Indiana State Sentinel, Volume 24, Number 48, Indianapolis, Marion County, 22 July 1875 — Page 6

THE INDIANA STATE SENTINEL THURSDAY. JULY 22 18751

INDIAN INIQUITIES.

PROF. MARSH'S STATEMENT. Extracts Showing the Agent's Dishonesty and the Frauds in Beet, Park, Flour, Sugar, Tobacco and Freightage. DELANO AND SMITH RESPONSIBLE. MAR'H'S PROOF AGENT S AVILLE CONTRACTS WITH DISHONEST PARTIES EFFORTS OK THE DEPAKrM KNT TO CONCEAL Til K FACTS WROXO WEIGHT AND MISCOUNTS-GENERAL CHARACTER OF THE SsUPPLIfcS DÜLANOAND SMITH HiVK LO.NU KNOWN OF TUESU FRAUDS. In connection with the letter of Prof. Marsh to the president, published Wednesday morning.the pruiessor submitted a long statement ot some of the frauds which came under bia own ob3ervatiou. The following is an extract, showing that the Indians are Bvs'ematlcally miscounted and that thev are supplied with insufficient and rotten blanke'beside much other matter, being neces parily omitted lor lacfc oi room. Atter e xplaining how tbe matter was forced upon eis attention, the professor says: Io the firt conversion I bad with Had Cloud, wren Gen. L. 1 Bradley atu voi. i. n. Stanton 'vere pre-wut, ha complained bitterly of tis sueut, J J. Seville, who for the pmt t -o years has had charge of hi aeny. Red Cloud' spacioed chirks were, that his agert was incompetent, weak, aud v.'o Hating, having no influence over the Indians ;&d especially tbat be wasln leautie with tL contractor to defraud tbe Indians of the fa d and clothing sent them by the governniRDt. I regret to say that all I saw inyPll at the agency, and all I learned from trustworthy observers and official reeorJs has convinced me tbat these charges were well founded. As soon ai I met the ag?nl hinne f, aad observed bis method of dealiug with luiians, it was a: ouce evident to me tbat be was entirely unfit lor the responsi b!e position be ocujpiod. This fact is illutraud by mi occurrenco, now well known, wh cU took place a few days bafore my arrival, wbe:i the afjeut, by a single act ol folly, aroused the bitter hostility of the Indians in hi3 charge, and came near sacriliving the entire wbne population of tbe Agency. This was avoided only by the rara eoolnass and bravery cf Lieutenant E. Crawford, Second Cavalry, who came with his cornpan? to the rescue at this critical moment. Witbout military protection, the agent could not have remained in charge of the Ind.an a single d.y, as tbe threats ,,-tiist bim for indignities and alleged fraud continually practiced upoa them were open and violent. Of the more dolMSiiig influence's which thla agency waa openly exerctsir g noon the Indians, I will rot now speak, a though tb3 evichnce on this point wä3 obtained ny direct observation. That a chief of -uch net land ability as Rl Cloud should bo subjected to the capria of sach an agent, is in itself A GROSS INDIGNITY, an J ill calculated to inspire him or bis poo pie with respect for the advantages of civili zation. There appeared to be a total want of system in the management ol Agency affairs. The issues of annuity goods, of brief, and other supplies, all were made lu a loose and unbusiness-like way, in which a jut distribution among the Indians was impossible. Agent Saville wai placed in bis oition to guard the interov.s of the Indians and of tbe government, and it appears that be betrayed both alike. II? defrauded tbe Indians by withholding from them provisions which he eharged azainst the goverament as issued to them. For example: In his abstract of provision issued for November, 1874 which he rendered to the interior de partment, and which is there on file, be states th t November 8, 1874, bo issued to 12,351 In iians fresh beef amounting to 271,243 pounds, or over 200 head of cattle, according to the average weight which he allowed the contractor on the last her J received. The truth is that be issued no beef whatever to the Indians on that day, nor for several days afterward, as I ascertained from the agent himself and others at tbe agency. I arrived at the agency November 9, and was inlormed by the agent that h bad been lor some time withholding rations from the Indians until they would consent to bo counted, and thiH fact he communicated officially in the depaitment, and subsequently repeated It to Bishop W. H Hare iu my presence in Washington. The firat issue after tbe counting was finished was Nov. 14, and I was then proven', ?nd knew that for several days previously the Indians had b;en suffering lrom want of the very food he claimed in his official report to have i33uad. In the same manner his official reports rep recent other issues tbat never took plac. How he, at the same time, was defrauding the government in receipting for bee! whlco. he did not receive is fully shown in thU statement. The incompetence and TSCi: CHARACTER OF AGENT SAVILLE was welt known to the interior department before my visit, as i3 shown by an official report made by United States Indian In spector J D. Bevier, Oct. 21, 1874. In this report the Inspector exposed a fraudulent contract made privately by Agent Saville with his fatber-in-law, A. R. Appleton, by which the government would have been largely a loser. Inspector Bevier states, moreover, tbat while Investigating the contract, Agent Saville tiade false representations to him, and Mr. Appleton endeavored to bribe him to silence. Other special commissioners ot the interior department had likewise re ported unfavorably of this agent, and affairs at the a;ency. And yet tbis man has for tbe past two years, with tbe full approval ot tbe department, bad cnarci oi tne most ltn p:r:ant agency in tbe West, where nearly half a million of dollars annually passes through his bauds. Iu all his official rela tions Acent Saville has proved himself a weak man, and he should never have been placed in so responsible a position. If honest when appointed, as some good men believe, he fell an easv victim to the wil? of beef and freight contractors of the Indian ring, as many stronger men, agents and higii officials, have done befjre him. Tbe frauds perpetrated in suDPlving tbe Red Cloud ag6ncy with beef cattle have been so gigau tic, and so long and systematically con tinued. ttat it is well worth while to show how th JV are accomplished, and who U resnonsible for the outrage. The contra j. for furnishing cattle to this and other Sioux agencies for tbe last fiscal year wa given t: J. K. Foreman, of Omaha, and was siued by Indian Commissioner Smith, July 14 1?74. Tne cattle delivered were require ! t average S50 pounds for tbe first six mom and 1.000 pounds for tbe last six moM'i, nl tbe price was $2 30 per 100 pouud gross-wtlght, on the hoof. It was KXPRESSLY STIPULATED that 'all the beef offered for acMpUn under tbis contract shall be subjc; t. thorough Inspection, and if, on hiu-h i; gpeciioa any of it fails to conform to tbe rnnirAmenta ot this contract, the same sla'l he rplectpd bv tha partita making th9 iu spection." The inspectors were authorized, in nrh case, to reouiro the contractor to replace the rejected cattle within Aua fiavs bv uroDpr beef. If not, the right was reserved to purchase the cattle re ouired at the expense of the contractor, A bond of 1150,000, with two good men nr snfPdent securities, was required to

be given to Insure tbe iauniui iuifillment of tbe contract. There is abundant evidence that this contract was not made In good fa'.tb. The contract was not tilled by the party to whom it was given, but (like too manv Indian contracts) was transferred for "a valuable consideration," a few days alter it was signed, to W . A. ton, of Omaha. As thia assignment , could not take place, by tbe termi ef tbe contract, "without the written consent of the secretary ot the interior," the full responsibility of "this transfer rests with bim. This contract was nominally in force at the time of uiy visit to Red Cloud Agency. The real beef contractor, however, whom I found su; plving this agnc?, was the well known Hosier, notorious for frauds in previour. contracts, and for this reason excluded by the published regulations from any participation in future contracts. This Becond virtual transfer of the contract to him was well known to every one at the agency, and in that region, and must have been equally well known to the interior department. On mv arrival at the agency, Nov. 9, 1S74, 1 ascertained tbat there had been no bael issue for some time, and only seven head of cattle were tben remaining over from previous issues. These seven cattle had all been receipted for to the contractor, received by tha agent and W6rein his charge. All, or nearly all, of tbern were subsequently issued to tne Indians. These tacts, which are important, I learned at the agency, and tbeyaere fully admitted by Agent Saville to toe Rev. S. D. Ilinman, the official inter

nster of tbe interior aepanmenv, uu iu mfsAif in Washington. Mav 29. These were tne cattle examined, at Red Cloud'a request, by Gen. Bradley and his officers, and about wtich so much has been said. The RFSCLT OF THAT EXAMINATION is eiven in the following certificate, the original of which is in my possession; W lhA nndersiarned. officers ot the Uaited State army, were present at an in terview held at Red Cloud agency on tbe Uth day ot November, 1S74, between 1'rof, O. C. Marsh and Red Cloud and Red D and now bear individual testimony ps to tne wrHtched nualitv of the rations, and to the undersize and puny condition of seven bead of beet cattle (the remainder of a herd) which were shown us by Red Cloud as having beeu issued to his people by tbe agent there stationed. Each of ua. unknown to tha other, marked at that time his estimate nf the pro weight of these cattle, and fe mnmher tbe averace thereof to be 3j8 pounds, Red Cloud, two other Indians, and one of the herders, asserting that these cat tle were not smaller than tnose turned over lor slaugnter at any ordinary issue day. L. P. Bradley, Lleut.-Col. S.h Infantry, Commanding Dis trict Black Hills. John Mix, Caprain 2d Cavalry. T.EovARn Hay. First L'.euf.. Adit. 9-h in fantry, A. A. A. O. District Black Hill3. Fort Laramie, W. T., May 19, 1873. This certificate, which was published while tbe Sioux delegation was in Washing ton, fullv confirmed m7 own statement in regard to the same cattle, and is entitled to ereat weizhr. as the officers have had large exnerience in Western affairs, and are per fdotly familiar with matters at the Sioux agencies in the Black Hills District. The Indian Bureau 'immediately endeayored to dastrov tbe effect of this testimony, and the method adopted so wen illustrates tne manner in which tbat office receives informa tion reflectinc on the management of its affairs that it is worthy ol record here, espe ciallv as the same method had been em Dloved to weaken the. force of the facts I bad nreviouslv laid before it about affaira at tbe same agency. Commissioner Smith dictated to the agentof tbe Associated Press lor publication, tbe following counter-state ment, which was widely published tbe next dav. May 29: "Commissioner snv.tn or tü Indian bureau say?, in regard to the letter of Gen. Bradley, published yesterday, tbat the cattle spoken of belonged to the contractor; that they were sick, some of them with broken limbs, and that they were not issued to the Indians, and tha? there was no intention of issuing them, simply because tbey were in such a poor and sick condition. He Asserts that Red Dog's statement was incorrect, and that Red Cloud informed him this morning that Red Dog lied when he told the story to Gen. Bradley and Prof. Marsh. The commissioner aUo states that Gen. Bradley could have satisfied himself off bis fact by a slight inquiry of the herdman oi contractor il he had desired to do so." As this reply contained some statements which I knew to be erroneous, I at once endeavored to ascertain THE EXACT TROTH ABOUT THESK CATTLE. In company with the Rev. S. D. Hlnman, the official interpreter of the interior de partment, I called upon Agent Saville, May 29, at his hotel, and asked him about the cattle cxaminea oy oen. israaiey ana me other officers. Agent Saville said that "these cattle did not belong to the contractor, but to the government; that he bad accepted them from the contractor, and given receipts lor all of them, and they worein his charge; that subsequently all except two of them were issued by him to the Indians ; that these cattle were not sick, and none of them had broken legs; and that they were tbe only cattle at tbe agency when Gen. Bradley was there." I also called on Red Cloud himself, and he positively denied tbat he had held any conversation whatever with Commissioner Smith about tb6se cattle that morning, as stated; and I subsoquently learned by Inquiry of all of the Sioux interpreters then in the city, through whom alone such a converstation could be held, that Red Cloud bad no such conversation with Commissioner Smith. Red Cloud also told me that he "must have been misunderstooc. In the council of Friday (May 28). He did not mean to say that these cattle bad been refected by tbe agent, but simply that at tbe time Gen. B.-adley saw them they had not been issued by tbe Indians, but bad been left over from a former issue." Thia testimony fairly disposes of tbe explanation attempted on t his point by Commission er Smith. Essentially tbe same excuse tor the inferior quality ol these cattle was made by Agent Saville in Washington, June 1. IS75, when questioned by Bishop W. II. Hare, in my presence, in regard to this particular issue. Agent Savilie then stated, "tbat the poor condition ol these cattle was owing to bard driving some forty-eigbt hours with little grass or sleep, to hurry them through, as tbe Indians had bad no beef for some time, he having kept back rations to induce them - to be counted. The cattle arrived in the morning, and he weighed most ot them the same forenoon. Some few that were wild he did not weigh, but estimated. Tbe issue was made on tbe same afternoon of tbe receipt. Among tbe cattle taen Issued were forty or more small and "scallawag" cattle. Agent Saville was confident that these cattle, thin as they were, would weign &j0 pounds on an average." Oa my questioning tbis he insisted that "those he weizhed came up to that average, and tbat those estimated were fully as large, lie, himself, weighed all of the herd tbat were weighed on the morning they arrived." Memoranda of these statements of Agent saville were taken down at the time by Bishop Hare and myself, and at a subsequent conference were found to agree. As I was confident that the weight of tbis herd of cattle did not exceed 750 pounds average, thw positive statement of Agent Saville to B'ibop Hare that the actual weight Of the cattle reached an average of 850 pounds each, as weighed by bim, Increased my suspicion that the WHOLE TRANSACTION WAS FRAUDULENT. I was not prepared, however, for the evidence which I found ia tbe second auditor's

office of the treasury department, where the

receipts are filed as vouchers ior tne payment to the contractor. I there ascertained that Agent Saville had given a receipt for this same herd ol 701 head ot diminutive cattle. In which he certified that their actual weignc, aa weigoea uy mm, ioi,ioj pounds, which would make the average exceed 1,043 pourds per head. More than this, I found that, according to ARent Saville's receipts, all the cattle received during the same quarter of 1874 bad reached nearly the same average, or more than 1,040 pounds each. As this ia a matter of great importance, I here give the official btatement, as furnished by tbe treasury department. Schedule of beef cattle delivered at the Red Clond Indian Agency daring the fourth quarter, 1871. as'appears by accounts of V. A. iaxton on file in this ofhee: WMsrht. Pate. 1871. Oct. 1 Hed. Mil Founds, Furnished by W. A. Tax ton. ISTJ.Oct. SO 758 701 1874, Nov. 14 1S7I, Dec. 3. 731,48-5 621.447 tin Total 2,719 2,828,113 Second Auditor's Office, J une 7. '75. The foregoing Is a correct statement as appears by tbe records of ibis office. E. B. French, Auditor. In other words, this large herd ol cattle which no one could fairly estimate at a greater average weight per head than 750 pounds, and which both the agent and contractor apologized for as being much inferior to their regular issues, and which Agent Saville only claimed to have weighed 850 pounds, were charged to the government by that official as weighing more than 1.013 pounds each, and tbe contractor actually received pay at that rate. Of the cattle received during this quarter other than the above I have no personal knowledge, but from all I could learn from tboe who had seen them, tbey were no better than trie herd I examined, which Red Cloud in Washington pronounced a good one, and superior to most of those received. I think it would be 6afe to say that the cattle received lor that whole quarter did not exceed 800 pounds average, and yet Agent Saville receipted for them to the contractor as over I, 040 pounds. These FRAUDS IN WEIGHTS, which are consummated by direct collusion between the agent and the contractor, and through which both tbe Indians and tbe government are so greatly defrauded, lorm only part of the general system of theft. I have reason to believe that equal rascality is practiced in regard to the number of cattle. For example, tbere is conclusive evidence that the only cattle at the agency November II, 1874, were the seven bead of puny animals examined by General Bradley, yet, according to the provision return of Agent Saville for the fourth quarter of 1S74, now on file in the interior department, be sbculd have had 1S4,905 pounds, or according to bis official receipt?, 179 head. It has been shown above, however, tbat the beef issue which he claimed to have made Nov. 8 did not take place. Hence he should have had on November 11 at least 440,427 pounds of beef, or about 430 bead of cattle, when be actually had only seven! These various beef transactions took place under tbe contract assigned to A. W. Paxton, well known to be merely the agent ot Bosler, who personally filled the contract. Although this contract had been violated in all its important feature?, and shameful frauds practised in its fulfillment, Commissioner Smith did net call on the bondsmen of the contractor for satisfaction, as tbe law required bim to do, but, on March 17, 1875, privately made a new contract witb tbe same A.. W. Paxton (or in reality with B sler) to supply beet for the same Red Cloud agency at a much highe price ($3 per 100 pounds) than thi contractor had originally bound himself to do. Tbis contract was Illegal, as it was given by the commissioner without advertising for proposals. Tbe bond required in tbis contract was 540,000. How tbe contract was carried out will be seen from tbe testimony of Lieut. W. L. Carpenter and others given below. Lieut. Carpenter was with me on my expedition in November, and was subsequently stationed at Red Cloud agency, where be had the best opportunity to observe the whole management of affairs. Mr. Louis Resbaw (Richard) was also at the agency, and intimately acquainted with what transpired there. Both were present a, cattle issues in May last, and tha RESULTS OP THEIR OBSERVATION are embodied in their certificates here given: I certify that on or about the 13th day ot May, 1S75, 1 witnessed an Issue Ot beef cattle to tbe Indians at the Red Cloud Agency, Neb. That the cam then issued were wretchedly poor, and about one-half of them ridiculously small. Oat of about 200 head which I saw killed at tbat time, there were but three oxen which would be accepted by an army commissary for issue by troops. "There were many yearlings in the herd, which would not net 200 pounds cf beef; and to tbe best of my knowledge and belief, the entire herd would not average 750 pounds gross weight. Y. Li. UARPENTER, First Lieut. l)th Infantry. Camp near Trinidad, Col.. June 22, 1875. Washington, June 5, 1S75.I hereby certify that I was at Red Clond Agency at the first beef issue in May, 1T5, and tbat ot the cattle tben issued to the Indians more than one-third were yearlings. I have full knowledge of this fact, for I bought of tbe Indians over 60 hides ot the cattle issued at that time. The remainder of the cattle left after this issue were all small, and not larger than those issued. In tbe above issue no allowance was made to the Indians tor the small cattle delivered, all counting alike. Louis Reshaw. It will be remembered tbat the contractor received a much higher price for these cattle than tor those provided and delivered, and tbat the contract called for "good mercbantable beef cattle, averagiug 850 pounds," and that "if any cattle offered for acceptance should fail to conform to the requirements of this constract the same shall be rejected by the agent." The above certificates show the kind oi cattle actually delivered under this contract. The kind of cattle paid for by tbe government la Indicated by tbe following extract from the records of the second auditor nf the treasury, which is taken from the official receipts given by the agent to the contractor, on which tbe latter receives pay. It will be observed that tbe general average for tbe whole lot is over 1,028 pounds: Memoranda of beef cattle delivered at tbe Red Cloud Indian Agency, commencing Jan 1, 173, as appears by accounts on file In this office. Grosi Date. By whom furnished. No. head, weight. 1S75. Jan. 1 W. A. Paxton 644 6tiS,67S 1S75, Feb. 1 - W. A. Paxton. 44 175 Feb. 17 W. A. Paxton. 417 1875, March 1...W. A. Paxton . 196 1375, March 25.. W. A. Paxton 1875, April 1 W. A. Paxton bi 1675, April 21V. A. Paxton . 54 4M. 2l 3 41,114 499,303 5-i5,2H tey.util öSö.llö Second Auditor's Office, July 8, 1875. Another fruitful source ot fraud in cattle at the Red Cloud agency is tbe SYSTEM OF STAMPEDING, which appears to have been practiced there, at least, since the present agent took charge. A stampede ot Texas cattle may result from various causes, and the natural result ot a stampede of tbe agency herd would be their Immediate return to the contractor's herd from which they were driven. While at tbe agency in November, 1874, I heard that a stampede of this kind had taken place a few months before. The particulars of this

stampede I afterwards learned from various

persons among them Louis Reshaw, who was familiar with the circumstances, and testifies to the facts in tbe following certificate: Washington, D. C. June 5, 1875. I hereby certify that In tha summer of 1874 tbe herd of cattle at tbe Red Cloud Agency, which had been received by the agent from the contractor, stampeded, and most ot them, over 100 In cumber, went back to tbe contractor's herd on tbe Platte. The same cattle vf ere al:erward driven to the agency and were receipted for a second time by tbe agent. The contractor's herder offered to sell me those cattle at f 10 per head be!ore he drove them back to tbe agency. Louis Reshaw. From such stampedes and tbe fraudulent results following, both the Indiana and tbe government have suffered ereat loesea. Maj. A. S. Burt and myself were at tbe issue of provisions, Noy. 15, 1874, and among -ther thing3, saw and 'examined the pork tbat was delivered. The method employed in distributing tbis article to the Indians was characteristic of the management ot affairs at tbis agency. Tbe barrels of pork were rolled out cf tbe warehouse by one of the agency employes, the beads of the barrels kno -ked In with an ax, and tbe contents turned upon the eround. Tbe pieces ot pork were then given to the Indian, who were waiting around, without being weighed or any other means adopted to insure a just distribution. This pork I examined, aud found it old and strong. Some e it, at least, was rusty and unfit for human food. On this point Major Burt, iu a certificate which be ha3 rec&ntly seut me, states as follows: I observed the pork given to the Indians; it was leap, rusty stuff, unfit tor anybody's use." The Indiam received this pork ration with evident d'Sgust. Most ot them merely cut off lh9 outer thin layer oflat, and THREW THE REST AWAY on the spot. In one of the recent councils in Washington, Red Cloud earnestly complained of the por& issued to him and his people, and said that he thought some of the children had died from eating it. After this particular issue, tbe Indians so strongly objected to the quality of this pork tbat the tact was reported by the agent to the department in Washington. The contract under which this wretched pork was furnished to the Indians was given to J. W, L. Siavens, of Kansas City well known as a favorite contractor ot the interior department and was signed by Commissioner Smith, July 11. 1874. It contained tbe usual phrases ' that the article furnished should 04 subjected to a thorough inspection and careful comparison with the samples thereof;" and the usual bond was rertquired. The price paid was 21 per barrel. My attention was called to tbe flour rations at this agency by Red Cloud himself, and this was one of tbe samples he gave ma to take to Washlngt n. A tow days aterward I saw the issue ot provisions at tbe agency, and my attention was again attracted to the subject by seeing a sack of flour, which an Indian woman had just received and was carrying away, burst open, and part ot its content? fall on tbe ground. This Hour was dark iu color, and adhesive to the touch, although it bad not been wet, and inferior In quality. Tbe floor was in a single sack witbout any brand whatever. I atterward saw in tbe warehouse, apparently put up in the same way, and entirely witbout brands, a considerable number of sacks, although the contract especially stipulated tbat the floor wa3 to be "tresh ground, of XX quality, to be made wholly from good, sound wheat, and to be delivered in good, strong, double sacks, each sack to be branded 'Indian Department Flour.' " On none of tbe flour that I saw in the warehouse did I observe any inspector's brand?, although some of the sacks may have had such marks without m noticing them. 1 alterward saw flour in three different Indian lodges, and all appeared to be ot the same quality as that 1 saw issued at tbe agency, and essentially tbe same as the sample Red Cloud had given me, although I made no direct comparison between the two. As the fairness of tbe latter, as a sample of the flour issued at tbe agency, was subsequently questioned by Commissioner Smith and others responsible for Indian management I have taken considerable pains to ascerta:n the QUALITY OP THE FLOUR furnished to the Red Cloud agency under the contract which was in force during the last half of 1874, when my visit was made, and during the first half of the present year. This contract was given to J. H. Martin, of Denver, and was signed by Commissioner Smith July 11, 1S74. The flour was to be delivored in Cheyenne at the rate of 2 50 per 100 pounds, a bond of $10,000 being given to insure a faithful perf ormance of the contract. I learn from good authority that this contra could not be honestly filled, according to t he accepted sample, at the price paid. Tbe contract required "that the flour offered lor acceptance under this contract shall be subjected 10 a thorough inspection, and careful comparison with tbe sample thereol which has been adopted, and if, on such comparison and inspection, any cf the flour fails to conform to or equal said sample, the same shall be rejected by the parties making the inspection." I have recently received a portion of the original sample of the flour in which the contract was based for the last fiscal year, 1S74-75. This is a totally different article in appearance from the flour I saw issued to tbe Indians .at the agency, and in use in the lodges, and no one could mistake the one for the other. This sample of flour la the only sample, of all the supplies purchased last year, that the department retained, by which to comf are the supplies actually delivered to the ndians, and thus prevent fraud. The reason why tbis natural precaution against frauds has not been taken, remains- tor the department for the interior to explaio. Some of the first flour delivered under his contract, a lot of 2,000 sacks, or 200,000 pounds, reached Cheyenne in August, 1874. This lot of flour, more than one-third of the whole year's supply for Red Cloud agency, was not inspected, as required. I am informed that Dr. Irwin, agent for the Sho shone Indians, who was in Cheyenne, de tected tbe bad quality of tbat flour, and telegraphed tbe department tbat THE TRANSACTION WAS A FRAUD. Agent Saville was at Cheyenne at tbis time, and be has since informed Bishop Hare and myself that he was ordered by Commissioner Smith to send the flour on to tbe agency; a sample of It, merely, to be retained by a citizen of Cheyenne, a leading member tbere of tbe Indian ring, and who, as 1 am credibly informed, has since been under two indictments for attempting to bribe United States officials. Tbis action on the part of Commissioner Smith would seem to Indi cate bis own affinity witb the Indian ring. Early in September 1874, Maj r A. lv. Long, of the United States Commissary Department, was appointed Inspector at Cheyenne. Ina recent communication, dated June 19, 175, be states that when be began his duties, there remained of tbe above lot of flour 27 6acks, which he immediately rejected, but it was aiterward shipped to Red Cloud agency by the storekeeper as tbe latter sadd by mistake. Msj Long states, also, that be rejected a great deal ot flour at first ; then tbe grade became better, and that he rejected some flour that Barclay White, superintendent of Indian affairs, had inspected and passed at Omaha. In Agent Saville'a interview with Bishop Hare, in Washington, June 1, at which I was present, the agent

stated that "subsequent to the receipt of the a m . .

owTo lot 01 nour, some 'juu sacks or dark flour, Inspected at Omaha by Barclay White, came to tbe Red Cloud Agency witbout being inspected at Cheyenne. This was very poor flour, and was issued about the time 01 my visit, and be thought tbe fljor I saw there was a part ol this lot." This testimony, from observers whose official duty It was to examine the character of the flour for Red Cloud Aeency, effectually disposes of the statement which tbe Indian commissioner gave to the Associated Press in contradiction of my first presentation ot tbe case at Washington, The explanation ot the commissioner, woich was published May 3, was as follows : "It is stated at the Indian Bureau, witb reference to the complaints concerning supplies furnished to tbe Indians at tne Red Cloud Agency, tbat all the flour sent there was inspected at Cheyenne, by Major Lon-, commissary of subsistence of the United States army, and passed by bim as equal to the accepted sample. It is therefore claimed that the samples of Inferior flour brought here by Prof. Marsh at the request ot Red Cloud were of somo old iäsue, or, like the specimens of sugar and tobacco, had been damaged by exposure to the weather while in the Indiana' possession." Essentially the same statement was previously made to me by Commissioner Smith, and this discouraged me from giving him further information about mismanagement in Indian affairs. Tbe supplies of SUGAR AND COFFEE at thia agency I know comparatively little about. Red Cloud gave me a sample of each, which he said were such as he was then using, and Red Dog stated essentially the same thing. I saw both ot these articles issued to the Indians November 15, 1S74, but only noticed the sugar particularly. It was dark in color, moiaf, and of low "grade. I did not compare this dirtctly with tne sample Red Cloud had given me, but 1 have no üoub, tha two were from thesamelot, and virtually of the same quality. The coffee I did not see in bulk, but drank some ot it as prepared at a feast in one ' of the lodges. Tbis was certainly very infciior toffee, and not unlike such as I imagined Red Cloud's sample tfould make. The character of the tobacco furnished the Indians at tbis agency has been a matter of considerable discussion, and justly so, as this article .is regarded by the Indians as an important part of tneir rations. Both Red Cloud and Red Dog complained on this point at the tirst council held with them, and one ot the samples Red Cloud gave me wa3 a specimen ot tho tobacco he whs then using. Thia specimen attracted much attention among the officers in our camp, and led us to observe the qualily iu use among the Indians. All the tobacco we saw was vile stuff, dark In color, and much of it was saturated with a dark, viscous liquid. I saw tbe tobacco issued to tha Indians November 15, but only noticed that it was dark in color. I subsequently saw tbe tobacco used by Red Cloud, Red Dog, and Manafraid of-bis-horses, and in one council smoked the tobacco placed by Red Cloud In his own pipe. All ot this agreed apparently with the sample he gave me, and I have no doubt tbis sample fairly represented tbe tobacco issued to tbe Indians during my visit. Some f the officers who were with me at the a&ency looked into this subject with stfll more care, and their opinion on tbis point coincides with my own. None of the tobacco we saw was of much service to the Indians, who uso the article only tor smoking. The SUFFERING AMONG THE INDIANS at Red Cloud Agency during tbe past winter was very great. No small part of it could have been prevented by good management, while the greater portion must have bsen tbe result of the direct dishonesty which I have shown to exist. Tbe Indians had already suffered from cola before the annuity goods were issued, November 12, 1874. In consequence ot this late delivery, they had no time to supplement the small number Of blankets issued witb buffalo robes before the winter set in. In less than a week after the issue, j op t a I started from the agency on my expedition, the weather b came extremely cold, the thermometer falling to 15 degrees below zjro; and as j manv of the Indians rec3ived no Uankets at all, and those who did receive them found them too small to protect them from cold, the suffering was great. One ot the chiefs whom 1 had engaged before tbe issue to accompany me, informed me after tbe delivery tbat be could not go, being compelled on account of the insufficiency of blankets to bunt for buffalo, as otherwise hie family would suffer greatly during the bard winter be said was coming. During the extremely cold winter that followed many of these Indians, as 13 now well known, narrowly escaped freezing. The suffering for the want of lood during the past winter and epring is known to have been general among the Indians at this ageucy. I have evidence on this point from several sources, among others from Col. T. H. Stanton, payma3ter ol the army, whose dutie-i called bim to the agency. Another army officer who has giveD me information on this subject ia Lieut. W. L. Carpenter, who wa3 stationed there all winter. In a letter written at the agency, in April last.be says: "Tbe Indians are all quiet now. The poor wretches have been several times tbis winter on tbe verge ot starvation, through the rascality of the Indian ring. They have been compelled to eat dogs, wolves and ponies." The supply of food purchased by the government, carefully and honestly delivered, would have prevented all this suffering. The coods and supplies for Red Cloud agency Pll are transported by wagon from Cheyenne, on the Union Pacific railroad, aDd hance THE FREIGHT CONTRACT f ir this route is a very important one. Mr. D. J. McCann, a well known menibtr of the Indian ring, has had this contract sinc9 the present agency was establi-hed, and tbe official distance from Cheyenne to this point, as allowed by tbe Interior department, is 212 miles. Tbe price paid for freight during the it fiscal year was f 1 10 per hundred pound3 for each hundred miles, and the previous year $1 75 per hundred pounds was paid. This allowed distance of 212 miles was well known to be largely in excess of the true distance-, and yet no effort seems to have been made by tbe Interior department to ascertain tbe correct distance, although its attention had been called to tbe subject in 1S73. In tbe meantime, tbe land office of tbe interior department has been surveying tbis same region, and had the Indian bureau ot tbe same department desired to know tbe exact, or even approximate, distance, it could readily have obtained official information on that point. In November last, while I was at the Red Cloud agency, Mr. J. W. Hammond, assistant to the surveyor general ol Wyoming, surveyed tbe route from Chey -enne to Red Cloud agency, andjnformed me tbat it was only 145 miles, and his official survey is now on record in Cheyenne. It thus appears that the Indian bureau has for years, knowingly, paid to a member of the Indian ring over $15,000 per annum for service that was not performed. I think it lairly lollows from tbe evidence I have presented tbat tbe samples of rations Red Cloud gave me to show jTou represent the average quality of the supplies Issued to his people at least during the time of my visit; that this chiefs complaints of his aeents, which I brought to you, were literally true; and that the frauds in annuity goods and beef cattle which he declared to exist were NOT OVER-STATED. The gTeat difficulty in ascertaining the ex-, tent of these frauds, or even in making any

Investigation, is largely due to the fact tbat the interior department has retained none of tbe original samples on which tbe purchases for nutans were made during the last fiscal year the only sample known to tne department to exist being tbat of flour at Chevenne, where gross frauds have been committed. This difficulty is further increased by the failure of tbe Indian Bureau to transmit any of tbe accounts of Ageht Saville for the last year to tbe treasury department, as required by law. The responsibility lor all thia mismanagement and'lraud enonld rest with Secretary Delano and Commissioner Smith, who have long known of the abuses at Red Cloud Agency. No less than five special commissioners, or other official!, appointed and paid by the department ol the interior, had personally investigated this agency before my visit, and given tbat department information indicating tho bad state of affairs there. A portion of the responsibility for the inferior goods 8nd supplies purchased last year should perhaps attach to Messrs. F. H. Smith, N. J. Turney and J. D.Lang of the Board of Indian Commis-

niui'ers. laeee gentlemen assisted iu making the purchases, retained no samples by which the character of their purchases could be subsequently tested, and published no report of their action, as previous purchasing committees ot the board had done. In conclusion, I have only to sav, that hiving been, while engaged in my prolessicnal duties, incidentally made tbe beaier of Red Cloud's mes-aco to you, and having endeavored, when the justice of his complaints was questioned by those responsible for tbe management of tbe Indian affairs to ascertain the trutb, I now leave tbe whole subject in your hand?, in perfect confidence that tho facts I have presented will lead to good results. GREEK HUSBANDS. THE MODERN ATHENIAN MODEL FAMILY MAN THE PROMISED LAND FOR WOMEN. Olive Harper thus writes to the GlobeDemocrat from Athens: Tbe city of Athens is built of white stone, which contrasts most beautifully with the rich trees that are planted along every street. Here every man has his own vine and ri tree, and all serais peace and prosperity. In regarding modern Athens from this height, I am reminded of Selkirk's soliloquy, "Here every prospect pleases, and only man 19 vile!" for the modern Greeks Lave the name of being tte most cratty people under the sun. Crafty they may be, but they are at least proud and independent, and their attachment to their families is something to admire. Here is, indeed, in one respect, the "promised land" for the women, for more devoted husbands women never had. A Greek man is only content when he can lavish upon his wife all the luxuries in the way of dress the female heart can desire. He is only happv when, in company with his wife in the house, the street or on the promenade, she is the bfst dressed of all the fair. With tbe Greek busband, there is no grumbling consent to beitov upon you enough to buy a pair of boots, while he spends ten times that amount with his friend in champagne supper?: no long; drawn visage as he doles out a stingy sum while delivering a solemn lecture as to female extravaganco. Not a bit of it. On the contrary, tbe Greek husband does not lead his wife through by streets for fear of dry goods stores, when she wish93 to go out lor a little walk. He leads her, on the contrary, past the most fashionable stcies, and obseryes with the eye of the critic all tbe new styles, and Is really (ladies), really and trully willing to spend his money for his own. wife. Even for fear she. should not be considered as lovely as sorrfe one else, he goes to a perfumer's, he buys cold cream, rice powder, delicate pink for cheeks a little blanched by the stern realities of motherhood ; he buys a little black for eyelashes, to brighten eyes that have become somewhat dimmed by tears, perhaps, or vigils over sickly babes, and he not only gives bis full and free consent to their use, but he himself will artistically apply them, and afterward compliment his wife on her beauty till her heart swells with the love that he knows so well how to retain, fresh as when the first vows were plighted. Yes, of a verity,, the Greeks are bad inen, but good husbands and tender fathers. A VILE MURDER. EXCITEMENT AT WARSAW A YOUNG WOMAN? BASELY POISONED. The Fort Wayne Gazette of yesterday morning publishes the following special telegram from Warsaw, Kosciusko county, dated July 16: Susan Vandermark, a younggrass widow, residing five miles south ot this place, died under reculiar circumstances this morning. The facts, as near as can be ascertained now, are these: She bad been for some months receiving the attection of a young m.tn parsed Martin Bectleheimer, who is said to be a rather fast young man. Some two weeks ago he took her for a drive with his horse arid carriage, and during the ride he induced ber to drink some wine which he bad with him. She observed a peculiar taste to the wine, and a severe burning sensation in tbe throat and stomach after drinking it; and the next morning she was taken with convulsions. She, however, soon recovered. The night nefore last she again went riuing with Bectleheimer, and again drank wine which he had with him, and yesterday morning she was again taken with convulsions, and ÜDgered along, suffering terribly, until this morning, when she died. Th" Jacts relative to tbe wine drinking she told just before she died: Her friends swore out a warrant for the arrest of Bectleheimer, and Sheriff" Jaques aud his deputy started in pursuit, but have not as yet succeeded in capturing bim. Tbe coroner is holding an inquest over the bodv at the prf sent time. Tbe po6t mortem examinaticn baa been held, and the stomach and contents taken out and brought to this city by Dr. Moro, who is subjecting them to a chemical analysis. Several rumors are afloat relative to the object of tbe poisoning, among the rest it is stated that thewine was Jrugged witb cantbaride, and given to provoke amorous desires. LATER DETAILS. Warsaw, July 1611 p. M Oar community was startled this rooming by a rumcr that Susan Vandermark, daughter of David Vandermark, living four miles south of town, was dead, and tbat her death resulted from poison. Our coroner, Mr. Bratt, immediately, with Drs. Moro and WTebber, went out to bold an inquest. A jury was empanneled, and found from the evidencetbe deceased came to her death by poison called cantbarides, or "Spanish fly," and that it was administered by oneMartin Bechtelbeimer and Wm. Young. Deputy Sheriff Watkins and S. W. Co ard went to arrest tbe parties. Mr. Bechtelheimer waa rt home, and broke on a run, and after being baited was fired upon seversl times; but succeeded in outrunning both of them, and made his escape for the time. Mr. Watkins at once ordered the farmers around to turn out and assist in the arrest. while Cosand went for Young.whom he found picking cherries, and had no trouble in making the arrest. In the meantime the sheriff, O. P. Jaques, went in quest of Bechtelheimer and finally found him in the same house where Yeung was arrested and secured him also wit hont any further trouble. The parties own up to the whole transaction, but claim that it was only given eo that they might accomplish their hellish design upon the woman. Both are now In jail, and the excitement is intense. Talk of hanging is freely spoken of on the streets, but hopes are felt by the better classes that nothing of the kind will ceres orted tc.