The Dickinson press., 1902-05-10

MdJOE IlcuIyTAuOldn SOulI11lS'
sioner Jones Looks Over the
Situation-He Starts Away
Feeling that the Major is a Great
Fellow.
A Cannon Balldispatch to the Forum
says: The investigation Of Major
Geo. H. Bingenheimer, the Indian agent
S completed, and Colonel Nesler. the
genial inspector, has gone south. There
Vas a rumor that he was going back via
Mandan, and would there take the testi-
nony Of other insurgents, but he saw
of Clark, Green, ct al, when he
passed through Mandan, so he took the
southern route.
| have read over all the testimony
given before Inspector Nesler, and a
greater tissue of hearsav, submitted as
evidence, I never read. Colonel Nesler
is a lawyer, and during the hearing he
several times severely took to task the
witnesses for the character Of the testi-
mony they offered. Green made a holy
show Of himself. He had sworn to vari-
things Bingenheimer did-such as
-four in the dearest market; or
Indians to buy wagons in Man
dan, from the sale Of which he was sup
posed to get a rake off.
AS to the flour deal, which was a big
thing that Green had up his sleeve-the
facts are that a contractor defaulted in
his contract, and Bingenheimer had to
buy $1,000 pounds of flour in the market,
and have it charged to the contractor.
He ordered it through Colonel Robinson,
who made a profit Of As cents a hundred.
Bingenheimer might have bought it d.
rect of the Mandan mill and saved the
as n to the contractor, but he would
personally have had the responsibility Of
the delivery. He turned the RESPONSE
bility OF the delivery over to Robinson
and Robinson made 500 profit. The gov.
eminent did not lose a cent by this
course. The defaulting contracto,
contributed that $50. The ques'
ton that a good many people are asking
is what sort of despicable tactics is it on
the part OF Robinson's manager, ate,
Bingenheimer had put him in the way Of
making 500 without turning a hair, to e
and help Green to put up a cock and
bull story. Needless to say, Bingenhei
mer's action in the -four deal has not bur
him with the department.
AS to the wagon and buggies-the in
surgents did not prove that he got any
rake off. But the Indians who were
brought up testified that they bought fol
$50 in Mandan, wagons Or buggies tina
the avaricious traders asked 500 for a,
Standing Rock. Only four Indians were
called and their testimony unequivocall,
showed that the agent, in suggesting thai
they buy buggies in Mandan, had worked
solely in the interests of the Indians
The Indian department desires that In
dams become civilized; that they learn tt
trade with white men, and they have
marked Bingenheimer up several notche'
on the wagon and buggy deal.
There was a story about lumber hav
ing been used for other than government
purposes. To substantiate this they pro
duced an ex-employe named Forte wit
had been discharged for stealing lumber
himself, and who refused to answer :
number of questions that were put tc
him. All his testimony was disprovec
beyond all doubt.
There were various charges made a!
to the.cattle having been accepted tina
were not up to the standard required b!
the contract. But as the military ofic.
is under the law, the man who passes OF
the cattle, the question was asked of tn,
witness who testified on this subject why
they did not bring charges against tina
official; in other words they had got il
the wrong pew. 1t is noteworthy tina
not one witness had a shred of evidence
pointing to corruption on the part o
Major Bingenheimer in the matter of &C
cepting money that he should not receive
There was testimony indicating tina
an agency carpenter had made a cabine
for Mr.. Voss on government time ane
Of government lumber. This was no
proved: it was absolutely disproved b,
abundant testimony.
Haman erected a gallows to ham
Mordecai on, Haman was himself hanged
theron. The inventor Of the %guillotine
was himself beheaded by his ingenior'
instrument. So after the agent had beer
investigated, Commissioners Jones direc
ted Colonel Nesler to do a little investi
eating of Trader Parkin, to ascertain i
he had been charging too much for good
sold to the Indians.
At the Sioux council attended bv Com
missioner Jones, several of tie Indians
urged that the great Father at Washing
ton fire off the reservation the traders
that are now there; that they are thu
cause of all the trouble and friction tina
has been going on for some months, ane
let other traders come. They say tina
the agent has protected them against tn.
a~varice of the present traders, and that
is the reason for all these charges. 1t i!
very likely that the request Of the In
dams will be followed. Not that there
seems to be anything against Colone
Robinson, personally, but it is all agains
the man he has as manager. .Parkir
seems to be the especial source of hatred
on the part of the Indians.
Parkin realizes that the sword Of
Damocles hangs yer his head. He
INT now to have some assistance in
collecting the bills that he has against
the Indians, to the extent of $4,000. He
knows that his license will not be re.