Year: 1875

thought he had made request but thought the request
made after being informed that they we're the only
sacks on hand. Mr. Huriord denies that he had any
eightyeight pound sacks hand and further states
that when he afterward saw hcCann he asked MN ~,
why II was 10 be put up in eighty eight pound SACKS,
saying that II was unusual and might lead TO trouble
McCann's reply was, "For the convenience Of issue,
together with other reasons


II this was deliberate scheme TO defraud the gov
ernmen and the Indians 1t frustrated by the vgi-
lance OF the storekeeper Mr. Palmer, at Cheyenne.
On learning OF the short weight Commissioner Smith
Immediately ordered Major Long to weigh the -four
49, W. W - 70 inspect ~ The commission recommend that
hereafter instead OF letting contracts for flour in the
city oi New York, they be let suitable point
the West where in the valley Of the Mississippi among
extensive Touring mills, is believed active compe
ttion may be created and flour be obtained Of better
quality and cheaper rates than is furnished by the
middle men E specializing contractors


without pronouncing conclusively upon the intention
OF Martin McCann the evidence is sufficient IN con-
necton with the atters action the matter OF trans
portaton to justify the Indian Bureau and the Board
/ OF Indian Commissioners In refusing 70 conade TO
McCann the performance OF any other contract; and
Martin should have been long ago excluded as bidder.
/ There was certainly enough, also TO JUSTIFY Com
missioner Smiths suspicion Of fraud as expressed
/ to Indian Commissioner Roberts, and communi-
| Gated by him TO Superintendent White in his
! letter OF November A. 1874; and that there
was no fraud successfully perpetraed is perhaps due to
the vigilance Of Others and in wise be traced to
| the efficiency of Superintendent White The embar-
rassment which the Commissioner met in this trans
action might have been guarded against 10 great ex
tent II had taken the precauon 70 procure the do
tail of an army officer TO act as inspector Of -four at
Cheyenne due time for the inspection and delivery OF
| the -four which he know was coming on His prompt
and energetic action, however, IN repairing his pre-
vous errors and omissions, when awakened TO the con-
duct OF those PARTIES cvinces an honest purpose 10
! protect the interests Of the government


SUGAR, coPFEB AND TOBACCO.


The remark is TO be made OF the quality OF tho
sugar coffee and tobacco that furnished 10 the
Indians at Red Cloud Agency last year oil the -four.
These articles were all Of an inferior grade and were
designedy purchased such; but tho commission
have evidence tending TO show that they cost the
government than fair market price or that the
full amount purchased did not reach the agencies.


The tobacco OF three several grades all plug two
of which Of fair quality, but the third was
miserable compound OF bits and cuttings manufactured
with ether Ingredients to stick them together and
pressed into shape. As smoking Is the only way the
Indians use tobacco plug Is not the most suitable for
their purposes Better tobacco Is being furnished this
year


The coffee was of low grade OF Rio, but abundanty
suitable for the of the Indians and far better than
the brown and ground mixture called coffee, which
thousands Of families are glad to be able to procure for
their use


SUFFERING AMONG THE rsDnNa


Doubtless individual cases Of suffering among tho
Indians may have occurred, but their mproyi-
dence sufficiently accounts for any such instances in
the absence Of evidence Of other Major Stanton
testihes that during last winter, which was the
scverest known by tho residents Of that
dcstitution and suffering among Indians en-
camped Bordeaux Greek, at distance from Spotted
Tail Agency and for period they reduced to the
necessity of eating their ponies The fact that they
far iaway from the agency and that there
q short supply OF provisions, owing TO the imposs-
bility Of transportation is sufficient TO exonerae the
government from blame or responsibility Certainly
the evidence that these Sunerings the direct
suit Of fraud is entirely wanting Tho commission
were not only unable to ascertain from white
amined that there was any widespread suffering at
Red Cloud but the Indians themselves very many of
whom were questioned on the subject failed TO confirm
the statements Of Professor Marsh In this particular.
An Indians admission this subject in view Of his
well known predisposltion to grumble should be
sidered very reliable evidence That there may have
been some suffering among the Indians for tho want OF
food Is highly probable but that due 90 their I'M
providence the severity of the winter and the
segment imposs6ility Of keeping up supplies at the
rented in drawing from the evidence


TRANSPORTATION.


This topic is OF the important in the report
only account of the abuses shown in connection
with the transportation of goods and supplies but
because IL discusses the policy OF the government
toward the Sioux Situated as the Red Cloud and Spot
ted Tail agencies are at so great distance from all
points OF railroad and river transportation the carry
ing traffic for their supply forms one of the principal
expenditures in the Indian service The custom has been
TO award contracts for reghtng TO tho lowest bidders for
given price per hundred pounds per hundred miles.
distance of routes raversed by the trains great tempt
tion is offered to dishonesty. The only frauds dis
j closed those practised by d. j. McCann In tho
summer Of 1873 Red Cloui Agency was removed from
| tho Platte to the White River, about eighty miles
further north Before its removal the distance from
tho agency to Cheyenne conceded almost univer-
sally to be not moro than ninety miles, but McCann
charged and received from the government pay
/ at the ratio Of l32 miles Nor is this the
most aagrant net Of dishonesty his part
He engaged in removing Red Cloud Agency
70 its new location. The work, according TO
reliable estimates should have been done for about
OOo but as it was to be paid Tor by the day and tho
number OF yoke of cattle employed McCann, by
estimating both the number OF teams and the number
OF days employed, augmented the bill to $14 1876 Upon
this point the commission say whatever may have been
the means used by McCann TO obtain the for
tho removal Of the property from the old agency 10 the
new whatever he may have done to procure Dr.
Savine's approval OF that extraordinary voucher
almost his first official act after assuming the duties
| Of Indian agent at Red Cloud Agency-and
whether fraudulently obtained not, the charge
for tho service rendered exorbitant as to shock
II
transaction The commission recommend, in view OF
tho unmistakable evidences of fraud brought TO light in
connection with this transaction that the subject be
erred the Department Of Justice for the purpose of
restoring to the government the money which seems to
have been so unjustly taken from IT, The question Of
distance raised by tho Commissioner OF Indian AZ
fairs, but at the solicitation OF McCann
the department settled with him all for
mer contracts on his own terms, leaving the dis
puted question 70 be adjusted after the distance should
have been officially ascertained ho having been
awarded the contract for the current year and having
already entered into bonds for its performance Com
| missioner Smith committed grave this ar
rangement through his misapprehenson OF its legal
effect McCann Is under bonds for the faithful per
forance Of his duties contractor but not to restore
70 the government any moneys which may hereafter be
found to have been improperly obtained by him The
department. has not been altogether negligent, how
ever In its duty 70 ascertain the exact distance oi
the route which transportation is paid. In
July, 1874, the Commissioner ordered an odometer
70 hs eent to tho sorekeepcr OF Indian supplies at
Cheyenne with instructions TO obtain the actual dis
tance travelled by the trains transporting freight to
Red Cloud Agency. II was plnced on wagon August
II Of year. but got Of order and did effect
the object on tho following November the distance
was measured by the odometer and indicated TO be
226 s100 mesa result greatly exceeding all former
estimates that the Commissioner refused to accept it
During the MONTH application 70 the Secretary
OF War, Lieutenant Winters was directed by General
Ord TO mako the measurement This final attempt was
unfortunately frustrated by tho severity of tho weather


Tho commission recommend that If the Red Cloud
and Spotted Tail agencies shall remain in their present
localities the contracts for the transportation be here
after let for much per 100 pounds for the whole dis
tance instead OF per loo miles, but they a 70 see any
rational excuse for continuing thoee agencies whoIt
they are now located The tune is past, they submit
when the government should purchase peace from the
Indians by humoring their unreasonable caprices Thai
part Of the country now occupied BY great portion
the Sioux possessed no Advantages for Indian
ton Tho buffalo and small game have almost entirely
disappeared that the Indians could not subsist
the fruits of the chase for thirty days without the sup
plies furnished them by the government they would
Inevitably starve The region is also barren and unfit
for agriculture, offering inducements 20 the Indian
70 adopt the pursuits Of civilized man But aside from
these copsiderations The outof-theway position Of
those agencies ncurs expense TO the government 81