Mr. EASBY-SMITH. I offer this and read it, as follows; it is very short and dated October 7, stamp dated October 8, 1909: JAMES A. CARROLL, Esq., Officer in charge, Neopit, Wis. OCTOBER 8, 1909. SIR: The office has received a letter of October 2, 1909, from J. R. Farr, general superintendent of logging, reporting that he came to Neopit at your request and asking for instructions in regard to assignment to duties there. You may retain Mr. Farr as long as you think it absolutely necessary, but I have other work for him, which it is important that he should take up as early as possible. Very respectfully, R. G. VALENTINE, Commissioner. I show you a letter dated October 14, 1909, marked "Personal," addressed to yourself and signed by Robert G. Valentine, commissioner. Will you state whether or not you received that while at Neopit? Mr. CARROLL. Yes, sir. Mr. EASBY-SMITH. I offer in evidence and read this letter, as follows: DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, Your MY DEAR MR. CARROLL: I wired you yesterday as follows: "I wish to express my hearty thanks for your letter of October 10. actions and attitude continue to prove that you are the right man in the right place. Am writing you with absolute fullness as to the whole situation." As to Mr. Farr, I think you are taking a very wise course. I merely want you to know that, as extensive as I believe his ability to be, I have of my own personal knowledge too deep an acquaintance with the man to care to rest any action whatever on his testimony or advice alone. It might be very useful in a suggestive way or as clues, but unless it is corroborated by independent testimony from some one in whose character and fair purposes I had confidence I should not value it. As you have discovered, he is a remarkably clever man. As to Mr. Braniff's contempt for me, personally I am, of course, indifferent. Officially I can not help being sorry at the attitude Braniff has taken. It seems to me so entirely unnecessary. Had he been up against anything that would hinder the work, a personal letter or telegram to me at any time would have got him what he wanted while he was in charge, as my statement that I am backing up" the man on the ground" is a genuine fact and not a fancy exhibition. In this general connection, and to show you clearly where the lines of responsibility run, I inclose you copy of a letter which I wrote yesterday to Mr. Pinchot. I have very strong doubts as to whether the logging operations at Menominee are on a sound philosophical basis, looked at as they should be looked at, solely with regard to the good of the Indians; but it is too late now to go back to the beginning and start over. We have invested over half a million of the Indians' money there and we are bound now to go ahead and make the work a financial success, swinging it at the same time as far as may be into true philosophical courses. I did not give you specific oral instructions, because I did not know conditions well enough. I picked you as the man who, if things were not on a sound administrative basis at Neopit, would put them on that basis. I felt in a general way that we must no longer have what amounted substantially to two heads on the reservation. I also felt in a general way that Mr. Braniff was unfitted to cooperate with anyone else, either above or below him. As to any considerations of a personal or political nature involving this affair, there are none and will be none while I am Commissioner of Indian Affairs. My mind is solely and singly on doing the best possible for the Menominee Indians. I am aware, of course, that there are very strong political currents in Wisconsin and that those local currents might possibly tend to interfere with our business and humanitarian work on the Menoninee. I feel, however, that as far as Senator La Follette is concerned he will be with me to the hilt in doing what is really best for those Indians, after I have put their case fully before him as I see it, which, although our relations are of the pleasantest, I have not done so far. Mr. Hannan, Mr. La Follette's secretary, I have also found most pleasant to work with. As to the bearing of all the numerous accounts you have probably seen in the newspapers of differences of opinion, etc., between the Interior Department and the Forest Service, I know Mr. Ballinger too well not to know that he will back me to the hilt in my effort to take the clean, high course at Menominee. Should there be any attempt on the part of irresponsible people to engage the Indian Office and the Forest Service in a war, all I can say is that war will not begin while I am on the job. I think I appreciate to the full the embarrassment of your situation. Do not hesitate to apply to me, either officially or personally, either by letter or wire at any time of the day or night. Again thanking you for your letter, I am, JAMES A. CARROLL, Esq., Officer in Charge, Neopit, Wis. ROBERT G. VALENTINE, Commissioner. Did you communicate the contents of that letter to Mr. Farr? Mr. CARROLL. No, sir. Mr. EASBY-SMITH. I show you a letter, dated Neopit, Wis., October 14, 1909, apparently bearing your signature. Is that the letter you wrote to the commissioner on that date? Mr. CARROLL. Yes, sir. Mr. EASBY-SMITH. This was produced from the files of the Indian Office. It reads as follows: DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, DEAR MR. VALENTINE: Your wire of yesterday, calling for Braniff's resignation, was timely. There was no other alternative. The suspense is over, a better feeling prevails throughout the entire organization, Braniff's erstwhile insolent manner has given way to cheerfulness, and I have enjoyed a good night's rest. Of course I had nothing to do with disseminating the information. The impression prevails that Braniff's resignation was voluntary and this impression I shall not correct. Ben Daniels arrived last Sunday. He approved of the suggestion I made Holcombe that a commissioner should be stationed here and, at my suggestion, he has gone to Milwaukee to consult the judge and ascertain if such an appointment can be made. Daniels was not pleased with the prospect when he came: said he had been deceived and that he intended to go to Washington. I trust I have succeeded in convincing him of the great responsibility that devolves upon him, of the dignity of his position, of the confidence the office reposes in him, and its willingness to lend him any assistance. I should like very much to keep Farr a little while longer and, yet, I hesitate to do so when you tell me that you need him elsewhere. The cutting of 16,000,000 feet of timber is just commenced. Farr knows this feature of the work as well as any man in this section of the country. I wish that I might give him supervision of this operation until the new management takes charge. Faithfully, yours, Hon. ROBERT G. VALENTINE, Office of Indian Affairs, Washington, D. C. JAMES A. CARROLL. P. S.-Your wire of the 13th is the highest compliment that has come to me through my continued service—almost 14 years. You will pardon me, I know, if I permit Mrs. Carroll to share it. J. A. C. Did these letters put you on your guard, Mr. Carroll, toward making any further investigation or any careful scrutiny of Mr. Farr's conduct and methods? Mr. CARROLL. Well, I determined after receiving the second letter there that just so soon as Mr. Farr finished a certain detail that he was on, I would let him go. Mr. EASBY-SMITH. Did you come to that determination because of the letters or because of anything that you learned concerning of him? Mr. CARROLL. Well, I took Mr. Valentine at his word; that he needed him elsewhere for important work, and put it on that ground. Mr. EASBY-SMITH. I show you a letter, dated October 17, 1909, addressed to you and signed by Mr. Valentine. Did you receive that letter up there? Mr. CARROLL. Yes, sir. Mr. EASBY-SMITH. I offer this letter and read it, as follows: DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, DEAR MR. CARROLL: I have this morning your two letters of October 14. I thank you for the substance and spirit of both of them. I am wiring you as follows: "You are authorized to engage efficiency manager at rate of pay named in your letter of 14th." I am glad you feel the way you do about Mescalero, and I shall cooperate with you in getting you back there at the earliest possible moment, and I shall do it at an increase in pay. I am just leaving Washington, to be gone about a week, so I have to answer your letters rather shortly; but Mr. Abbott will read over both your letters and my answers dictated to-day and give you the same support as myself while I am away. While I have not hesitated, as you see, to take the whole responsibility on myself for paying four or five thousand dollars for a competent man, I think it would be well to have an expression from the majority of the adult Indians on the reservation as to their feelings about this matter, providing you think it wise. You are doing decidedly right in not taking any part in whatever impression prevails about Mr. Braniff's resignation. Make Daniels as comfortable as you can consistent with good administration. I want to make him happy there if I can; at the same time he is mighty lucky to get such a good place, and if he should try to ride any high horse of any kind you can tell him that the original proposition of taking him into the Indian service came from me, and I shall have no use for him any longer than he remains an efficient and highly useful part of my administration. But all this is unnecessary; you have, apparently, disposed of him already. Please do not think I am a monomaniac on Farr; but one more word as to him. You are the doctor on the job, and I won't do a single thing to hamper you; but if you could find another man-even one not quite so expert as Farr— conditions broader than Menominee would probably be somewhat benefited by making the change. In short, I want to get Farr out of Wisconsin and Minnesota for awhile, if not out of the service. It will create a much better feeling all around in connection with certain big jobs ahead of me. I am glad you are pleased with my wire of the 13th. I assure you it came from both my heart and head. Please present my compliments to Mrs. Carroll. Sincerely, yours, JAMES A. CARROLL, Esq.. Officer in Charge, Neopit, Wis. ROBERT G. VALENTINE, I call attention to the fact that the letter as he first dictated it reads: I want to get Farr out of Wisconsin and Minnesota for awhile. It will create a much better feeling all around in connection with certain big jobs ahead of me. And, then, interlined in ink are the words, "if not out of the service." Mr. GEORGE. Is that the letter you read awhile ago? Mr. EASBY-SMITH. Yes, sir; I read a part of it. Mr. Carroll, did you communicate the contents of that letter to Mr. Farr? Mr. CARROLL. No, sir. Mr. EASBY-SMITH. What did you do after you got it? Mr. CARROLL. Well, as soon as he finished checking over some schedules and preparing some memoranda for me I told him I would not require his services any longer; that I thought I could probably handle the situation alone, and thanked him for the assistance he had given me. Mr. EASBY-SMITH. Mr. Carroll, how much longer did you remain at Neopit? Mr. CARROLL. I stayed there until about the 1st of December. Mr. EASBY-SMITH. During the entire time Mr. Farr was there did you, by your personal observation or by information received from any person or persons, learn anything to confirm the apparent distrust of Mr. Farr by Mr. Valentine? Mr. CARROLL. No, sir. Mr. EASBY-SMITH. Had you not received those three letters from Mr. Valentine would you have made further use of Mr. Farr's services out there in that proposition? Mr. CARROLL. Probably. Mr. EASBY-SMITH. Do you remember how you terminated Mr. Farr's services? Mr. CARROLL. Yes, sir; just as I said a moment ago. I told him in the evening after dinner, after he had finished a certain memorandum and turned it over to me, that I should not need him any longer should not require his services any longer-and that I would so wire the office on the following morning. Mr. EASBY-SMITH. Did you wire the office? Mr. CARROLL. I did. Mr. EASBY-SMITH. On what date; do you remember? I am looking for the telegram now. Mr. CARROLL. Well, the telegram should be there. I do not recall the date. Mr. GEORGE. That is, that you would not require his services any longer as chief logger? Mr. CARROLL. In any capacity. That they had the idea of sending him elsewhere. That was the idea of releasing him. Mr. GEORGE. Releasing him to the department? Mr. CARROLL. Yes, sir. Mr. GEORGE. Not releasing him from the service? Mr. CARROLL. No, sir. Mr. GEORGE. You did not have authority to do that? Mr. CARROLL. No, indeed. Mr. EASBY-SMITH. What was the character of the work which Mr. Farr did there? Was it merely advising with you and pointing matters out to you, or did it also include the reparation of memoranda and reports? Mr. CARROLL. He was constantly digging into the records there and making reports to me. Mr. EASBY-SMITH. Menominee is in Wisconsin, I believe? Mr. EASBY-SMITH. I show you, from your own file, papers produced by you, a telegram marked, " Copy dated Shewano, Wis., October 20, 1909," reading as follows: COMMISSIONER INDIAN AFFAIRS. SHEWANO, Wis., October 20, 1909. Washington, D. C.: Shall not require Farr's services any longer. Is that the one in which you notified the Indian Office? CARROLL. Mr. EASBY-SMITH. Menominee is in Wisconsin. Did you know of any other big job in Wisconsin at that time? Mr. CARROLL. No; I am not familiar with any place in the service in Wisconsin except Menominee. I have never been to any other place. Mr. EASBY-SMITH. What big job was then on in Minnesota? Mr. CARROLL. Well, I do not know that. I have never been in Minnesota. I do not know anything about the service in Minnesota except by hearsay. Mr. EASBY-SMITH. While you were out there did you hear about the White Earth matter? Mr. CARROLL. Oh, yes; I heard about White Earth, from time to time, and Leach Lake. Mr. EASBY-SMITH. Did you turn over in your mind what Mr. Valentine may have meant by the "big jobs in Minnesota and Wisconsin"? Mr. CARROLL. No, sir. Mr. EASBY-SMITH. Did you ever have any conversation with Mr. Valentine concerning these three letters, or any one of them; I mean in the way of inquiring from him what he meant by the "big jobs"? Mr. GEORGE. Do you mean subsequently? Mr. EASBY-SMITH. I mean after having received the letters, did he ever have any conversation with you in which the commissioner explained what he meant by these "big jobs"? Mr. CARROLL. No, sir. Mr. EASBY-SMITH. When and under what circumstances, Mr. Carroll, if you know, did Mr. Farr first become acquainted with the contents of these three letters? Mr. CARROLL. Well, I think it was in January or February, 1910. Mr. EASBY-SMITH. Where? Mr. CARROLL. Here in Washington. Mr. EASBY-SMITH. Were you here on official business? Mr. CARROLL. Yes: I was called in in December. I got a letter the latter part of December. Mr. EASBY-SMITH. What were you doing here? Mr. CARROLL. He asked me to report here as soon after the holidays as possible, and I got here in the early part of January, and after arriving I was detailed by the commissioner to organize a section of forestry in the Indian Office, and Mr. Farr, the superintendent of logging, and Mr. Gutches, assistant forester, and Mr. Henderson were assisting me. |