycars. He has reported on his rolls rs
high rs $500 Indians. He never reported less
than 300 Indians. aud Tor these Indians SO re-
ported he has drawn beef and other supplies
clothing. annuitles &C., annually. when the
number under his charge never exceeded 800
Indians. and most Of the time but about 500
Tho condition of the agency is good at
this Time. The Indians appear 10 he well salts
good school building, which cost about $1,000
at which there is u fun attendance. ] have
engaged lumber at Sioux City TO build an
industrial school which will soon be in running
order Tribal superstitiQns are being rapidly
eradlcatrd, and ! am well satisfied that II the
Indians ara fairly treated they can DO made a
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