Year: 1877

Let any druggist look tho prices paid In the bill
and he will recognize the fraud at Indeed. the
household experience OF many man not familiar with
tho drug business Will furnish him with enough
10 perceive that the prices have been swollen in
cases to a hundred their right figure Hc will
readily understand that nayseed which is charged
nearly 81 pound, is something he has
often bought tor q shilling but benzoc acid some
other chemical would easily escape detection at
ounce. But the whole bill when subjected to the
test Of the market prices, which have bceL quoted
from reliable work published in the year 1873 shows
the grossly outrageous swindlo pcrpotraed upon the
government, the extept OF which only DO dc.
.crmincd by the number Of such bills said to DO
In the accounts Of the Indian Bureau and running
Tor many years. The bill above is reccpted by
large and otherwise reputable drug firm in New
York, whose completely in the fraud is, therefore,
made only too obvious


That such paper could pass through the routine
pf payment by the Treasury without COL
lusion on the part OF government officials
is out Of tho question A bill for medicine arisos
usually in connection with request from the Indian
agent the frontier This request is preferred to tho
Commissioner Of Indian Affairs, whose duties
largely discharged by bis chief clerk. The medicine
is ordered bought, and whom furnished tho bill is
'Jackcted by the finance clerk Of the Indian Bureau,
from whom II lis returned TO the Commissioner thence





Of indian Commissioners, where II is approved, and
that it escaped detection at their hands nothing
strange when u is remembered that n lead
Ing spirit In the Board Is tho
through whose gross carclesshess the funds OF the
Frcedmcn's Bank were loaned out upon ali sorts OF
fancy stock and scrip. From tho Board II goes back
TO tho Commissioner again. thence 10 the Second
Auditor, back TO the Commissioner, thence to the
Secretary OF the Interior Department, by whom a
reausition is made for the money upon the Second
Comptroller and thence the warrunt DIVISION where
IL is paid.


guilty knowledge the part OF the officials Of the
Indian Bureau with reference TO the bill above cited
will be established, II is said, by DR.. Curtis who was
a clerk in the bureau the year 1873 Dr.. Curtis,
who was surgeon In the army, settled here after the
war and in default OF practice, obtained cierkship
n Washington. In some way, not now explained, the
o CHANGED 10 corr under hts observation during its
passage through the prescribed routine, anG knowing
naturally a good deal about the prices Of
medicine, he denounced II rs full of cDor-
nous ovcrchargcs For. this Information he was
accused Of "meddIing" with business With which he
had nothing 10 do, and was eventually discharged.
He had become dangerous TO the ring, and bad 10 be
put OF the way His testimony Will be taken tomor-
rrow- II Is also promised that well known wholesale
druggist in Washington will testify that he was invitcd
10 sell drugs 10 the Indian Bureau, but with an intima-
lion ,ha; be would have 10 pay percentage Tor the
settlement oi his bill He found II useless 10 deal
honestly and at ordinary market rates with the
bureau and he cnvc up trying TO do busncs with IT,


j. be Unfair 10 lbe Audtots ojrcc 10 SAY that