Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1880-04-12
THE UNITED STATES vs.. H. r. LIVINGSTON
To tie Prsss and Dako,oian.

THE UNITED STATES vs.. Il E. LIVINGSTON
To Ms Prsss and Dakotaion.
Now that the tobacco case against DR..
Livingston has been disposed Of in accord
auce with equity and ~justice, I know Of no
rule Of etiquette which forbids one to speak
whose eighteen wears of public service en-.
titles him to speak with knowledge of what
has bsen, il not what ought to have been.
Nine Of the eighteen years we're spent upon
the Missouri river, partly in the Indian and
partly in the military service. and mostly
At or in close proximity to Indian agencies.
I have not deemed it possible for any one
having knowledge Of the detsils of the SER
vice during the past ten years, to believe
Dr.. Livingston guilty Of fraud, or intent to
commit fraud, 10 any Of the cases upon
which he has thus far been tried. Belief in
his guilt, il it exists at all, could only ar
rise from ignorance of the service, or from
lack Of appreciation Of the intelligence and
common sense Of the man. No we'll inform
ed man who knows the accused, would do
such violence to his common sense ss to
suppose him guilty Of placing his good
name and personal liberty. as we'll Is the
honor and happiness Of his family, at the
mercy ofevery employee aud hanger.on at
his agency. The thing seems too absurd
for belief. No matter how avaricious a man
might be, the conditions Of the service i'm
posed no such necessity In order 10 CRAFTY
his ~avarice.
ISSUING SUPPLIES.
Having served under FIVE Indian agents,
and enjoyed the acquaintance more or less
intimately Of half q dozen others, I could not
we'll be in ignorance Of the customs of the
service. The custom was, with the fpc,
and presumably with the other sir, to keep
expenditures or issues on paper constantly
in excess Of actual expenditures. In other
words, the quantity of supplies of every
kind on hand Was constantly, aud some
times largely, in excess Of the amounts Civ
en- 10 the property returns. And if the rule
which over Jealous officials have attempted
to apply to Livingston should be applied to
all, l never saw a return made by an agent
which was not fraudulent.
The agents considered this course neces-
sary for various reasons. Indians we're
constantly coming and going, not only be-
tween the different agencies, but between
the 80 called hostile camps and the agencies.
On such occasions there we're always dances,
feasts. begging, and bulldoziug, all Of which
~necessitated irregular issues in order to
keep the peace and make savage hearts
"elad" As they expressed it.
The practice extended not only to tobac.
co and food, but in many cases TO annuity
goods also. I have seen the entire invoices
of goods issued OF paper, certified to on
honor and Witnessed BY the interpreter a.
done under his v observation. And vet,
during the entire winter, perhaps, there was
. blanket, OF apiece Of cloth, or a flannel
shirt forthcoming from the warehouse for
the Indian Who did any particular service
of merit, or who on account Of death in his
family gave away bis all. - was the custom,
as we'll - for outside Indians coming in to
visit their friends.
And yet, no one thought of there being
any fraud in such management. On the
contrary such practices were deemed a ne
cessity Of the service.
There were also At times ferry boats crews
and special watchmen employed from
amongst the more advanced Indians for
whose payment the department made no
provision. Such Indians we're usually con
tent to serve for extra rations Of tobacco,
sugar and coffee, and the margins were a.
ways large enough to cover these extra
items.
Another reason given for. such advance
expenditures was that if called upon At any
moment to turn over their charge to q sue.
cessor, there could be no possible deficiency
to vex them.
When I took charge Of the medical odice
at Grand River, in 1869, l received a large
amount of medical and hospital supplies
which had been expended on paper. lap
piled to the agent then in charge and to his
successor to allow me TO take such property
mp upon the medical property return. Each
refused to take up any property which he
hsd not receipted for, aud I ceased to give
myself any trouble about II. Six years later,
when I catered the military service, I turned
over . considerable amount Of that properly
70 my soocessor.
MONTY PAYxEKTs.
It will sever eesse. 10 b . wonder sosuy.
except those who have allowed passion 10