The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1880-07-09
GENERAL CLAPP.
The False Charges Against His OhieIaI
RacOr1.


During the Chicago convention AL.
Green, of the Kansas City Journal met
Col. +. &. Watkins, OF the Michigan
delegation, who, in the course of "A con
versaiion about Kansas matters and men,
denounced the charges lately made
against the official integrity of Gen. ID.
Z. Clapp, of Woodson county i'll this
state. Mr.. Green adds:
Referring to Kansas men, he spoke of
Gen. Clapp, of Woodson county, and de-
sired me in justice to Il pure and honor
able man, To clear his name of most
foul aspersion cast upon il by an I'M
principlcd army officer during Gen.
Clapp's official connection with the In
dian department. Said Col. Watkins.
81 am thoroughly posted on the report
of Capt Ball charging Gen. Clapp with
an attempt to bride him to provide certain
inferior pork for the use of the Crow
Indians. l was one of ii board of three
inspectors of the Indian office who were
directed, by secretary Chandler, to
investigate said charge. We did
investigate it most thoroughly; we went
to the bottom of it; we took every par
ticle of evidence obtainable, and say to
you there is not n shadow of truth in the
Clapp. 1t was made my duty TO spend
a good deal of time on that report and to
examine General Clapp's accounts and
the books of the Indian office. l crit
ically examined every line and entry,
and know whereof 1 speak when tell
you that Balls differences against Gen.
Clapp are unfounded, unofficer like and
infamous. / know Ball well and know
the inspiration of the whole matter.
Among others, Gen. Schwitzer who had
been for long time commander at Fl.
Ellis and inspector of supplies at Crow
Agency, who has a character altogether
above reproach or suspicion, gave
before our board testimony which
was highly complimentary to
the integrity and ability of Gen. Clapp
| Before the date of this report l was
specially detailed TO make an inspection
| of his agency. In consequence of re-
ports l undertook the task with some
what of prejudice against Gen. Clapp.
! examined his accounts thoroughly,
| placed his employees under oath, ques-
TONED them and took the dispositions
| of a large number of residents of the
country adjacent TO the agency. found
that, when placed under oath, not one of
| them knew anything in anyway detri-
| mental TO his character or administration.
| / found he was being most desperately
| fought by a set of unprlncipled whisky
traders and others, who scrupled at no
means TO crush any one who stood in the
way of their criminal business. found
that he was carrying on the work of
building new agency, under Difficult
ties, and an amount OF oppO-
sition and danger that would
have crushed any man who was not
| possessed of an unusual amount of
courage, ability and pluck. The Sioux
had invaded the Yellowstone valley, and
seemed bound to drive him out. They
attacked his encampment several times,
and twice ran off his teams. He could
not send out a working party for timber,
or other material, or for supplies, with
out guard of at least twenty men. They
occupied the country for a hundred
miles, between his new agency and the
nearest post or settlement, and were con.
stantly driving off his stock and killing
his men. No help could be obtained
from the army, and l was even Obliged
TO hire guard of citizens to reach his
post. Several men were killed Oh
wounded while was there, and il was
the universal expression of army officers
and citizens. that the whole party would
be massacred. But under all these diff
culties, he carried on his work success
fully, and defended his agency until the
Sitting Bull war, the following summer
cleared the country of the hostiles.
THE Custer massacre occurred but {
short distance below his place.
II afterwards had occasion To examine
the books of the Indian office with refer
ence to his expenditures, and found tina
the appropriation for the Crows was OF
that year the same that il had been thu
preceding year, with the provision
that a certain portion of the fund coulS
be used To erect a new agency; that Gen
Clapp did under orders issued befor,
he was appointed, build one of tn
largest and best agencies in the UniteC
States; that he had issued
very much larger amount O
ratiOns than had ever been issued TO thu
Crows in any previous year, owing Il
their more constant presence at the agen
cy; that he had been at very large ex
pense in defending the agency and work
ing parties, and that, while the appro
priatfon had in former years been all ex
pended, he had done all this work out O
the current fund, and had left surplus
of 1000, which he covered back int
the treasury.
IF that state of facts indicates a mar
who squandered or stole, or conniyed a
stealing, then / am no judge. He could
? have accomplished these results only bl
honesty, economy and ability of thu
highest order, by just such work as
l found him doing; and for the repor
of such man as Capt. Ed. Ball 10 b,
published to the world in the Congress
sional Globe as the official words Of al
army officer, without any showing of thu
result Of the investigations, reports and
afiidavits of officers of the highest stand
ing, against man who had done sucl
work as General Clapp had done is &
| gross and infamous outrage COIone
Watkins further expressed the hope tina
the people Of Kansas would not pas
hasty judgment in the case, as he in
tended, if no one else did, to bring III,
matter to the attention of congress ans
II cot tho T-ac0rd rioHf