The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1885-12-04

Soon afterwards. General Crook was
ordered 10 Washington for consultation,
ana IN his presence; after a full discus
SION, memorandum was signed by the
secretaries of War and Interior by
which the police have control of the
entire reservation, was vested in the
var department. The scope of this
control. he says, twas thoroughly dis
clsSed, and as thoroughly understood,
not only by myself. but by other
persons present, viz: The Secretary of
War, Secretary of the Interior and
Commissioner of Indian Affairs. The
idea that the authority which I had
alred y exercised on The reservation
simply as matter Of necessity was to
be degree lessened, or limited, was
never even limited at. On the contrary,
my duties and powers were by agree
ment expressly Recognized and mace
OF record aud were eXercised
and enforced without any objection
Tor nearly two years. Upon this
express understanding, l made my
self responsible for the peace and quiet
Of the Indians. For more than two
years there was not single depreGa-
ton by the Apaches for the first time
in the memory OF the white man, that
-
enjoyed in Arizona and New Mexico
As 1 have said be ore, up to this tine,
the Indian Department seemed only
too willing to have me manage
The entire Indian business, giving
me the most hearty cooperation,
and / certainly could MT con-
ceiyes that with the added danger
of the Chiricahuas, there would be-any
less degree of cooperation. Months
atterward, 1t appears that on the very
day the above agreement was entered
into, the Secretary OF the Interior
wrote Agent Wilcox in terms which
must have convinced MIN that neither
be nor the Commissioners of Indian
a fairs were in accordance with Y,
views as TO the Indian mama e,
msnr and at the same time,
saving the agreement was a make
shift to relief them from responsibility
and transfer IL TO my shoulders,
also limiting that the expression Ct
views adverse to the methods of settle
ment, would oe agreeable to the De-
partment. The result was inevitable,
and on the 18th of September, l find
that Agent Wilcox is complaining co
the Interior Department with refer
ence to the agreement that it de-
priYed him of his power of his gov
eminent of the Indians, and left
little TO sustain his authority and Ie-
commencing its termination. l have
no knowledge OF the contents of the
confidential communications between
the Indian Department and Its agent.
but as a sequel. find that early in the
December following, in less than
fifteen months, the Commissioner
of Indian Affairs, in let
ter TO the Secretary OF the Interior,
takes the ground that the agreement
was with the understanding that the
military officers were to have supervi-
sion of the police regulations on the
reservation, under the direction and
with the approval of the Indian agent.
With this action of the Interior De-
par ment officials at Washington it
is not to be wondered that the dangers
of divided control and want of
cooperation should become manifest.
In December, 1885, Agent Wilcox
was relieved, and Ford was appointed
in his place. The new agent worked in
harmony, but by the middle of January
he took another course. General Crook
reported the matter, and asked that his
administration be sustained or he re-
heved OF the responsibility. He was
instructed, pending conference be-
tween the two Departments at Wash
ington, not to interfere with the
farming operations of the Indians.
who are not considered as prisoners
aud informed that the question of re-
lieving him, must in the public interest
be held in abeyancss for the present.
ThereupOn, General Crook wrote the
Adjutant-General letter. the conclud-
ing paragraphs of which are as follows:
Gas this RICH, of control has now
been withdrawn from me, l mustre-
spectf lily decline to be any longer
held responsible for the behavior
of any Indians on that reservation.
Further, L regret being compelled to
say that, in re using to relieve me of
this responsibility (as requested in my
letter of January Goth, } and at the same
tiRe ia'ling from me the power by
which these Indians have been con-
trolled and compelled to engage in in
dustrial pursuits, the war department
destroys my influence aud does an in
Justice to me and to the service which
I represent. The quito me OF the matter
" Is the appointment of Captain f. K.
Pierce, First Infantry, as Indian
Agent at San Carlos, and the dangers
from divided responsibility were at an
end.