Omaha daily bee., 1889-06-27
PREPARATIONS FOR LEAVING
The Commission Concludes It's La
bors at Pine Ridge.
A KICK AGAINST RATIoNs.
Many Justihabie Complaints Made by
the Indians OF the Manner In
Which Beef Contracts Are
Carried Out.
About Through with Pine Ridge.

PINE RIDGE AGENCY, Dak, (via Rush
vile, Neb.,) June 26 Especial Telegram to
THE BEE THE commission has concluded
to leave here for the lower Brule agency as
soon as their special car is returned from
Niobrara, where IL went to take Governor
Foster TO the Santee agency. This will be
tomorrow, or certainly Friday. Tho com
mission feels that it has done all in its power
here, and the few signatures now being OBJ
tanned does not justify them to remain longer.
1t had been hoped to break the strong
combination of Indians against the bill,
bnt this now seems impossible. AS stated
in these dispatches, it is we'll known that u
secret and powerful influence has been ex-
ercised upon these Indians and while sur
misses can be given, it is impossible to get at
the facts, although much patience and
diplomacy has been used. General Crook
frankly admits this to be one of the most
unsatisfactory cases in his Indian expert
ence
Red Cloud, on his return from Washing
ton, called secret council and had the
Indians pledge themselves in the most
solemn manner to work against the bill
after listening to his talk. He also wanted
to leave $4,000 out Of the S2S,00O
he is to receive for his ponies
with DIR. Bland, of the Council
Fire, US his share in helping to get the bill
through and to pay for his efforts to defeat
this land BILL and s., ,000to an attorney. The
remaining $4,000 he wished to pay to w. J.
Pollock to become attorney for all the Sioux,
and wanted two courers, with petitions to
be sent at once to the different agencies to
obtain the signatures of the head men to this
effect. But his band objected to this on the
ground that tho other Indiana had No nat
their ponies and the money was theirs and
1t had nothing to do with the land.
Pollock, in accordance with his letter TO
Red Cloud, was to have been here yesterday
He has stated, as their attorney, that he
could keep their reservation intact, but
failed to make his appearance.
Up to the present time 500 have signed,
about fifty over one-half of the three -foLrths
needed, 1t is fully admitted that nine e-tenths
of the 250 absent with Buffalo Bill and other
shows would sign in favor of the bill.
Major Warner had long private talk In
the agents office with Red Cloud to-day, but
1t was an unsatisfactory one. The willy old
chief was very pleasant in his conversation,
but would make no promises, and gave only
indefinite answers to anything concerning
the bill.
To-day was to have been big issue day,
but the issue failed to take place owing to
the absence of cattle. This being the last is
sue in the present fiscal year and many cat
tie being lost last winter, it necessarily pro-
duCeS shortage Inc new contractors have
not yet begun to put in the new supply. 1t
was great disappointment to a very large
number Of people from northern Nebraska,
who had come out to see the issue. Amer
ican Horse bitterly scored the beef con-
tractors in his speech Monday, and he GER
tainly seems justified in the instance of
Roacho, of Minnesota, who has the contract
of furnishing the cows and bulls here.
OF the 240 cows delivered here only
five were accepted, and of the twenty-five
bulls not one was received, many of them
being less than yearlings. A great source of
complaint here by the Indians is the deliv-
cry of their rations and annuities. The con-
tracts are let in the spring and accepted in
May, yet they are never delivered until late
In the fall and often in the middle of the
winter. 1t is thought that the commissary
should have Il complete clearing up and
everything issued by the end of the fiscal
year. If this was done and the Indians had
to wait on the action of the con-
tractors for their rations there would
be suffering and even starvation. As it is,
by the agent reserving II portion of the ra-
tions back TO bide them over until the annual
rations are received, much suffering is en-
dured. To remedy this the government
should see that the contractors fill their con-
tracts promptly in accordance with the law.
There IS one noticeable thing here l find
different from many agencies, and that, is
can not find an Indian white man who has
not a complimentary word for the agent
here, Colonel III. ID. Gallagher, stating that
he IL the best agent they ever had since the
formation Of the agency.