New-York tribune., 1880-01-11


always consistent. The annual report OF the
BOARD will be an important one.
HARDSHIPS OF AN AGENT.
vp rRosT's STATEMENT OF HIS TROUBLES At TIE
CROW AGENCY--REMoVED WITHOUT A HEARING
on ApFlDAvITs FROM THE TRADER-DEFARr
MFNT INCONSISTENCIES.
IBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUSEl
WASHINGTON, Jan. 10.-The committee appointed
nv the Board OF Indian Commissioners to lnVesn-
gate the accusations against Mr.. flayt began lis
work to-day Other committees Will give the me'h-
ods of administering the Indian Bureau immediate
attention Among the documents submitted al inc
meeting Of tine Board of Indian Commissioners was
astatement by MIR Geo. W Frost, of Omaha, late IN
dian AGENT At the Crow Agency in Montana III his
statement Mr.. Frost says that he was appointed
AGENT in July. 1877, on the nomination of the MIS-
sionary Secretary of the Methodist Episcopal
Church and that his nomination was lndOIsed by
fonr b,shops and several leading cergymen ana
laymen of that Church, by the leading citizens Oh
Omaha. by the entire Nebraska delegation IN Con-
oress and by other congressman Mr. Frost tur-
thor saws that il was only after long Importantly
that he consented to accept the Office lie then de-
scribes the condition of affairs at the agency wheh
he fast entered upon his duties and the improve
meuts which he made. He says:
Merchants, bankers, clerRymen. editors, mill
torv men. and all Indian meu said Il have it in
black and white) that it was the cleanest, best
managed agency that they had ever seen in long
residence in the Indian country"
Affairs were in this condition when. Mr.. Frost says,
he received orders TO look carefully after the Indian
traders and find ont whether they were cheat-
ing Indians On investigation he found that one OF
the traders was an exceedingly bad man. lie was
charging the Indians exOrbitant prices for every
thing they bought He sold the whites sugar at 20
cents a pound, and made the Indians pay 90 cents
cash for the same sugar He gave twelve brass
rings worth cent apiece for buifaio robe worm
s. Mr. Frost says that he reported the result Oh
his TO the Department and all the re-
ply he receive@ was that the traders on ming
their bonds would be appointed traders" Some time
afterward Mr.. Frost says that he was indicted.
Charges were trumped up against him by one Of
tbe traders and supported by peTjured testimony.
As soon as the case could be brought to trial, Mr.
Frost was triumphanty vindcated Notwithstand-
ing this Mr. Frost says he removed from his
Office and an incompetent, dishonest man was sent
10 succeed him. Difficulties arose about the trans
for of public property, and the agency was placed
under the control of military officer General
Brisbin, the military commander, at first gave cur
repcy 20 reports detrimental 20 Agent Frost, but as
soon as he became fully conyersant with the facts
When was notified that there charges against
me the Department. asked for copy aud they were
me. with the promise made by senator saunders M
three days after had received theD ana whch ~ Wouu
take at ess. three 20 Boue g Wy had not
sponded and three more days the agent her' IA l
lls commission TO supeTsede me had no opportunity
10 defend myself although Hayt lad soienny prom
isedt &c 1,,;o,, ffoirs
attempts to manage the details of an agency in
,-1,,l oil OF 6eG< IN
and he relates number of circumstances TO show
how this works. For example. he says that he was
informed that twenty-seven pigs had been shipped
to him from Dakota. He adds " never saw the
pigs and do not know what became OF them. 1t
would cost more to ship one pig from Dakota that
to buy twenty in Montana" He also says
"During my administration, the Bozeman Bank,
where had the Government deposits. failed. OF
course had no funds. Mr.. layt telegraphed me
that would be held responsible for the amount held
by the bank, when lying on my desk was
the printed notice that this bank was the
proper place TO deposit and that the Government
was secured by deposits amounting to $4,000
Besides there then three written orders IN The
pigeon-holes at the agency, ordering depos TO be
made in that bank"
Mr. Frost complains that important letters WIT
ten to the Department relating TO the rights OF
"squaw men, the duties of traders, trespassing Oh
the reservation, farming operations the educati On
of children, etc, were never answered. lic closes
a long enumeration of bis grievances as follows
But will give further details. Suffice II TO say that
experience agent-and mine Is similar 10 all
agents that have tak>d wItll-proyes TO that an
ageu from the moment that he receives his commits
sion, ~ an object Of suspicion TO the Government
that his hedged ana his plans Tor the good
OF the Indians thwarted IN every possible way u do
not mean apply this 10 Mr.. Smiths administration
gave much assistance); that the anldaNu OF
some river-:hief has much influence apparently IN
the Department. and often more than letters from me
Church authorities who are on the spot or from the
leading men, IA the Governor of the Territory
Wnen went to Washington Hayt positively refused
let the charges the ahdavits made against
and said his clerk did wrong I'm sending me copies oi
the aidavts made by the traders The reason ne as
signed that II had them might commence suits
for libel against the parties and in that case he would
get no more testimony. will add that when Mr Uayt
FIRST asked FOR removal riend, senator oauDdels
his office TO inquire what were the charges The
that " there were none.' but that the
Mc;hodists lad asked Cor my removal" The Senator
having business In New-York, called on Dr. Reid, MIS-
slonary Secretary, who said that " there dis
the part OF the Methodsts and that the
inent." away from the agency at least s7,0OO
poorer than when | accepted the charge. | never
made nor received divided 81, but did my duty
more faithfully than for any corporation by which
employed No fault was found with nv adminisira
trst0n except by tbs traders ana the agents OF the
Government vino have since been proved Dribrd scoun
dres or else presumed to be FROM iraernzug viii
the traders. have maIigned. traduced and Sian
Government has ~ every instance DaCke'
these cjued wretches, with fud knowledge vi Incl
Infamous characters.