Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1886-09-23
A DAKOTA AGENCY.
Extensive Reform Claimed at Pine
Ridge the Indian Commissioners

i Extensive Reform Claimed at PIN.
, Ridge the Indian Commissioner.
Washington, speclal-Indian Com
missioner Atkins gives publicity to some
ssartilng ngufes In regard to the Pine
mage Indian agency, Oak. There has
peen an extensive publication Of letters
ana kilograms, more or less confidential,
Win regard to this agency. Commits
sloner Atkins summarizes the facts as
follows:
On entering this Office became satis-
led that there was stealing going on at
some of the Indian agencies, and that
where this was carried out it could only
be done with tie active connivance OF
this bureau. | accordingly adopted n
general policy that tie clerks of Indian
agents should no longer be selected
by the agents themselves, but should be
designated by this office. One of the
first to protest against this new rule was
Agent MoGillicuddy of Port Ridge.
he had clerk named Brown whom he
inslsted should be retained, and he ad- |
Vanced all sorts of untenable arguments
ABOUT confusion of accounts. aud his 1.-THE |
agents) responsibilities of mis- band, all |
OF Which were utter nonsense, because
tbe CLERK OF al Indian agent Is not /
recognized I'D any financial Transaction
%iaSo7sf. detailed for service in place
OF mr.. brown Mr. Clark, one of the
oest and most trusted clerks In the
whole department MIR. McGillicuddy
TO receive him, and at last be-
came SO insubordinate that [ was com
pelled to ask his removal. He was re-
moved and an officer of the regular
army, Capt. James M. Bell, was detailed
to take his place. Soon after Capt. Bell
took charge he also was induced to pro-
test against the removal of Brown.
insisted, and eventually Brown
was removed and CLARK
was installed. Now, see the
result. The number of Indians reported 6
at the agency during McGiIlicuddy'sl
and Browns regime was 7ll4, and
their subsistence for the last fiscal wear I
cost $249,S94 The agricultural impIe-
ments, etc, supplied in addition footed
up further sum of S6S,47O. making a /
Total of $3lS, ,S64, or at the rate of q little
over $65 for every man, woman and
,hild. The total number of Indians
hat the new commissioner, With the aid
of the new clerk, has been able to find
on the reservation is 4,S73, a reduction
ef 2,24l. Thus in this one agency alone.
by the simple change OF agent and clerk
sh annual saving OF over $l57. 900 has
oeen effected. l do not make any
'harges against MoGillicuddy. He is |
'ut OF service, but do say, on this .
'howing that there is an immense
of the public money which has
gone to some bourne from which there !.
8 no return.
Then with great animation the com.
missioner proceeded to denounce the
Indian rights association and Mr."
Herbert Welsh, and he said.
want you to quote me as saying
hat all attacks that have been made
Upon the removal of McGiilIcuddy and
lis clerk, Brown, and also the attacks
hat have been made with respect to the
Jrow River agency where convicted
elon who had served two years in the
Minnesota peniteptiary was employed
IS clerk was instigated by this Indian
ightH association and Herbert Welsh.
lnder the guise of philanthrophy, but
eally for partisan purposes.