Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-09-15
INDIAN LANDESCANDAL
al
MR.. BONAPARTE TO BE UNHAM-
PERED BY DEPARTMENT.
Will Be in Washington Thursday and
Will Confer With the Federal
officials.

Secretary Hitchcock will leave the metnOo
and manner of investigating the land scan
dals in Indian territory entirely In the
hands Of Mr.. Charles ]. Bonaparte, who
has been selected to conduct the inquiry
Secretary Hitchcock has stated heretofore
that the man who would be selected should
go to Indian territory entirely untram-
meled by department orders. He should go
there with a certain work to do, and he
should be permitted to choose his own
means for prosecuting this work. Every
thing. even to the selection Of the force
that will assist him. If any should be
needed will be left entirely to Mr.. Bona
parte. He will not be required to use any
of the clerical force of the department or
any person employed by the government
should he desire to do otherwise. The state
ments to the effect that Secretary Hitch
cock had ordered any person to assist Mr.
Bonaparte are branded at the department
as unfounded in every particular.
The statement has been made in press re-
orts that Mr.. Frank Churchill, an Indian
inspector. had been detailed to assist Mr..
Bonaparte, but this statement is denied by
the department officials. Mr.. Churchill,
however. is regarded as a valuable man in
the department service, and he may be Sc
lected by Mr.. Bonaparte to assist him,
otherwise he will not be detailed. Churchill
entered the government service as rev.
enue collector for Indian territory, and
while in that position became Intimately &C
Quafnted with the affairs of the Indians and
the manner of their administration. His
information became SO extensive that when
Congress appropriated 5000 for the pur-
pose OF obtaining a special report on the
methods to be pursued for raising a school
fund for the Indians Mr.. Churchill was Sc
lected to prepare this report.
His work was so well done that the report
is regarded by those who have read 1t as
one of the best authorities on Indian af-
ant Nv
special agent of the Interior Department
and later an Indian inspector. His work is
not confined to Indian territory, nor does he
do duty there ordinarily. However, he was
selected by Secretary Hitchcock to accom-
pany him on his trip to the west last spring,
and was left there by the Secretary to in
vestigate the scandals that had been I'M
earthed. 1t Is said at the Interior Depart
ment that Mr.. Churchill gathered evidence
and presented the charges made by Agent
Brosius of the Indian Rights Association
at the time of the Secretarys visit to In
dian territory, In May. He has been in In
dian territory ever since, and Is one Of
five inspectors who have been sent to In
dian territory by Secretary Hitchcock to
gather data relative to the Indian land
scandals. 1t is possible that he will be
selected by Mr. Bona parte to help him.
Mr.. Bonaparte will be in Washington
Thursday and will then call at the depart
ment and be put in possession of all the in
formation the department has so far OBJ
tanned He will then make known his de-
sires relative to the employment of assist
ance, and Secretary Hitchcock has ordered
that his wishes be respected and complied
with in every particular.