The Billings herald. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1882-1885, 1885-03-07
The Grow Indian Agent Arraigns the
Billings Board Of Trade in
Characteristic Letter.
The Testimony Adduced by the Billings
Committee was too Clear, 30 Mud
is Thrown Upon it.

UNITED STATES INDIAN AGENCY.
CRow AGENCY, MONTANA, FEB. 10, 1885,
Hon. H. PRICE, Commissioner Indian At
fairs, Washington, D. c.:
SIR: By this time you have doubtless re
caived from H. H. Mund, representing thu
Billing; Board of Trade communication
purporting to be testimony of Crow Indi.
ans regarding the lease of a portion of this
reservation to Blake and Wilson, said testi
mony having been taken by the committee
as authorized by your telegram dated jan
uary II.
Iwant to say that the so-called testimony
is as great a mass of perjury (if such a
crime can be charged against wild Indi-
| am as was ever taken.
If We begin at the beginning of the tes-
timony, as taken down by the committee,
we find that nearly every Indian perjured
himself either of his own free will or be-
cause they were intimidated by the turbu-
lent hostile Indians who were present by n
previous arrangement of the committee,
for that especial purpose. Every Indian
who swore that they were threatened with
having their rationS stopped swore falsely.
believe the matter was as fully explained
and as fairly entered into as any agreement
tribes, or as it is possible to make an agree
ment with any tribe.
They were told that they would receive s 0
or $50 every year for each head of a family,
and that it would be paid to them in cash,
into the hands of each head of family
They were also told that at the time the
money came to be paid, if they wished to
do so, and by the consent of a majority,
and in no other way, they could use the
money to purchase an additional supply of
beef, and if they did not wish to do so then
the rations we were issuing would have to
be decreased still further to make our sup
ply of beef cattle last through the year.
This is the exact truth, and is all that was
said about the rations: and it is still the
understanding that each head of a family
will be called up and the cash paid into his
hand unless they hold another cOuncil and
agree and authorize the lessees to use the
money to purchase beef cattle. At the time
this matter was explained to them by Blake
l had not received the information from
the honorable Commissioner that the con-
tractor had been called on to deliver the ex-
ira q per cent. on his contract, but had re-
ceived communication stating that no
more beef cattle would be furnished US, and
the situation seemed desperate to me.
Iwant to show that the object of the com
mittee of the Billings Board of Trade in
coming here was not to take testimony, as
they had represented to the Honorable Com
missioner, but to incite tn . Indians. want
to show how they have delayed and defeated
the Government business-the regular bust
ness of the agency; want to show how they
have placed the turbulent, hostile element
in the Crow Nation in the ascendency-as it
had never been before-over that party
which is inclined to be peaceable and to set
tie down and live in houses and farm: how
they have done more harm here than any
agent can overcome in a whole year.
In the first place, they sent lying squaw-
man up here from the Yellowstone three or
four weeks before the committee came for
the purpose of finding out which Indians
were particularly unfriendly with me, as it
is impossible for any agent to conduct the
business of the agency without getting the
ill-will of some.
They next persuaded those unfriendly In
dians to go to junction City, and there
worked upon them, as one of the committee |
at least-Mr. McCormick-knows perfectly |
we'll how to do, until they had them fixed so
they would say anything the committee
wanted them to say.
They told the Indians falsehoods, such as
they (the Indians) had been deceived and |
cheated, and that instead of signing lease
hey had signed an agreement to sell their
They told the Indians that one member of |
he committee had just come from the Great !
Father; that he spoke by authority, and
therefore would tell them no lies. They pro-
:eeded to incite the Indians against the au-
hority of the agent; told them they must
lot sign any paper at the agency or even
ak to the agent about business, and in this
way have probably defeated the proposition
% amend the Grow treaty, which I consider
he second best thing have ever tried to do
or the Grows. And the paper sent here for
he signatures of the Grows, authorizing the
Commissioner to expend the $5,-
90 left from the purchase of annuities,
yould have been defeated if it had required
he signatures of n majority of the Crows, or
f all the chiefs.
They instructed the Indians that they
must not talk with their agent on business,
nd even had certain Indians remain near
his Office all the while to keep other Indians
rom coming to see their agent. They got
potted Horse, who is as mean an Indian as
yer lived, to sign the remonstrance against
he lease (the paper fixed up at Billings or
unction City, as war chief, something .
nat has never been done before, and per-
1aded him that he was the principal chief
the Grows, and then sent him back to
,timidate the whole tribe, and have them
xed by the time the committee would ar
i've at the agency.
On the day they took testimony, as they
alled it, they had Spotted Horse and Deaf !
ull (who is terror among the Crowsl take $
sats at the table next to the seat that was
sserved for the Indians the committee pro-
osed to questionsaftr the purpose of CON-
cling all the ca talk as they wanted