The Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1885-1886, 1886-07-06
THE INDIAN QUESTION.
THE PA WNEE AGENCY SUIT.
Ex-Agent Bowman Manfully States
His POsitiOn--The Injustice Of the
Case Plainly Shown.

His Position The Injustice Of the
Case Plainly Shown.
Mention has heretofore been made in
these columns of suit of the government
against Dr. E. II. Bowman, of Audalusia,
late Indian agent of the Pawnee tribe,
to recover an amount alleged to be due
the government from him The suit comes
off in Chicago this week, and the
defendant claims that he is not
indebted TO the government for one
cent, but on the other hand, says there is
a balance of unpaid salary due him. Of
course everybody in Rock Island county
who knows DR.. Bowman and his mode
of doing business, entertains no idea
other than that he has been made party
to an unjust suit, and that the legal solv>
ing of the case will reveal the true sta>
tus of the case, which viii sustain the
doctors position, as, he states 1t in the fol-
lowing communications
Editor of the Argus:
ANDALusIA. July 4.-You are advanced
guard on all public questions: therefore
l address you. 1t is known to all my
fellow citizens that | was Indian agent
for the Pawnees | took service under
the Hon Carl Schurz, He was honest
and wanted good men. In conversation
| with the Hon. J. B. Hawley he com,
planned of the quality of the men usually
obtained for agents, and ]. B. Hawley
| told him ne knew a man that would lust
suit him, If he could get him. TIE result
| was had an invitation to go to Washing
ton. Submitting the invitation to very
dear friend, he said, they are looking
for "a man to fill place and want you"
| so | went on to Washington and had a
personal interview with the Hon. Carl
SchuTz. and the result was, was appoint
| ed
AGENT FOR THE PAwNEES.
Tue situation was SO serious there that
| was ordered TO proceed to the work and
assume control Immediately on arrival |
did so and found demoralized tribe
the utmost disorder-the commissary gut
ted-the tribe, 1850 souls, starving, two
months before the commissary's supplies
could be issued by the new agent. organ
lied train of wagons and teams bylaw
nee Indians under nv farmer. | had to
furnish provision for these poor savaees
to 90 one hundred miles, or else the much
needed food could not be hauled To the
agency. The entire amount of cost was
disallowed to me, quickly found | was
in "a sheol' OF Il place, or fix. never
found it any better Carl Schurz was
honest. Gov kirkwoOd was honest.
bad no difficulty with them, but | found
clerks
SENT BY THE INDIAN OFFICE
who were not capable OF correctly run
ming family grocery, in charge of
all my business, and they We're each one
sent by the Indian office. special spy on
me, and reporting weekly 10 the Indian
office. This was uncomfortable. and
finally made it 50 hot for the last miser-
able cuss that he incontinently left |
then, by lnfieNi6le obstlnacy, had my
daughter as chief clerk. and VIM. r. Lit
tie, OF Bowling, in this county, as nv
commissary clerk Then had mvend of
the line under my control, but did not
have the other end in my power, as
| found out soon. | mad taken the bit in
my teeth. The politicians undertook to
control all the appointments of the sub
ordinates and fill my school with their own
teachers The man who was most ac-
tive and got the Endorsement of prominent
politicians, spelled boarding school,
'b0reding. This was heavier bore than
| thought any part of my duty to the
country, or the Indians required me to
stand. | urgently requested to be let
alone, and not be put into the hands of
the politicians. | would have none of
that kind of folks to help civilze the
Indians. | soon found that | was an
tagonlzed at the other end OF the line,
I Washington. Every obstruction pos
: sble was put in my way. An inspector
who came under as believe, the aus
pieces of the politicians, who considered
the Indian Territory, "their oyster, was
seemingly determined to make me out Il
thief, in collision with the trader to cheat
and defraud the Indians AsI
NEVER HAD BEEN A THIEF
and had no disposition to acquire the
character so late in life, | determined.
after having awake all night, to Kill the
cuss before shutdown. if he did not
change his course. He took in the situa>
ton, without single word from Inc.
only when be asked me ia the morning
what is the matter?' | simply said hell
is the matter" He quickly sent out
runners and had council. | determined
to be present, although the inspectors
had been calling councils with the In
dams and excluding the agent. His
whole object was to save his own bacon.
in rambling rigmarole speech, he
shamefully abused all my predecessors and
then turning to me he said, this man
never stole a cent from you nor let any
body else steal, that he could hinder.
This statement, publicly made. let the
truculent United States inspector out
and let me out, or there would have been
q first class sensation, in the murder of
United States Indian inspector by a
United States Indian agent. | am only
sorry had not carried out my program
me. Ii would have cost me possibly a
very few years of life but it might have
opened the eyes and minds of the think
ing people of the United States to the
terrible iniquities of the Indian system.
found as the inspector told me, that l
would be antagonized at the other end of
the line" found my best and most
earnest efforts for the civilization of the
Indians ''antagonized at the other end
of the line" had believed and still
believe that the American people meant
justice and civilization for the Indians.
| was slowly and painfully compelled to
come to the conclusion that this was an
egregious blunder, or else that the Indian
department antagonlzed the moral. man
ly and intellectual sense of the American
people, and did not mean either justice or
| civilization for these unfortunate rem
nants of a naturally noble race | am
certain the people mean and wish justice;