New-York tribune., 1879-12-22
AN INDIAN SCANDAL.

| A DISAGREEABLE STORY FROM ARIZONA.
| STATEMENTS WHICH INSPECTOR HAMMOND. AGENT
HART AND COMMISSIONERS HAYT WOULD DO WELL
TO EXPLAIN.
| An unpleasant scandal, affecting the management
of Indian affairs, has recently been made public IN
Arizona by newspaper articles and by current talk
in the Territory. and has been brought to New
York by gentlemen who have lately visited that
section of the country. II concerns so directly the
efficiency and integrity Of the management OF the
Indian Service in Washington as to be matter OF
general interest and to call for the attention OF the
Interior Department. The account of the transac-
ton which has given rise to this scandal is here
condensed from memoranda made in Arizona by a
member of the BOARD of Indian Commissioners and
from open letter to the Secretary of the Interior
from Jonathan Bggs, Published in The Arizona
Siirer Belt of November %. Mr.. Bggs is reported
io he respectable citizen of Illinois, who has un
dertaken, with an honest and somewhat Quixotic
spirit. the exposure Of Indian frauds coming under
his notice.
The Indian Reservation of San Carlos, Arizona,
lies on the border Of newy-dcveloped silver dis
triet. The agent at the reservation was until quite
recently man named Hart, appointed on the
recommendation of the Foreign Mission Board OF
the Dutch Reformed Church. A few months ago
Mr.. Hart sent to the Commissioner Of Indian Affairs
NJ Washington n very rich specimen of silver ore
which he said had been found OH the reservation.
He followed the specimen himself shortly after
ward and when be reached Washington was
proved by the Commissioner for writing letter in
such terms seemed to suggest the possibility of
that official going into mining speculation Agent
Hart returned TO San Carlos and formed a partner
ship with one Fuller for buying up the claim from
" hch the specimen came. Not long aftcrward In-
spectOr Hammond a confidential agent Of the III
dian Bureau, went TO Arizona. An inspector, it
should be understood il official who travels abont
TO detecfraud and hold the agents up to the proper
standard of honesty. AS rs Hammond
reached the Territory in Jnly last he began de-
nouncing Hart and his clerk thieves. lie stated
TO number of people that Hart had sold Indian
goods TO the amount of thousands of dollars in the
town of Globe; that the buildings at a certain
ranch and mine had been put up at the expense of
the Government; that Hart had bIackmaIled the
McMillcn Mining Company out of 10000 shares by
threatening to make il appear that they were on
the reservation; that he had sold timber coal and
lumber off the reservation to the amount of thous-
ands of dollars and that he had been guilty of divers
other improper transactions. Hammond showed
General Bggs Oh the 30th of July dispatch from
Commissioner Hayt ordering him to arrest and
prosecute Agent Hart. lie also wrote TO Captain
FouIk Company +, 9th United States Cavalry, at
Camp Thomas, from San Carlos. saying that he was
ordered to arrest and prosecute Hart. and that he
lFoulkl would be- called n witness. General
Hammond also wrote from San Carlos to j. w. Van
Syck, at Mcliilen, A. T.. advising him, Assistant
United States DstricAttorDey for the Territory of
Arizona, to take legal steps to prevent the sale of
piece of property known as the Washington Mine,
which was about to be made by one James Akin To
Agent Hart and Henry Fuller that said niue was
on the San Carlos Reservation. and that no transfer
could he made of property situated.
few days later the Inspector underwent re-
marble change of feeling toward Agent Hart. He
became quite friendly, and denied that he intended
TO prosecute him. and denied also, that he had
received q dispatch from the Commissioner ordering
him TO take steps TO bring him to trial. Hammond
then went TO Washington and returned TO Arizona
almost as soon as he cond make the Journey When
he got back. he announced that he was authorized
to resurvcy the lines of the reservation lie visited
the Globe District i'm the vicinity of the San Car
los Rcscrvat on, in company with Edward Knapp,
personal friend of Commissioner Hayt. He adj
vsed parties who had claims in the nelghborhood
of Harts mine to sell out for anything they could
get if only the cost of their labor. assuring them
that it would turn out that they on the reser-
vaton.
Agent Hart resigned shortly after. No proceed
ings were begun against him. After bis resignation
It turned out that the mine from which he for
warded the specimen to Washington, and of which
he and Fuller claimed ownership. had been sold to
Edward Knapp for a small sum. After he sale there
was no further question about its being on the res
ervation. Inspector Hammond's power to run the
lines settled that point i'll favor of the
owners The drafts for payment for the property
were made on William Hogencamp, of Jersey City.
whose bank is in the same building where Commits
soner Hayt's Trust Company used to be- The deed
TO the mine taken in the name of Charles ID.
Deser, who was q director in Hayts Trust Com
pany and secretary of his Oleonargarne Company,
ami is associated in business with his son-in-law.
These transactions may be capable of an explana-
ton which will relieve Inspector Hammond from
the odlum of compromising grave charges of official
dishonesty with Agent Hart for the sake Of getting
possession of hissilver mine. rLe suspicion upon
Commissioner Hayt of approving such a compro-
mise and of placing his personal friends in the way
of profitable mining speculation may be wholly
unjust AS the matter stands, however, the affair
ainly demands thorough investigation.