The Washington herald., 1912-04-10
VALENTINE FACES
SERIOUS CHARGES
Committee Is Told Indian
Commissioner Employed
Drunken Officers.
SOUGHT ENEMYS SCALP


Robert c. Valentine. Commissioner OF
Indian Affairs. was begun yesterday
morning by the House Committee on
Expenditures IN the Interiod Depart
ment. In a public hearing held In the
House ohice Building. Commissioner
Valentine was present at the opening
Of the hearing. but withdrew before the
taking of testimony.
He stated that he would have the law
clerk of the Indian once attend the hear
ings, In order to AFFORD the committee
any information or assistance II might
desire. but not as his personal represen-
tative, and that he would himself re-
spond to a telephone call from the COM
mittee at any time to answer even a
single question II desired.
In support Of the charge that Commits
sioner VIZ entine had retained In the
service and promoted TO higher POSI-
tIon an Official against whom charges
Of drunkenness and misconduct had been
made and fully proven. Mr.. S. G. Rey-
nolds, receiver Of the First Trust and
Savings Bank OF Billings, Mont, and Mr..
Fred II. Hathhorn attorney at law. OF
Billings. Mont. testified in regard to the
behavior in Billings during the summer
Of 1910 OF James Y. Hamilton, then a
subsequently appointed by Commissioner
Valentine as superintendent OF the Stand
ing Rock Indian reservation, in North
ad South Dakota
Mr.. Reynolds testified that when he
resigned the position of superintendent
Of the Crow Reservation. in Montana, in
1910 Hamilton was sent by Commissioner
Valentine to check up the transfer OF his
property and accounts 10 his successor.
Iufln ma INrIaT A. h
and he went to live in Billings. and that.
although he did not know Of any further
duty to be performed at the Crow Agency
by Hamilton, he subsequently, learned
that Hamilton had remained there for
some time
Mr.. Reynolds further testified that one
night some weeks after this transfer, he
received a telephone call to come to the
hotel to see a Mr.. Hamilton. from Crow
Agency, and that on his arrival at the
hotel he found that the message had been |
sent by James Y. Hamilton. who was
in need of friendly assistance" which |
he rendered him.
Mr.. Hathhorn .~stIfed that he also had |
met Hamilton casually on several occa- !
sions about the same time, and that |
whenever he had seen him Hamilton had |
been under the infiueAce Of drink, and |
that on one such occasion Hamilton had /
used language which Il would be i'm
proper to repeat. even before a company /
OF men only.
Reynolds also testified that he had
heard Hamilton boast Of his intimate re-
ations with certain Grow Indian women.
stories of 'sseaIP seeling.o
Mr. Reynolds also testified that Mr..
Hamilton. while in a '-sociable" condi-
lion, had stated that he had been sent 20
The Crow Agency by Commissioner VAL
sntine to get Reynolds scalp" that
Hamilton had said this was a dirty
stunt" which he disliked. but that he
was going to pull OF. When asked II
he knew of any reason for Commissioner
Valentines desire to get his scalp, he
said:
Mr.. Reynolds stated that he did not
know, but when pressed for his opinion
he stated that he had believed that It
was because of Mr.. Valentines desire TO
please the Indian Rights Association, as
that association had been for several
years pressing charges against him from
which he had been repeatedly exonerated
after thorough investigation and of
which that association had procured an
ether investigation TO be made promptly /
after Mr.. Valentine had become commits
sioner, this Investigation resulting again
In his exoneration. He stated that the
Indien Rights Association had been hos
tile to former Commissioner Leupp, but
that although Commissioner Valentine
was "a Leupp appointee." The Indian
Rights Association had not opposed VAL
entine's appointment. |!
When asked whether the facts in re-
gard to Hamilton's behacior at Billings
had ever been reported to the depart
nent, Mr.. REYNOLDS stated that he un-
ierstood the facts had been brought to
The attention of the Secretary OF the In
terior by certain afidavits filed with
him last summer, and that this had re-
suited in an investigation last fall by
IN inspector, to whom Mr.. REYNOLDS tes-
tified he had stated substantially the
iame facts which he now stated to the
committee.
Chairman Graham stated that ne had
allied upon ne Secretary OF the Inte-
-ior for all the correspondence and re-
ports in regard to this matter, but that
he papers had not yet ben received.
4 Is understood that these documents
will be before the committee this morn
ng, when 1t 10 expected that the in
will develop, what IL any.
lction has been taken in respect to
lanes Y. Hamilton, who, IL Is under
stood, is still superintendent of the
Rock Indian Reservation, one /
II the most important reservations in |
he country. to which position he was |
appointed by Commissioner Valentine {
bout a year ago. subsequent to his {
mission to Grow Agency and Billings |
or the purpose. as is now alleged, Of {
getting Reynolds scalp" which tro- {
Thy It appears had escaped several pre- I
'ious attempts.
The hearing will be resumed this
lorning at 1850 o'clock.
Declaring that : bigot has no tight to
ide beneath the folds Of the Ameri-
an nag! and that Cstho6cs throughout {
he land should write to President Taft q
against his retaining r. @. II
'alentine in his present high position, {
he Aloysius Truth Society yesterday de-
ounced the religious garb and insignia"
rder of Commission OF Indian Affairs
'alentine in an appeal for support OF
.ev.. Father Ketcham-
he societys action followed the report !
the hearing Monday before Secretary | !
Z Interior Fisher. The press commit :
q OF the society has forwarded 10 the
,ading Catholic journals OF the coun- !
y a card addressed to the President \
{ the United tSates protesting against !,
le retention OF Commissioner Valen- /,
ne in ONCE The editors have been / \
.quested to publish these cards IN their q
.spective papers so that Catholic read =
Is Throughout the land may clip out
nd sign the cards and mail them to
resident Taft.
onicers OF the Catholic organization
ave been warm in praise of President v
aft for revoking the order OF Commis- d
oner Valentine IN order to allow a fun &
saring TO both sides. They expressed o