The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1908-04-03
RECOGNIZING HER TALES
Secretary Garfield Tells Senators She
Speaks a Falsehood and Chief Of Pc.
lice Bert Talgo Of Billings Confirms
Him.

Chief of Police Bert Talgo declared
that Secretary Of the Interior Garfield
had not told him Mrs. Gray was q dan
gerous woman, blackmailer and ad
ventures. Chief Talgo added empha'
sis to his statement by declaring that
SO far as he remembered he had never
spoken to Secretary Garfield in his
life and would not know him If he
saw him. Mrs. Gray is in Washing.
ton, where she is telling the senate
the story she told the grand jury in
Helena last winter, and which the
grand jury, after careful investiga.
ton, declared originated in her own
brain.
Washington, April Mrs. Helen
Pierce Gray, the newspaper writer, ar.
rested last summer because of her
) connection with the protest Of Crow
Indians against the manner in which
the government agents managed the
Crow reservation in Montana, re-
sumed her statement today before the
senate committee on Indian affairs.
Makes Many Charges.
She charged that to keep from
starving the Indians were compelled
to eat the meat Of diseased cattle
md sheep; that they were frequently
thrown into jail without cause, and
kept at the mercy Of the agents; that
the children Of the government res
ervation school were mistreated. She
stated positively that all Of these
things must have been done with the
knowledge Of some Of the officials at
Washington. Another interesting
chapter was added also to her ac-
count Of her own experiences as an
investigator.
Mrs. Gray read from a prepared
statement. It developed that she had
made this at the suggestion of sena-
tor Owen and Senator Clapp, and
that she had conferred with Senator
Teller concerning the case.
Tells an Untruth.
During her testimony today Secre-
tary Garfield, who is involved in her
sweeping charges, was present. Mrs.
Gray was describing her experiences,
and In telling Of her arrest said that
Mr.. Garfield, when in Billings, Mont,
told the. chief Of police that she was q
dangerous woman and blackmailer
and adventuress."
THAT statement is without n
foundation whatever" declared Mr..
Garfield.
Mrs. Gray responded that the chief
OF police would testify to the con-
trary.
Mrs. Gray said that Mr.. Garfield
was in Billings, which is a city near
the Grow reservation, while many of
the indignities against her had been
committed, and could not have been
Indifferent to what was going on. She
declared that charges were brought
against her on the sixth arrest. Pre-
vious to that proceeding she was put
in Jail over night, and that ended the
matter.
Mentions Senator Carter.
Passing on to the alleged misman-
agement Of Indian affairs, Mrs. Gray
said It was current report that Sena-
tor Carter was part owner of Charlie
BARS sheep. She had testified pre-
viously that Bair. through influence
with the agent, had pastured about
$4,000 sheep on the reservation while
paying for $4,000 head.
Why do you not investigate this
matter before bringing charges
against Senator Carter" asked SEN
ator Dixon.
How far would you have me go?"
demanded Mrs. Gray. "I was arrested
six times for making Investigations"
Mrs. Gray said that while Mr..
Daily, former secretary to Mr.. Car
field, was investigating the charges
on the reservation, he had been told
that one. Of the Indian counsels at
Gordon made statements that the In
dams knew they were eating lumpy-
Jaw cattle and sheep that had died Of
disease, but that it was rather eat
that than starve."
Wanted to Sell Story.
Mrs. Gray told Of one instance in
which she was decoyed to a hotel,
where plans had been made to arrest
her, but that she saw the purpose and
there wrote a telegram to President
Roosevelt stating that she was to be
arrested. asking Major Reynolds to
send II. It developed that the tele.
gram was sent.
Did you not at the same time send
kilograms to q number Of newspapers
asking them II they did not want
sensational articles about your ar
rest!" asked Senator Dixon.
How did You know about those
g IA - N.L