The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-07-30
IsDIAs Agent ERWIN ACCUSED.
BY an Ex-empIoye, who Alleges Fraud
Against the Government

William Il Embree, of Walia Walia,
has filed IN the office OF the commissioners
of Indian affairs. charges against L. L.
Erwin, agent of the Yakima Indians, OF
which charges a summary il given below;
/. That said L. T. Erwin had one Charles
Adams using a government team nauing
freight from ToppenIsh to the agency, pay
ing MIN on fraudulent voucher IN the
name of Simcoe Jim. dead several years.
z That said L. I. Erwin took $50 out OF
the final pay of Charles Lombard and kept
1t, paying him that much less IMAM AAS
check.
8. That on February 8, 1894, Charles
Adams used a four-horse team belonging
to the government, hauling private freight
from Toppenish, paid by fraudulent
voucher.
4. That on February Is, 1894, Charles
Adams used government team as speci-
fed IN charge 8. and was paid IN the same
manner.
s. That on February 81. 1894, Charles
Adams used a government team as specl-
fed in charge 3. and was paid In the same
manner.
6. That Erwin has systematically robbed
the school. in this, that the amount OF
goods issued at each regular weekly issue
is short of the amount named IN the requi-
81 ton, amounting TO hundreds Oh POUNDS
OF beef and other goods.
~. That he has employed one Charles
Adams as irregular carpenter at 50 per
day, although said Adams is not now ana
never has been a carpenter or mechanic OF
any kind.
s. That said L. I. Erwin has paid said
Adams for January, February and March
as such Irregular emp.oye. while IN fact
he adams did no more work than a COM
petent man could do in ten days. In
February he hauled private goods with
government team from .ToppeRlsh ana
spent eleven days in his room reading
novels.
8. That Erwin committed perjury in
swearing, in his report of employees IN
service, that said Adams had performed
work during said three months, when In
fact ne had not worked to exceed ten days
during the third quarter of 1894.
To- That during January, February and
March, 1894, Erwin had family consist
ing of himself and wife and seven chill
dren and a cook, ten persons, and part OF
the time six men boarders, an average OF
four during all the time. beside more or
less visitors. from thirteen to fifteen per-
sons being fed during the quarter. Prac-
tically all the provisions used in this great
family were taken out of the commissary
goods. including beef. lard, ETC., and
everything used in q boarding house, to
an amount that could. under no circum-
stances be less than 500 to $l25 per month.
That said Erwin used all his beef from the
government supplies, and also fifteen or
twenty cords of wood. As his account Is
less than $50. he .ook the balance from the
commissary goods.
Ill. That the said L. 7. Erwin has CON-
mitted perjury in this, that he swore to
his accounts on abstract "E" as less than
$50, when it should have been from $500 to
$500.
IL That he defrauded the government
in carrying on his papers only twelve hogs,
when, IN fact, there were eighteen In the
school.
10. That the said L. T. Erwin killed ten
hogs that were never weighed, nor was
the lard making about :. 500 pounds Of meat
and q corresponding amount of lard The
hams and lard were cured and taken by
him.
IA. That in May, 1894, he took one ham
to his house and sent one to Mr.. Banks
house, neither of which was weighed Oh
accounted for.
Is. That he attempted blackmail in this,
that he conspired with one Maher. OF
North Yakima, TO have said Maher write
Mr.. Clendenning, superintendent OF the
school, a civil service employe, and Mr..
Embree. an agency employe. Tor contri-
button of SIS or $50 beach, for the ostensioie
purpose of sending q man to Washington
City to prevent any adverse legislation 70
the civil service reform law. See Makers
letters in the hands of the civil service
commission
Is. That he made indecent proposals to
Miss Teeple, clerk in the postofflce at Top
| penish, and threatened her with being put
off the reservation, saying that she could
not remain on the reservation without his
| consent.
IL. That he carried one Ramsour on his
| roll of employees an engineer. while in
fact the said Ramsour knows nothing
! about engineering; that he keeps said
Ramsour as commissarv clerk TO cover
up his regulations of cammlssary goods.
Is. That the said l.. I. Erwin obtained
the consent OF the Indian council IN the
Wenatchee fishery matter oy clear and un-
questionable Measurements OF fact IN this,
that he claimed there were l25 Indians on
said Wenatchee reservation 10 De allotted.
absorbing 10000 acres. and that there were
therefore but 10 900 acres left TO sell, and
for that they would be paid S2o.0U. white
in fact the agreement signed was Tor the
full amount or sill their title and interest
in said fishery reservation, and there were
no Indians living on said reservation, and
are none Mt the present time; and, fur
Their, that the signatures 10 this agree
ment were obtained by intimidauons, mis-
representation and fraud. and other ques'
tlonable means.
10. That Erwin wiIfully and maliciously
deceived the commissioner OF Ind an al
fairs in falsely stating that w. III. Embres
had been iusuhordlnate and had disobeyed
orders. knowing tie accusation to be faise
and untrue.
~ That Erwin buys beef cattle Of thu
Indians on foot Tor 3 specified amount pei
head and that he takes false vouchers fol
a much larger amount than actually paid
| 70 thu Indians.