New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-01-29
INVESTIGATING Mr.. HAYT.

and faces well-known In the religious life of the
city graced the occasion by their presence
INVESTIGATING MR.. HAYT.
SOME IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENTS REPoRTED-CIR-
CUMsTANTIAL AND DOCUMENTARY EVIDENCE IN
SUPPORT OF GENERAL FIsK's ACCUSATIONS.
lBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNEl
WASHINGTON. Jan. 2S.-The committee appointed
by the Board of Indian Commissioners, on the re-
quest of Secretary Schurz to investigate the
tons brought by General Fisk against Commissioner
Hayt has been steadily at work for nearly three
weeks 1t is said that the committee will complete
its labors this week.
special meeting of the Board will be held in
New-York next Tuesday, to receive and consider
the report of the committee, and to agree upon
recommendations to the Secretary of the Interior.
The sessions of the committee have been Sc
cret. but some of the facts developed have al
ready leaked out. good deal of attention
has been devoted to the Arizona Mine
scandal. with which it was asserted both Commits
sioner Hayt and Indian Inspector Hammond were
connected. Ii may be remembered that i'll
letter from Mr. Hayt to The TRIBUNE, which was
published December "a, 1879, the Commissioners
in reply to the accusation that the proceedings
against Agent Hart of the San Carlos Agency, had
not been prosecuted with due diligence, said the ac-
cusatons against Hart had been made the subject OF
a communication to the Department of Justice on
the 23d of October last. The committee has dis
covered that the only subject relating to the Ari-
zona business on which the Commissioner
of Indian Affairs had written to the Attorney
General, was one relating to some irregularities
about beef contract. The charges against Agent
Hart which were specified by General Fisk. were
quite different matter. and these charges, Ii has
been found by the committee, were not sent from
the Department of the Interior to the Attorney
General until the 9th of January. more than
two weeks after Commissioner Hayfs letter was
written TO The TRIBUNE, and the day after General
Fsk's accusations were presented to the Secretary
of the Interior 1t is reported that the committee
was considerably staggered by the discovery.
Ex-Indian Inspector Hammond was examined by
the committee several days ago. 1t came out.
in his examination. that he met Commits
soner Hayt in New-York last Sunday morn
ing, in response to telegram from the
latter and that they came on to Washington to-
gether In the course of Mr.. Hammond's examina-
tion he was confronted with the following letter:
EVANSTON. H.. July :. 1870.
To II. L. HART, Esq, San Carlos Indian Agency
po TO s tRo HonolSSe Secretary Of Ge fS
terror and the Honorable Commissioner of Indan
o"I so Arizona to Complete my worS as to San
Carlos and the other agency in the Territory,
ToSr Toa resenaon was accepted and further that have
decided that will hle the afidavits made against
you. will make whatever OF them against
you.
1t does not seem TO me necessary TO DO Very
specuully, j. IL. HAMMOND.
In forwarding this letter to FISK, Hart says that
"it was given in answer to a request to the
charges said to have been made against me agent.
| have never seen them nor have / the least
idea what they are" Hsrfs letter is dated at
Constitution, Ohio, January 8, 1850. After
reading this letter Mr.. Hammond pronounced
is to be an elegant forgery. 1t Is, however
the unanimous opinion of the clerks and officials in
the Indian Office. who familiar with Ham
mond's handwriting and signature, tnat the letter
In Inspector Hammonds letter to Commissioner
Hayt, written from the San Carlos agency lhsi
Spring, he informs the Commissioner that
he has taken a bond bond in in the washington s,ic
Nine, from Agent Hart: The Washington Nine
and is the same mine afterward bought from Hart
by Mr., Edward Knapp, who is said TO be Nephew
of Commissioner Hayt, and "A member OF bis faillly
Ii is reported that Inspector Hammond, who left
here quite suddenly on the evening OF the day he
testified, will appear before the committee tins
week. lt understood that he L. determined not TO
be made scapegoat Of if he can help II.
1t would seem that in regard 10 the two points
above mentioned, the evidence against Mr.. Hoyt
thus far is of circumstantial and documentary
character only. He is represented before the com
mlttee by eminent legal counsel.
The feeling against Mr.. Hayfs administration
appears TO be very general and quite bitter
Prominent members Of Congress have re-
ceived many letters from constituents supple
menting the accusations brought BY General Fish
and offering proof to sustain them. One member OF
the House has received letter from leading and
Influential member of the Hckste Branch of the
Society of Friends in which the writer says:
II General Fisk will secure some papers OF barclay
White, Mount Holly, New-Jersey he VIII have
enough to put Mr. Hayt in a very tight place. Hayt
must go. we must 60 The orthodox friends
have gone. Now will thee put General
Fisk in possession OF this Information Immediately
receipt Of this and help in this matter Thee is
sonal friend OF President and If nc knew hnf OF
HaYts cOrruptiOn he would have him bounced at once"