New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-12-24
THE NINE AND THE INDIAN AGENCY


Mr.. HAYF DESCRIBES THE TRANSACTION.
TIE INDIAN COMMISSIONER EXPLICITLY DENIES
ALL coMPLICiTY-AGESr HARTs DOISGs-IN-
sPEcToR HANMoSDs AND CAPTAIN cHATFEE's
CONNECTION WITH IHE CASE.
To fhe Eattor or The Trtbrne.
SIR: | find an article in your issue Of to-day
headed I" An Indian Scandal which refers 20 GER
tain transactions connected with the San Carlos In
dian Agency in Arizona. The article is fun of uis-
statements. II is true that over year ago mot
few months ~ MIR. Hart sent to the Commissioner
of Indian Affairs at Washington very rich speci-
men vi silver ore. which he SAID had been found on
the reservation and also. that he followed the
specimen himself shortly sfterward and was re-
proved by the Commissioner for writings letter IN
such terms as seemed to suggest the posi-
bility of that ofhcial gong MO mining
speculationv Sometime afterward information
was received that Irregularities were committed at
the San Carlos agency. and my suspicious having
been aroused by Agent Harris action as above men-
toned. sent Inspector Hammond TO investigate
that agency. He found evidence of serious irregu-
arIties and malpractice, which he duly reported.
He was not ordered to arrest and prosecute" Agent
Hart for the law does not give an inspector author
ity to arrest and prosecute; il does, however au-
thOrize an Inspector 70 suspend an agent under GER
tam conditions. aud Inspector Hammond was Ill
rectcd 10 dispace Agent Hart if he found II neces-
sary. He did so, and Captain Chafiee, of the
United States Army, was designated as temporary
agent. and directed to take possession OF the
agency Agent Hart attempted to resist the exeru-
ton of the order, and refused 10 turn over the
agency property, when Inspector Hammond was in
structed by telegraph as follows:
OFFICE ISDLlN AFFAIRS.
july. Il, 1873
HAMMOND san Carlos ria Camp faonas, ir'soro
ffftr and .g
afferward. | trust OmprOmse aas been t0elai "a
art csn get nay until has accounts are settled Win
must raks charge aud direct the aur. o. the agency
immediately L. A. HArI, Commissioner
Inspector Hammond stayed at the agency to see
this order executed. which was done AFTER much
opposition on the part of Agent Hart. subsequently
Inspector Hammond was instructed TO the follow
ing effect. on the 9th of July last
see orders sent to Cha.e. Assist him Take whatever
time necessary agency. Obtain iuu evidence
OF frauds committed in beef flour and supplies kee.n-
mend proper man 10 be appointed Assistant DlsIl',-
Attorney prosecute these conspiracy cases success
my.
He then came 10 Washington aud laid the evil
dence obtained before nue. but as II appeared to be
insufficient for the prosecution be sent back 10
complete the ease. That evidence has since been
supplemented by him and by other parties, and is
now nearly complete On the Esd Of October last
il was made the subject Of correspondence with he
De,artrnent of Justice and all the evidence VIII be
nlaced in possession of that Department a.
soon as the. result of further inquiries
which have been instituted IN the mean
time is obtained which will make the case as com
pete as possible for the prosecution OF the offend
ers. Ii therefore appears that General Hammond
has not held back information from this office. that
no compromise has been made, aud that the offend
ers have not been given chance to escape justice
Whether Inspector Hammond wrote from Fan
Carlos to j. W. Van Slyck at Mcmillan. A. T.,
advising him as Assistant United States Attorney
to take legal steps to prevent the sale of piece of
property known as the Washington Mime, do net
know. and have no means of ascertaining because
Inspector Hammond is not here; but il is not prob
able for to the best of my knowledge Mr.. Van Syck
il not and never has been. an Assistant United
States District Attorney
The specimen of ore exhibited 20 me by Agent
Hart was according 10 his statement, taken from
the Stonewall Jackson Mine, which has been IN
oDeratiOn for over two years, and is owned ana
managed in California. SO far as know, this mine
has not been sold. Whether II Is on the reservation
or not a question. Ii Is certain only that neither
Inspector Hammond norznybody else had authority
To resurvey the san Carlos reservation IN order to
ascertain whether the mine was within or without
reservation boundary lines and, ia tact. no resir-
yey has been made or oruered.
The rest of the article refers to the mining ope-
ratiOns of private parties with which have no
concern. inasmuch as for the last ten years have
not had fhe least interest, directly or indirectly.
with any mining interest Whatever. IL persons
with whom am acquainted. and. rs TIE TRIBUNE
saws, one of whom has bank In the same building
i'm which the trust company was of which l was "A
director choose to engage IN mining operations IN
Arizona they at perfect liberty to do so, and NJ
fair-minded man viii hold me responsible for then
acts Yours very respectfully, l. A. HAYr
Washington. ID. C., Dec. %, 1879
Those who compare the statements in the article
here referred to with Commissioner Hayt's careful
replies will see that the matter is still not wholly
cleared up. As the Commissioner, however. was
not directly accused, and as his denials, on the
points where suspicion might have arisen are posi-
tive he is entitled TO the benefit of them. AS be-
fore stated the article in question based the
statements of a member of the Board of Indian
Commissioners and It is his turn next-Edl