National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1880-01-30
The INDIAN BUREAU.
Secretary SChurz Has His Eyes
Opened.
A Late Favorite In Disgrac ce-Commissloner or
Hayt summarily Dismissed d-Disclo
Before the Investigating Commit
tee-Confession of a Confcd-
erate-An Ad Interim
appointment, &c.
Revelations of omciai Misconduct.


rection Of General Clinton b. Fisk, of St.
Louis and tho Board of Indian Commissioners
ended Yesterday In a very dramatic manner
and the removal Of Commissioner Hayt from
office WIS summary ami instantaneous. When
the Board Of Indian Commissioners met here
for its annual meeting on the 10th oil january,
General Fisk submitted a series OF charges
against Indian Commissioner 1layt and Indian
Inspector Hammond, accusing them of mall
feasance and corruption in office. The charges
were Indignantly denied by both gentlemen,
aud Secretary Schurz himself pronounced
them the outgrowth Of a malicious prejudice
on the part OF General Fisk. The board ap-
pointed Il committee, consisting of its pIesi-
dent, Mr.. Batstow, of Providence; Il S secretary,
Mr.. Stickney, of Washington, and Friend
Smiley, Quaker member from Pennsylvania
Barstow heard the dcnials of Hayt aud Ham
mond, and left for home, writing II state
ment, which was published in the Provi-
dence papers aud telegpphea everywhere
by the Associated Press, in which he
acquitted both Hayt and Hammond of
the charges and pronounced them both
honest and efficient men. But with General
Fisk as prosecutor, Messrs. Smiley and
Stckney went on with the investigation.
They wero given room In the basement of
the Interior Department building, and invited
Commissioner Hayt to appear before them.
Much to their surprise Mr.. Hayt requested
that his counsel, Messrs Shellabarger and
Wilson, be allowed to be present during the
investigation, and although the committee had
neither executive nor judiciary powers, aud
represented an advisory organization without
power TO send for papers or compel the attend
aneo of witnesses, Mr.. Hayt contested every
step with as much vigilance as if he had boon
on trial for his life.
General Hammond was one of the first wit
nesses sent for, and the committee was u sec
ond time surprised at the announcement that
he was no longer connected with the Indian
Bureau, having resigned and left for Chicago
few hours before. But the committee pro-
ceeded without Mr. Hammond up to Monday
last, aud found abundant proof of the truth of
every charge that had been made by General
Fisk. Most of this proof came through official
records. Among other charges was one that
Commissioner Hayt was corruptly inter.
ested in n silver mine that had boen
found on an Indian reservation in Ari-
zona, aud that Hammond had, at Hayt's
request, resuryeyed the boundaries of tho
reservation so that the mines should be
left out and upon the public domain. Mr..
Hammond was at the same time in Arizona
investigating tho charges of fraud against
Agent Hart, of San Carlos Agency, when Mr..
Hart became aware of the transaction of
the silver mine In order to close his
mouth. by direction of Commissioner Hayt,
in July last General Hammond wrote o letter
to Mr.. Hart, promising not to prosecute him.
This letter came into tho possession Of Gen.
eral Fisk The committee wrote several let
ters to General Hammond at Chicago, urging
him to come here and explain the matter.
They also endeavorod to impress upon Com
missioner Hayt the necessity of an cXplana-
tion, and it seems that he telcgraphod Gen
eral Hammond to meet him in New York.
The two met there on Sunday last, and ar
rived here on Monday morning.
Instead Of going to the Riggs House, where
he had always stopped, General Hammond
went to second class, quiet hotel, and his
nrnspnne WAS unknOwn here unlil he Cpnn
Voluntarily before the committee on Monday
morning and in the presence of Commissioner
Hayt swOre that the letter to Hart alluded to
was IAN elegant forgery" Mr. Hammond
was examined at length and denied nll
the alleged crOokedness OF the min
ing transactions. The same evening ho
left town. On Tuesday the committee
had before II Secretary Schurz and several at
taches Of tho Indian Bureau who were familiar
with General Hammond's pcnmanship, and
every one unhesitatingly pronounced the let
ter genuine Secretary Schurz said very en-
phatically that he believed ii to be so. 1t was
carefully compared with the other manuscript
Of Hammond's, and no doubt of the genuine
ness of the letter was left in the minds of the
committee. On Wednesday tho committee,
having completed its work, requested Commits
sioner Hayt TO make statement In oxpaua.
tiOm of the evidence, but he declined to do so
for the reason that his counsel were absent
The committee had accepted this excuse aud
adjourned, first placing copy of the testimony
they had taken in the hands of Secretary
Sclrurz. The following story of the final re-
suit was telegraphed by Mr. w. Il, Curtis to
his paper last night:
Commissioner Hayt was to have been heard
yesterday, aud yesterday morning about 10
o'clock, when General Fisk, who has been the
prosecutor in the case, was leaving the Riggs
House to go to the meeting, he met General
Hammond at the door looking very pale and
haggard. General Fisk WIS surprised to soc
him. and Offering his hand General Hammond
said:
General, | would like few moments CON.
vcrsation with you before you go to the com
mittGo."
General Fisk exclaimed in reply, "Why,
Hammond, what is the matter with you 2"
General Hammond replied that he was suf
fering very much in mind and in body
General Fisk led him to a sofa in the reading.
room of the Riggs House. General Ham.
mond commenced to make AN explanation of
his evidence before the committee on Wednes-
day. lie said that the letter TO Hart WAS not
forgery, bat in bis own handwriting. Mr..
Hammond had gotten this far when he turned
very pale, and asked General Fisk to get him
"A glass of water, and sank into unconscious
ness. General Fisk called for help, carried him
TO tho elevator and had him taken 10 his own
room. A doctor was sent for and restoratives at
onco applied. General Hammond recovered
slowly, aud as soon as he became conscious,
asked that secretary SchufI ana the lnVestl'
cation Committee be sent for, A doctor was
IN the meantime at hand and pronounced II
rheumatism of the heart, advising entire
quiet, but General Hammond insisted upon
making "A statement Mt once in the presence Of
Secretary Schura and the committee, fearing
ho would die with a load upon his conscience.
The statement that was made at intervals
while General Hammond was scarcely able to
utter u sound, was In effect n confession that
the charges made by General Fisk were sub.
stautially true; that the letter to Agent Hart
alluded TO above was genuine; that it was
written by the direction of Commissioner
Hayt; that he had resigned his Office as In.
spoctor rather than face tho committee, He
had denied the geuuineness of the letter at the
earnest solicitations of Commissioner Hayt,
He intended to come to Washington and make
confession to tho committee when Mr.. Hayt
telegraphed him to 90 to New York. at Hayts
request lie went 10 an obscure hotel so that he
would not come in contrct with General Fisk,
This was The substance Of General Ham
mond's confession Secretary schuIz went at
once to tho White House, had private in'
terview with the President, returned to tho
Interior Department with an order peremp'
torily dismisslug IIayt from Office The Sec