New-York tribune., 1905-02-01
SIR OVER INDIAN FUNDS.
A SCANDAL" PETERS OUT.
Religious Fight Derelops Before
Senate Committee.
rrnou rEF rRrnuxr BrnrAr.l


washington. Jan. 5l.-The Rev. Wilbur z. Crafts
,nd s NJ Brosius. special agent OF the Indian
7ahts Associat ton, attempted TO exploit sea ndal
= he Senate Committee Indian Affairs to-day.
.-s dragged Senator Bard. of California into the
scr as a witness AS q result OF their efforts
eone sensational dispatches have been sent out of
washington this evening. but prominent members
- the committee pronounce the affair unworthy of
sral notice. and intimate that il IS an after
.,s,tion attempt 10 dscredit the President
NJ Brosius. accompanied by Mr.. Crafts ap-
lard before the committee and testified that "a
sr+sir Senator a member of the committee had
teeu approached In 1902 by DR.. E. L. Schari
= teacher of music and languages in this city. that
n sehsrf had exhibited tabulated statements
h,vfre the number of Democratic ard Republican
s.soTic voters in twenty close Congress districts
ard had assured the Senator that If $4,000 wae
,n-arriated by Congress for the support of Cath
III, Indian schools he could assure him that these
s,s+ricts normally close politically, would all re-
-v-r Republican members TO the House. Scharf
also alleged that he exhibited these tabuated
statements 70 the managers of the Republican
,s~rv~ and had received assurances of their sup
ror- and that ne had further submitted the propo-
ei,ic- 10 the other Republican members of the COM
,irtee VINO approved it. Brosius also testified tha
-Fsrf had submitted a similar proposition said
certain Senator last year and had then reiterated
,s representations Brosius intimated that certain
,rst funds the interest on which is payable to the
Indians and may by them oe used for educational
purposes had been. on their order. paid to certain
Catholic Indian schools
SENATOR THINKS IT UNIMPoRTANT
When Brosius had finished his testimony Senator
7srd & member OF the committee arose and an
oupced that he the certain Senator referred
- and could confirm Brosius's testimony. Senator
BARD who did regard the matter as important.
had found that Scharf had Eisstated the facts
when he said he had submitted his proposition 10
other members Of the committee. and the Senator
believed be had misstated the facts when he de-
cared that his proposition had received the appro-
val Of th= Republican managers. Scharf claimed
70 have the authority of the Catholic Church IN
this ccunrry. but exhibited credentials. Senator
Bsrd further said that there had been some papers
before The committee in 1902. and again last year,
supporting request that funds ts appropriated TO
support Catholic Indian schools, but that when
other portions Of the bill had been completed Sen
so- Platt, Of Connecticut, then acting chairman OF
ne committee had said: Gentlemen. there being
nc ob!ecuon. I VIII eonsgn these to the waste
tssket': and. there being no objection. they were
So consigued- With regard to the alleged payment
of Indian trust funds TO Catholic Indian schools,
Senator Bard mad no knowledge. .
Indian Commissioner Leupp being present at the
cornr.ttee meeting, asked regarding such pay
sach payments. and did not believe that they had
been MADE Mt BT9sins INSISTED tnat s4ch pa6 m
President, although he was unable 10 give Darticu-
Mr Brosius further exhibited a letter which
scha-f sad was sent to ca{holic Democratile
yes s te5er 5s ile8 Sveo tbe 5 atoIieg SQUARE
deal had dealt fairly with the Philippine irlars
1re justice. and that Catholics should abandon
Iher former almost unanimous I9 OF 8,It Q.
lican party. which had given them square
On January L. Representative Stephens, OF
Texas, Introduced in the House resolution iuqulr-
ad1cstionaI institutions other than government
schools and to-days meeting Of the senate Com,
adopting an qmeadneat TO the Indian a ARppToPdTa R pd a.
s1y denoTnnational schools.
REAL GROUND OF THE ALLEGATIONS.
senasor Bard, who is an elder in the Presbyterian
Church. appeared this evening to regard IN
fortunate the publicity given TO scharfs maladroit
efofta 10 Influence legislation. as they had come to
The real ground on which the allegations of Bro
s1gs ane the suspieions Of Representative stephens
doubtless clause inserted in the Indian Appro-
priaton bill ty the House at The first SESSION Of the
present Congress. Section OF that bill reads:
for fang r resv 81 efpdTst ens sba be or
expended unless expended without regard TO the at
than government school,
Rignt Rev William Hobart Hare Protestant Epls-
copal Bishop Of Nebraska. Bishop Hare repre-
serted 10 the msmbers Of the committee that dis
elimination in the distribution OF ratons to Indian
children attending denomins ticnal schools con
ard presented an orinion Of the Attorney Genera
fl support Of his statement Former Indian Com
--eSl-.-tI A4illa-I a JJllfS dpprdISN DrlOlt AAc
committee and supported the contention Of Bishop
Hare. adding thai Indian children in denomina-
tielsl schools were better cared for and their
training was more successful than in the govern
nent establishments. The Catholics, learning OF
Bishop Eare's initiative. promptly seconded his
efforts and the committee. the members of which
declare they were guided solely by the opinion OF
the A--orney General. inserted the paragraph
above
Il is assumed by members Of the Indan Com
mi-iee that Crafts and Brosius have learned some
thing regarding Indian children attending Catholic
schools receiving government rations and that they
are making t5lst the basis of their attack on the
PRESIDE There is little indication that any in
Vestlga3on VIII De ordered, Commissioners Leupp
hsE he hat laFy will e