Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1884-08-22

Connection with the Management at Pine
Ridge Agency.
To tie Pres and Dakotaian.
United States Indian Service. Pine
Ridge Agency, Dakota; August 18th,
lSS4-As matter of duty to the govern
ment. and my friends, 1 would request
as o simple act of justice, space in your
columns for the following brief state
ment in answer to certain libelous, un-
truthful and malicious charges recently
given to the public press by an individu-
al haiIing from Washington, who totally
lacking in any personal or practical
knowledge of Indians, has by his lawless
and meddlesome interference with the
affairs of this agency, placed the lives Of
some of the white residents in jeopardy
for the reason that having already in the
guise of philanthropist, swindled these
Indians out of several hundred dollars
for so.called iattorney fees, for which the
Indians can show no value received, l
felt it my duty to remove him from the
reservation, to preserve peace and quiet
at the agency, and protect the Indians
against further imposition.
In answer to the charges of fraud and
mismanagement on my part I would
briefly state that in connection with the
public service, I can be found on record
in the treasury department from 1866 to
1868, as resident physician Marine hos
pital service; in the war department as
topographer; in the o. s. lake survey
service from 1869 to 1878; in the state
department as topographer on the
international survey of the 49 deg.
parallel in 1874; in the interior depart.
ment as chief topographer of the survey
of the Black Hills in 1875; in the war
department as attending surgeon of the
second and third o. s. cavalry in the
Sitting Bull or Big Horn expedition Of
1876, and as assistant post surgeon and
post surgeon in tho department of the
Platte and Dakota in 1878. and in the
Indian department as agent I'm
charge of this agency from March 1875
up to present time.
During my five years of service as
agent, the books of the treasury depart
show that have issued and disbursec
between two and three million dollars il
property and funds, and my account W
to date show no shortage, and that ever.
dollar has been honestly and properl,
accounted for.
In regard to my reputation for hon
| esty, veracity, sobriety, morality ant
, ability as public official, I would refe
to the foregoing record, and by permits
sion to Generals Sheridan, Crook ant
Howard and numberless other officers o
the army, Bishops Hare and Marty, o
the Episcopal and Roman Catholi
churches of Dakota, ex.Secretarie
/. Schurz and Kirkwood and their respec
tive Indian commissioners, Senator
Dawes, Logan and Cameron, of th,
senate Indian committee, Herbert Welsl
) of the Indian rights association, of Phil
3 adelphia, and others too numerous t.
mention.
Finally, to eettle for all time thes
charges that, in spite of repeated inves
tigations by inspectors, commissions an
}. committees, are being repeatedly mad
! against my character, I will make q fai
! business proposition to have commit
tee of three members appointed, to b
made up Of one officer of the army, cor
versant with the condition of these lr
dians prior to my assuming charge c
them five years ago, one officer of th
interior department, and one disinteres
ed citizen.
Let the committee visit and examin
thoroughly into the condition of affair
at the agency and reservation. my pat
management and my previous recor
and if they can find aught against m
character as an official, or man, or m
=. ability as q manager. or that the vat
- majority of these Indians do not sustai
y me, I will willingly suffer dishonorab
dismissal.
n Should the department be deterre
d from appointing the committee. by re-
% son of lack OF proper appropriation
u pay the expenses. I would propose to m
sr accusers that they give bonds to pay Il
n expenses il am not found guilty, and
give bonds to pay the expenses if a
i, found guilty. Very respectfully,
:, V. L. T.McGlLLYcuDpY,
3 United States Indian Agen
ir --------
n For your OYSTERS and Ice Crea,