MF1323.1197 Reel 39_1020

California, J 277 [illegible] Short 478 Ione City Cal. [E] Jany 25. 1864

Relative to his claims for moneys expended in the Indian Services.

Referred to Commissioner of Indian Affairs [name] Acting Chf Clerk Dept. of Interior Mch 5/64

[stamped] RECEIVED AT THE March 5 1864 INDIAN BUREAU

[stamped] DEPARTMENT OF THE Feb 28 4964 INTERIOR

White Finance Clerk over

January 25th 1864 Ione City Cal

Hon A.P Usher Secretary of the Interior

Dear Sir As my expectations have been Entirely disapointed in regard to getting my money as you said that you would direct that Mr Steel should pay me on my arrival here that I had paid out of my own private funds last winter for the Indian Service whilst I was compeled to or let the Indians perish during the winter and whilst Superintendent Harrison had directed me to purchase on the credit of the General Government but when I attempted to do so I found it utterly impossible to buy one pound of any thing in that way for there was no one that had any confidence in Hanson. Therefore I had eitehr to become responsible my self and paid to S.M Smith six hundred and fifty two dollars 12/100 in gold I had to borrow two hundred and fifty dollars to meet the payment on the first of april at two percent per month it [illegible] three months Hanson had agreed pay by the 1st of april last he failed I had then to sell legal tender notes at sixty six cents to the dollar to pay the amount the two hundred and fifty cost per four hundred in legal tender notes I paid J.B Owens seventy six dollars 08/100 for wheat and potatoes Lawrence [Battail?] fifty one in gold for wheat Antonio Leger twenty dollars for corn in gold also to James Meary

commission merchant Mr. Tehama fifteen dollars commision and drayage on Garden Seeds beans peas and flax seed which I was compeled pay in gold or do without for the use of the Reservatio nfor the Season Hanson was oweing means over one thousand dollars that he had owed him over one year and he could not get one dolla from him some of it money that Meas had for him and he refused to let any thing more go out without the charges being first paid [illegible] [illegible] the fourgoing amounts amounting to Eight hundred and fourteen dollars and twenty cts I have the proper vouchers from each and then I paid George Bower one hundred and ten dollars for services rendered as an Employee on the Reservation there was a defisincy [deficiency] of help on the Reservation Hanson had directed me to employ what hands was needed but on attempting to do so I found the same dificulty attendign it that I did in buying food for the Indians there was no one that was willing to take the chances of getting pay from Hanson as there had been hands employed for a year without getting a dollar and then said their claims for half the amount I had to become responsbile myself and paid the money I [illegible] I was at a [loss?] to know what way to take his vouchers he lived in the neighborhood and said he would come over when Hanson come and give his vouchers but before Hanson come the Indians killed him consequently I have no vouchers for that money but I can [illegbile] the payment of the account by his administrator I have an [illegible] of fourty two dollars for my [illegible] expence going to and

returning from San Francisco on Official Business under Hansons order it was inconvenient to take vouchers but I kept an account of each item and then again when Hanson discharged me he swindled me out of two hundred and sixty two dollars and fifty cts as I suppose by stating that my salary had been curtailed twenty five dollars per month from the first of July 1862 Ten months and a half which I find no Law to that effect now my dear Sir I am in very great need being entirely destitute and out of any employment and not able to go at any kind of hard labor it would be a very great accomodation to me to get what is justly due me from the department I have written twie to the president and once to Charles E Mix Commissioner of Indian Affrs as Mr Steel informs me that Mix is the commissioner tho I have seen no account of any change in that department I am entirely ignorant of [sutch?] business I did not no which was the proper one to apply to for my redress Mr Steel directed me to apply to the commissioner which I did about the middle of October last but so far have received no anser [answer] from either of them the President wrote to Mr. Steel requesting him to look in to those charges that Hanson had preferred against me and if found untrue requesting him to reinstate me to my former position but if he ever attempted any thing of the kind I could not hear of it if he did it was with the Secesionists [Secessionists] of the Valley and not where he should of went for information as I support as there was a company of soldiers stationed on the reservation for the protection of the Indians and the government property and employees the officers of which are perfect gentlemen Capt Douglass Lieutenants Noyes and

[Coffman] which I suppose should of been the proper persons for him to of applied to for information but insted of his going to them he pointedly refused to have any interview with them during his stay of a week or ten day that he remained on the Reservation the first of Oct the only visit he has paid the Reservation since his appointment it was owing to the influence that the present supervisor Dr. Malendy and Hanson had exercised over him that influenced his course toward unknowing as they did that the officers had been here for a year past and new all about my course as Supervisor and likewise that of the present Supervisor knowing as they did that he was a Doctor and not a farmer and likewise that he was making a good individual thing of it having bought a band fo our one hundred head of horses that he keeps on the Reservation at the expenses of the department without any profit to it tho the expense that he offered for not seeing them and likewise for not reinstating me was that Captain Douglass had appointed me to the duty of providing for the wants of a large number of sick Indians that had just been bought on to the Reservation and the acting Supervisor being absent in [serch?] of the new appointed Superintendent and had left no one in charge to relieve their wants the Indians being in a suffering condition had applied to the Captain for [illegible] knowing the feeling the Indians entertained toward me I having just arrive in The Valley the Captain applied to me to take the charge and likewise to bring in about one hundred and