St. Paul daily globe., 1888-03-10
A Strong Plea That Their
Rights May Be Protected b
by the Authorities. r
The Sugar Trust Investiga-
tion Goes Merrily on With 2
Unvarying Monotony. L
A Dull Saturday in the Ma
tons Capitol--General
Washington News. q q
Special to the Globe.

Special 10 the GlODe.
WASHINGTON, March 9.-James o.
Curran, of Ashland, James j. COffey,
half-breed, from the Fond du Lac re-
servatiOn, and Phineas Callaghan, of
Chippewa Falls, gave sworn testimony
to-day before the senate investigating
committee, Platt, Chandler and Black
burn, concerning timber depredations
on the Chippewa reservations in Wis
cOnsin. The Sherman brothers, Cap
and Henry, are GregOry's favOrites, says
Curran, and are cutting between forty
and sixty million feet of pine without
warrant of law and without the consent
of the Indians are thus being robbed.
Blackburn asked Curran why he paid
the expenses of the trip of Indians here
now. He replied solely because OF a
residence of thirty years among them,
personal friendship and in expectation
of being reimbursed for the expense
after the government gives the Indians
relief from the pine robbers. He says
not less than thousand white men are
OH the Flambeau reservation without
Indian assistance OF consent, solely be-
cause Gregory favors them.
PROTESTS OF THE INDIANS
have received no consideration either
from Gregory or the Indian Office at
Washington, nor could the Indians get
authority to come to Washington. They
left without authority and he advanced
money for them to come. Il have no
malice against anyone, but am friendly
to those Indians with whom have been
so long associated, formerly doing busi-
ness with and for them" Coffey, the
half breed gave interesting testimony.
He stated that Special Agent Thomas,
from Washington, refused to take teS-
timony when offered by the Indian
Office. Agent Gregory also refused to
hear the testimony of the Indians con-
cerning the depredatiOns on their lands.
He gave instances of willful maladmin-
istratiOn and corrupt practice, and Sen
atOr Blackburn asked him several times
if any Indian. here could corrobOrate him.
Blackburn crOss-queStiOned so closely
not bring the whole tribe here. but
what | tell can be verified if you send
an honest investigation committee there
to see witnesses who will cOrr0bOrate or
refute me. Plenty Of Indians on the
reservation will testify, but all could
not come here" PhineaS Callagha1l
testified that he came because he
WANTS HIS WRONGS RIGHTED. 8
He was contractor with the Indians
for their pine in 1885 and until June
prior to the election in 1856. Then, after
having advanced nearly $4,000 worth of
supplies to Indians, according to the
custom of regular contractors, Editor
Cunningham, of Chippewa Falls, told
him he must see Gregory or he might
lose the contracts. Callaghan went to
see Gregory, but Cunningham had
meanwhile been there and, Gregory re-
fused to ratify the contracts. By this
means Callaghan was thrown out Of
business, losing all provisions advanced
to the Indians, and Greg0ry's pet, Val
ley Lumber company, took up the con-
tracts which Callaghan had been COM
PEELED to drop because Gregory refused
to allow him on the reservation. Hence
DObey and Stratton are taking about 90
100000 feet, much of it belonging to
minor children. He has seen these
depredationS himself, and Head Flyer,
an Indian not here, can testify to the
same thing. After Cunningham had
seen Gregory, and Gregory refused to
approve the Callaghan contracts, Thad
Pound saw Gregory and he consented
to these contracts verbally, but after
wards again nuilified them. Meantime
Cunningham came to Washington to see
Villas and returned again to see CIR egory