Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1885-04-29
TELLER TALKS BACK.

And Annihllates the Theory Of the
Fargo Eiend-AuditOr Caldwell Puts
in a Word.
Bismarck, April 27-James n. Teller,
secretary of the territory, addressed the
following statement to the st. Paul
Pioneer Press:
Your Fargo telegram connecting me
with the lands of the Winnebago reser-
vation is entirely false. / visited WASH
ington early in February to attend to
several matters before the department
and to aid Delegate Raymond in secur-
ing deficiency appropriation for legis-
lative purposes. The question Of open.
ing the reservation had been under dis
cussion for four years, and the opening
had been earnestly urged by Delegate
Raymond, as we'll as by many citizens of
Dakota. On my arrival at Washington
found that MIR. Belt, of the Indian
Office, and Assistant Attorney General
McCammon had just concluded very
thorough investigation of the right of
the president to open the reservation,
in which they came to the conclusion
that the presidents right was beyond
question. I assisted IN drafting the
order for the reason that as q member
of the Sioux commission which
visited the Fort Thompson agency two
years ago, and made on agreement for
the cession of these very lands, I knew
what lands the Indians occupied and
which ought. therefore, to be reserved
for them. Delegate Raymond also was
freely consulted in the drafting OF the
order. I was in Washington but four
days, and on my return did not, as your
correspondent states, visit either Mitcu.
ell or Huron. l had not to exceed fifteen
minutes conversation with Day in
Washington, and the opening of the res.
ervation was never subject Of conver-
sation or correspondence between us.
have no knowledge of his operations. and
neither nor any of my friends are con.
nected with them in any way. have
no interest, directly or indirectly, in any
land in the tract opened, and favored
Its opening only as did many others, be-
cause it was believed to be in the inter
est of the territory. I am acquainted
with the efforts made to secure the order
of President Arthur, and know his
action was not due in the slightest de
gree to the influence of speculators OF
land-grabbers. It is far from creditable
to the intelligence of your correspond
ent that he should concoct so absurd {
story to account for the issue OF an ordel
which was prayed for by numerous peti
tions on file at Washington, and which
was discussed in the papers for week
before the issue. The effort to opel
this reservation was the moving cause o
the act Of congress in 1882, under which
the Sioux commission was appointed
and that intelligent writer's should con
ceive it necessary to find some occul
and dishonest reason for the action o
President Arthur in restoring to the pub
lie domain of land, which, under his con
structioh of the treaty of 1868, he had
right to restore, can be accounted TO
only on the theory that an action relat
ing to Indian affairs is prima facia, ii
the minds of these writer's, tainted Wit
fraud.
. cALpwEL1's TESTIMONY.
st. Paul Pioneer Press, 25th: Terri
torial Auditor. E. w. Caldwell, en- rout
from Bismarck to Sioux Falls, passe
through st. Paul last night. He wa
interviewed regarding the Fargo tele
gram published in Yesterdays Pionee
Press, charging that the Winnebaeo an
Grow Greek reservations had been OF
ened for the benefit of Secretary Telle
and N. h. Day. whose plans had bee
thvarted by President Cleveland's Z,