The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-09-30
E8XMHRNEA HIA3F TTTTW
UIMAA AND The CROWS.
Special Agent Smith Investigates
Special Charges Made by
Employees.
HClaim That the indiana Have Not
Been Paid for Grain Pur-
chased.
THAT Fort Custer log Hauling Contract
I 1Mplovs Arrested necsuss Ne he
Ssssd TO Vote Wymaa's Way.

raised In 1889, there being between $l.4N
and q, 600 due them. Agent Wyman told
~ aud Others before l made the demand
4 that hs had paid them all that belonged
70 them and go out Of his own pocket.
n After 10 found l had reported to the deps, +
mont about II. he paid the ba,anos due
them. When Agent Wyman settled with
shs Indians they we're dissatisfied with ths
amount Of money uaid them. and l reported
sAs same 10 Agent Wymsn and hs In.
stSustsd my inssi prefer 10 tell The Indians
that he had paid them all the money that
belonged TO them and go more.
The same Indians, in 1891, raised oats.
wheat and potatoes, with which they filed
lhs agency contract. and sold GU OO pounds
nf oats VI Fort Caster. The cont, aOtoss.
Spears Il Co., did not deliver one bushel OF
oats. wheat or potatoes ~ the agency; the
Indians furnished all. The Indians should
have been paid about $1,000, but we're paid
lees Than $500. and did not receive that un-
hi some time in 1882. had hard work to
get the Indians to do M work on account
0s the way shs agent misused shsm. He
Would promise them oats 10 feed their
aorssA. and whom threshlna WAS done he
would NOT allow them to have any oats, but
would haul Them of anu sell thsm.
In 1892 the interior department. allowed
$1,000 tor hay for the use OF the Rsnoy
And shs I'VE additional farms . and the ON.
ployeS ~ the agency put up hay for the
agency teams and she additional farme .
sut hay on Indian allotmsnts, with the un.
dssstandinR that the agent would pay them
tor the hay. W to ths time l made the
charger against the agent he had paid but
20 OF ~. ! gave orders On him for hay
That ! out and he had not paid up 10 sept.
!. 1883. ! understand hs has paid some OF
Inc Indians tor hHv cut on their land since
6led charges against him.
I'm Shs autumn Of 1891 the Indians were
Employed 70 haul hay from Wyoming 10
FosS Gutter. Mont, by Agent Wyman in
indians made " trips, hauling $50 tons,
or which they had not been paid when /
Dol charge of district number 2. The
lndiAns came TO me with receipts from the
luaSsermaster showing the amount Of hay
aaulsd. and I .. oks to Agent Mymsn about
+ and he old me TO tell the indians that
.oWns waS"bastsd" aud had left the ooun.
~. and hs could not get their money tor
asultng the hay. understand Mr.. Browne
Iettlsd with Agent Wyman % soon % The
LAY Was delivered.
In 1892 ths department ordered q barn
auilt for the agency school. There was an
estimate made for 90 many days work and
% much per day. and the department &C.
sepsed II aud The agent made che agency
,arpsnters signed ths report to The depart
nsnt. All ths work the carpenter did be-
ore he went to work 40 agency contractor
vas eight days. Since ! fled charges
tQatnst the agent he has been trying to fix
Up With the carpenter 10 have him settle
or ths work done on the barn. All the
,mployss that worked on the barn we Q
l1td hV Aha nnA1tAP and hAva n1p>aI- hul
heir pay. worked on the barn myself.
"At the election Of 1892 Agent Wyman
prdsred oil Shs agency employees to register
ind vote. He ordered the additional
asmess to take their teams and take every
nan they could ind to register. He did |
lhould 90 and ssgister and vote a u, sieht
spnblioAn ticket. One man in the sm 10y
= Walter II. Graves, superintendent Of IT.
tQatton. refused to comply with his ordsrs
md Agent Wyman ordered him arrested. |
When M. Graves found the man was under |
lrress he declared his intention 70 stop
vo1k on re ditch until The man was r.
for Mr.. Graves YET. These teams
we're fed oass from the agency grain
~ and lhs men were fed from
,sovisions taken from the government |
70, shouse. Agent Wvman sent five two |
'orss teams and two four-mule teams. aud
'ssO~ SsV UOukils oue uA0 NV
aid for II yet. l understand the rspub-
loan committee furnished Agent Wyman
nth money 10 pay expenses. The only
aoney he paid out was for whisky. and he
rank the whisky himself. l heard him
~ any man who would not vote the repub-
loan ticket could get of the reservation"
Another important witness was W. II.
'ssels, who has been employed Al ,hs
asnoy since 1883, frat ~ carpenter aud
hen 80 boss farmer. In answer TO the
lusstion a. to what suspicious things, II
ny. he had noticed In Major Wyman's
onducs OF she affairs Of .he agency, he
Aid:
Nsst-lhst in tho summer OF 1891 there
veEe about 100000 pounds of oats and "a
OO pounds OF wheat and 10, 600 rounds of
otatoes raised In what 10 known as the big
cid by ths Grow Indians, and which was
ispossd BY tbs agent and the Indians only
sesivsd about $500 Of the rocco is, when
hs orop was worth At the mark i y ioe a.
70. That In the summer OF 1892 there was
alssd iE this big field about 140. 600 pounis
{ oats and $4,000 pounds Of wheat, which
80 disposed Of except about II, 900 pounds
wheat. Gu Of the proceeds of this the
indiana had received $42O in cash aud two
wane binders. valued a. $3.50. and about
30 worth OF twins. Al the time OF the
'ay msnt OF the $4aO the agent said he had
vsrpaid the Indians and had taken money
his v to ~ them. when in fact At the
ricss then going he had not psid the
,orth OF the crop by 81. GOO. After Steele
lad testified Nh above he rays he heard tho
gent tell these Indians in the pteaeno 90 of
,peciAl Agent Smith aud 9. II. Barston
hat there was $1,000 yet coming to them,
ut which 40 yet has not been paid. stes o
lso testified that in the fall OF 1891 the
gent BY force OF threats compelled . lot
Indians TO 90 into Wyoming "a distance
about sixty milss) and haul hay 10 Fort
'ustsS for Contractor d. q. Browne, making
NO trips and encountering very bad stormy
leather, and for which they have never re-
eivsd = cent, the agent claiming that
lsovns had NOT paid himUy o.. This repre-
pntatton was made by Agent Wymsn to
pssial Agent Litohfeld last spring when
b Indians asked for pay, but nothing was
one. Steele Atso testified that tho depa t.
lent allowed $1,000 to purchase hav for
Rsncy use. bus that only fifteen loads were
vs' dslivs cd and S:H ever paid. although
aps . were signed for the full amount;
aas ths department allowed about $b25 10
Asohass oats for agency use aud the oats
ere bought OF ths Indians. but the Ia
eeoe never reserved snv OF ths money;
aAs sAs department. allowed $t22. 90 TO- the
esposs q snplo,ing = carl enter 70 build
basa for shs school. and that the oarpsn-
v only NO ked on tbs barn about sight