The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1904-04-22

Usage indian Agent May Soon BE Re.
moved

Washington, D. C., April 22-Spec-
ial Agent OFalion has submitted a
report to the secretary Of the interior
sustaining the charges made against
Agent Mitschner of The Usage In.
dlans AS result Mi schner's re-
movai from the service is likely to &c.
cur within the next few days unless
the president interferes. 1t IS cnarg-
ed in the report tha Walter Field re-
ceived fee from certain parties In
the Usage nation amounting to
for services rendered in looking after
applications for grazing leases pend
ing before the department This fee
was considered by the secretary as
excessive. Because in the secretary's
opinion It was excessive, he believes
portion went to Mitschner Taere
is no ground for the supp~hiion ex
cept the conclusion reached by the
secretary.
II is also charged that Walter Field
through the assistance Of Agen'
Mitschner obtained leases on agri-
cultural land from the Indians and
sub-let them to cattle men a. a hand
some profit
Acting upon these charges the com
mission sent Special Agent O'Fallon
to the Usage nation to conduct an in
vestigation. The special agent has
conducted the Investigation and re-
ported that the charges Of irregulari' y
in the leasing Of grazing lands are
true. Upon this report it is probable
that Mtschner will be summary dis
missed no withstanding the fact thu
ne il looked upon by Commissioner
Jones and other officials OF the de
partment as the most competent and
honorable agent id tne entire seivcs.
Il will be remembered that when
charges were first preferred against
Agent Mitschner Secretary Hiichcock
directed Commissioner Jones to send
telegram suspending HIM as agent
for the Usage Indians. Comm 'ssioner
Jones refused to send the telegram.
Thereupon Secretary Hitchcock, with
out warrant or authority OF law, SCI,
telegram summarily suspending the
agent. Then followed the selec ion OF
OFallon, special agent Of the depart
ment. 10 go to the Usage nation to
make a thorough inves igaton Of the
charges made O'Fallon. while IN the
Usage nation, stated to several parties
that he was not only there TO inyes J.
gate the agent bTt also Commission.
er Jones' connection with the trans
actions. The parties to whom O'Fal-
lon made these statements immediate
~ n.tiaed Commissioner Jones. A
first the comm 'ss,oner was nonplused.
The idea hat some petty special
agent in the government service was
TO investiga him was exasperating
IN the extreme. The commissioner
went promptly over to the secretary
and demanded an explanation. Sec
retary Hitchcock asser ed that he had
never directed Special Agent O'Fallon
TO investigate Commissioner Jones
actions. Then, said Commissioner
Jones: SPECIAL Agent oFallon must
make an apology and correct the i'm
preston hat has gone abroad that he
went to the Usage nation for the pur'
pose Of investigating my connections
with charges Of Irregularities that 4
was claimed had occurred"
Special Agent o'Fallon denies that
he made these statements. but as
four or hve affidav have been sub
mitted from responsible parties that
he did make the statements, he is
likely to get into rouble.
Already he friends OF Agent Mitsch.
ner have carried this controversy to
the president and before Secretary
chcock acts in the premises the
president win take hand. The liidi-
cations are that President Roosevelt
viii sustain the conten-ions Of Com
m ssioner Jones and that although
Hitchcock would ike 10 remove
Mitschner the agent win be retained
in The service until the expiration Of
his term