James H. Wilbur Esq  US Indian Agent   Sir    Inspector W J Pollock arrived at this Agency about the 20th of December 1880, something more than two months after your departure for Wash- ington. The evening of his arrival I had my first conversation with him and  received a not particularly favorable im- pression   by reason of his harsh criticism of many eminent men, such as Gen Howard Capt Wilkinson, etc: He seemed to entertain a particularly contemptuous opin- ion of all the other Inspectors in the service not one of whom, he declared, was fit for the position The next morning, I brought him the  books and papers from the Office, calling his attention to one or two matters, not technically in accordance with the book  of Instructions. Mr Pollock said that circumstances and conditions of different  Agencies varied so materially that no rule  could be devised, that would apply equally  well to all, and that where the intention was  good, and the Agency conducted with an  honest desire for the best interest of the service,  a substantial compliance was all that was  
        required. I replied that there were some technical irregularities in the accounts ari- sing from misapprehension, but that he would find every thing correct with these exceptions Also, that the 3d qr accounts had been made  up after your departure, and that I alone  was responsible for them   The first council with the Indians was  held at the old Church Dec 23d: Mr  Pollock told the Indians, that he had come to hear what they had to say, that he wanted them to speak all that was in their minds, and not be afraid. Several speeches were made, almost entirely by disaffected Indians, who paraded their fancied grievances, the principal of which was, that annuity goods were no longer distributed to them without reference to their working, as formerly. On our way to the Council I had pointed out to Inspector Pollock, a number of fine houses, and good, well fenced farms, and was somewhat sur- prised, that in his remarks to the Indians, he spoke no word favorable to the Agent, nor once alluded to his successful labors among them. All who desired to speak, not having had opportunity at this council, an- other was agreed upon, the next wednesday I think  
        Returning to the Agency Mr Pollock  expressed himself as decidedly opposed  to Agent Wilburs system of distribution of Annuity goods. I pointed out to him the advantages attending his method, and informed him of the Agents views on the subject, but professed myself  ready at once to change it if he so dir- ected. He told me to make no changes in Agent Wilbur   s methods without written  orders from him  He said he intended to     thoroughly look up the cattle business,    that  if Agent Wilbur    got out of it without trouble  he would be the firs Agent that had done so,    that it was not the policy of the Depart- ment to keep a herd  amp;c: I showed him that the Agent had adopted no measure without the approval of the Department, that at every step he had kept them  informed of all his proposed measures, and had received their cordial approbation, and that the possession of the herd had  enabled him to keep without a dollar  expense to the Government, over 500 Piute  prisoners for two years, who had been  sent here in spite of his protests and that he had thus been enabled to save the  Department many thousands of dollars.  
        He made no particular reply, except to insist that he believed the results of his investigation would be to    smirch     the Agent. Till the meeting of the next  Council Mr Pollock devoted his attention to the accounts. He went back to the  year 1871 and wished to go still further  back, but the records previous to that year were imperfect. I repeatedly  pointed out to him, that the accounts  had been finally settled to 1878, but  he declared that made no difference,  that he could have the settlement set aside, and a new examination ordered. I then for the first time began to suspect that his object was not to fairly and honestly investigate the affairs of the Agency, but to take advantage of the absence of the Agent, to dig up something on which he might base an unfavorable  report. I intimated my suspicions  to him, but he declared he would    scorn  the thought   . He began to express unfa- vorable criticisms on the Agents, manage- ment before the employees, saying that  every thing was wrong,   everything ought to be changed,  amp;c, till it certainly seemed  
        that he desired to create dissatisfaction among the employees, and I believe, for a time did so. He found much fault with the accounts --I showed him from the Official documents, that all the matters that disgusted him so much, had been faithfully reported to his  superiors, adjusted, passed, and settled.  He declared it    incomprehensible how a       set of accounting officers with common       sense could pass such accounts   , and de- clared, that in the whole Department, there     was but one, or at most two clerks, capable        of clearly and intelligently understanding       a set of accounts   . Remembering the long years of faithful service of many of these officers, and the short time the Department had been honored by the service of Inspector Pollock, I realized, that a Daniel had come to judgement: Wednesday   s Council was  held at the School house: Mr Pollock informed me that he designed taking the 3d qr issue  sheet, and question the Indians from it. I  again called his attention to the fact, that it  had been made after the Agent left, and that  I alone was responsible for it   that sometimes  I had entered to one Indian all the articles that  had been issued to members of the same family in order to avoid the labor of making extra sheets,  so that while some one Indian might be charged with   
        articles got by another, the aggregate I knew  was correct.  The Council was called to order and Mr Pollock said to the Indians, that,    the Agent had sent word to the Great Father, that he had given  cattle to certain Indians, that the Great Father  wanted to know if it was true, and had sent  him to find out, that many Agents has said  they had given things to Indians, which they had put in their own pockets, that he had  found out a number of such Agents and had put them away  amp;c, that an Indian never  forgot any thing, and now, he wanted them as he called their names to say whether they had had cattle given them   that he wanted them to think well and make no mistakes  amp;c. He then  called (through FP Olney Interpreter appointed  by him), Yesmowit. Knowing that neither Yesmowit, nor any member of his family had  had cattle, I was surprised, and supposed I had  made some error in the issue sheet. Yesmowit  said he had received no cattle. Pollock    tell him to think well and be sure    Yesmowit    no  no      The Indians looked from one to another in surprise, while Pollock pretended to be busy writing something. Mr Pollock called then,     John Lumley   . John Lumley, who is a good Christian man, answered with evident  
        reluctance    Chow    (no)   Pollock    tell him        to be sure and think well, we dont want any       mistakes here   . John Lumley sorrowfully    chow        chow    (no no). Mr Pollock again busy wri- ting, while the Indians begin to look surprised and indignant. Thomas Cree was then called, cautioned to be careful and make no mistake, and answered   no. Increasing  excitement among the Indians, angry looks were cast towards the white employees, while  Mr Pollock seemed to enjoy himself. Charley Blinn, was called, received the  usual caution to be careful, said no, was  again cautioned to think well but still  said    no no    while as each Indian said no Mr Pollock, would pretend to write on a paper before him. By this time the ex- citement became intense, murmurs of in- dignation were heard on every side, and  even Joe Stwire, the Head Chief, as the villainy of the Agent was unfolded, lost confidence in him, and cast threatening looks towards the White employees. I never felt so humiliated. How I could possibly have made such a blunder I could not imagine. Never once did it  enter my head to suspect Inspector Pollock of the ineffable   I lack words to express it    perfidy and meanness, of calling the names  
        of Indians not charged with issues of cattle, but in common with every body  in the room supposed the issue sheet called for issues of cattle to all the Indians named. To one of the Indians Mr Pollock said, (through the Interpreter),    ask       him if he knows why his name is on this       paper if he got no cattle   . At this stage of the prceedings I left the Council and went to the Office to get the issue book. It seemed incredible I should have erred so grossly, yet no suspicion of Mr Pollock entered my mind. From the threatening manner of the Indians, I was not without apprehensions, of some outbreak of savage anger, and even bloodshed. After  my return, the questionings and answers  went on, some had received cattle, some had  not received them   one man   Shepherd appear- ed to have cattle charged against him while he really had received none   As I had ex- plained to the Inspector, there were some  error in detail in the sheet, while the aggregate was correct. At the close of the  Council Mr Pollock said   that the Great Father  had sent these cattle to the Indians   that they were  their property   that Agent Wilbur had said  that he had given cattle to some of the Indians  
        who had not received them   that the Great Father would be much deceived surprised when he saw that paper   that the papers all appeared  to be wrong and he could not understand  them   The Council was then adjourned to  the next day (I think) at the same place.  At the close of the Council the Indians  gathered into little groups to discuss the procee- dings of the Council   All the better class were filled with surprise and indignation   the  wild ones, who had refused to listen to the  Agent and have no farms seened to be h highly pleased   As we walked up to  the Agency Mr Pollock said      My object is to see if these papers are substantially correct    we know they are technically incorrect, and I want to find if they are substantially correct        One of the employees suggested to me that  I look at the issue sheet and see if I had really made such an extreme blunder. I accordingly asked Mr Pollock for it and to my intense surprise and indignation  fount that neither Yesmowit, John Lumley, Thos Cree Charlie Blinn, and a number of others, who had been asked and cautioned to be careful  amp;c were represented as not having received cattle issued them   (Some said that Inspector Pollock) (told Yesmowit and John Lumley that the papers) (said they had receieved cattle, but I do not)  
        (remember his saying so in words, though) (though it is very probable   Certainly everybody) (in the room thought the papers said so) (from his manner)   Some of the Employees (the Dr I believe) called Mr Pollocks atten- tion to the impression he had created and he promised to correct it at the next Council   Accordingly at the next  Council he said he was informed that  a wrong impression had been given at the  other Council that he had then intended  to take the issue sheet and read all the names  and let the people say if they had had  cattle   that the Great Father sent Agents to  look after the Indians, that some of the Agents were bad men and cheated the Indians   that Agent Wilbur   s papers were all wrong that the Great Father could not see the Indians himself but relied on the  reports of Agents   that Agent Wilbur had  told him he had given Shepherd cattle which was not true   that the Great Father  had sent him to look after the Agents and see if any of them were cheating the  Indians   that he had found many Agents  who were cheating the Indians and had put  them away   that he    had an eye like a  hawk    and they could hide nothing  
        from him   that it might be that  Agent Wilbur had given the cattle that he told the Great Father he gave to Shepherd to some other Indian   he hoped it might be so   that he would not say that Agent Wilbur had cheated them   he had not  gone far enough yet to be certain of that, but he should find it out if he had done done so. that he hoped Agent Wilbur might come out all right   but he had certainly not talked strait to the Great Father  amp;c  amp;c More speeches were made by the Indians and Mr Pollock made many inquiries in  regard to the disposition of annuity goods   amp;c and towards the close of the Council  said   that the Great Father did not send  goods here for the Indians to pay for   that  the goods belonged to the Indians and  were to be given to the Indians who worked  on their own farms and lived on the Reservation   that the system that had heretofore prevailed at Yakama would be  changed and the Indians would get their goods without being required to pay for them    He then said he wanted to talk to the Indians about the cattle   he said    these  cattle are yours   they belong to you   they are your property      that the Great Father   
        did not want to keep a herd of cattle    but these cattle should be given to the  Indians   He said    Agent Wilbur has       reported to the Great Father that there is about       2300 head of cattle belonging to the ID but       I am satisfied there are a great many more       than that    and that Agent Wilbur had not  sent the correct number to the Great Father    that the cattle belonged to the Indians, and  now he proposed to round them up and see  how many there were   and he wanted to organize about 100 men into parties to  sweep the whole Reservation, and gather  the cattle to the Ranch, and he (Pollock)  would go down there, and they would  count the cattle, and he would give every  Indian engaged in the round up a cow and  calf. The Indians taken by surprise and  being under the influence of the revelations they had just heard, assented, though the snow was then nearly a foot deep with every indication of a heavy storm, coming  soon. Afterwards, when asked why they con- sented to a measure, which they knew at that season of the year, must result in the death of hundreds of cattle they said   yes, they knew many cattle would die, but when they heard  that their Agent had told the Great Father so   
        many things about the cattle that were not  strait, their    hearts became very small    and  they thought the cattle might as well perish from exposure, as to be stolen from them.  Driving parties were organized that evening Pollock appointing the Captains, and a messenger was dispatched by him to the farmer in charge of  the cattle to have everything in readiness.  Some of the employees remonstrated again against the drive and urged Mr Pollock to abandon it in view of the inevitable loss of  stock, but he contemptuously said he    knew  more about cattle than any of them   . I think  some of the Indians protested against it, the next day. Certainly some powerful influence was brought to bear, for the morning that the drive was to commence, it being then storming  heavily he sent for me to come to his Office and said,    there seems a great deal of opposition  about here to this drive   . I replied that I  had made none, that his orders would be  obeyed, and every employee would render all  the assistance in their power to a fair and  candid investigation of the Agency. He then  said that several had told him that the    round up    would kill the cattle   that he did not want  to do that, and asked me if I did not think the drive should go on   I replied that the  round up was altogether his own motion and   
        I declined to express any opinion. He  then said that if the drive was going to result in the loss of many cattle   which he did not believe   he did not want to take the res- ponsibility, and asked me if I was not in charge, and could not order it. I told  him I was in charge, but would not take  the responsibility of this round up, that I would not express any opinion with regard to its advisability, and that in outside matters my instructions were to consult with Mr Miller. He seemed much annoyed, and anxious that I should take the responsibility of the round up urging that the cattle ought to be gathered together where they could be fed  amp;c: I continued to refuse to have any-thing to say about it, and he deliberated a short time, and then said he should countermand the  order for the drive, which was done, but not  in time to stop it entirely, many parties having started up the cattle from their shelter along the creeks, had driven them some distance before  the countermand reached them, and in every  instance abandoned the cattle then and there, in the open prairie without shelter or food, the Indians declaring they had rather see the cattle die than be robbed of them  
        At one time I visited the Grist Mill in company with Mr Pollock   After  looking at the Mill we went to the house of  the Miller near by   After remaining some  time Mr Pollock said to the Miller       Mr Ross, we Inspectors ask a great many       questions, and I am going ask you some    Mr Ross    All right, I will answer Mr Pollock    How long have you been in the         Service    Mr Ross    Since the first of last September    Mr Pollock    What pay do you get    Mr Ross    One thousand dollars a year    Mr Pollock    Have you been paid any thing    Mr Ross    Yes, I was paid for one month    Mr Pollock    How much did you get    Mr Ross    Eighty one dollars  amp; fifty seven cents         I believe    Mr Pollock    Did you get it all in money    Mr Ross    I got a check for  76.18 and  Father       Wilbur had bought some things for me which     made up the balance    Mr Pollock (taking out his memo book and preparing  to write said laughingly      then you were       paid part money and part ictas    (Chinook for  goods)   Mr Ross laughing    Yes   . Suspecting the object of the question I said    Colonel       Mr Ross was paid all money   At his       request Father Wilbur bought some articles in     
           Yakima City for him and deducted it       from the check   . Mr Ross surprised said    Why of course it was money as far as the       Agent was concerned   . My suspicions may have been wrong, but from Mr Pollocks  manner, and my previous experience at the Councils, I had not the slightest doubt  but he intended to make a note that Mr Ross  had been paid partly in money and partly  in goods, leaving the inference that the goods were    annuity goods   . As soon as I could  speak to Mr Ross privately I cautioned him  to remember the circumstance, and I have  no doubt but he will corroberate my state- ment. For some time after this Mr Pollock  devoted himself to an examination of the  accounts. At the table in presence of the ladies of my family, the Supt of teaching and one  of the teachers, he frequently intimated that  he had discovered great frauds   that the  management of the Agency was all wrong  amp;c    In private conversation he expressed  his regret that the Agent was not present. I  said to him      Colonel, you are going to be        on this Coast till late next Spring. None of       the employees have been here long enough to       know anything about the transactions you       think need explanation. I know the Agent     
           if here could give satisfactory explanations       on every point   Why not adjourn this        investigation till his return   . To this he made no no satisfactory reply.   The Indians desiring another Council, one  was called to be held at the Carpenter Shop  which was prepared for the occasion. At  this Council, I was present, but a part of the time   The manner of distribution of Annuity  Goods was principally discussed. The Indians  complained that the Agent refused to let them have wagons, harness, plows  amp;c without their paying for them in work  amp;c   Mr Pollock said (while I was present)   Agent Wilbur has not done right    the Great Father does not know that you have to  pay for these things   it is not his mind that you should do so   this will all be changed, and you need not pay for any thing more   Some of the  Indians said    we have had things that are     charged to us on the books   must we pay for       them      Mr Pollock said (to the Interpreter)    tell       them no   they need not pay for any thing       that is charged to them on the books   they       need never pay for any more of these goods       here there was great clapping of hands among the Indians, and several excitedly demanded an immediate    potlatch    there and then   they said      if you give us these things right now   if       you will give us plows, harness and wagons     
           right here, our hearts will be glad   we shall       know that you tell us strait   otherwise       when the Agent comes back, he may say       that you had no right to make any such       promises, and refuse to give us these       things   . This embarrassed Mr Pollock  considerably, and he told them they must  wait till the Agent returned. I reminded him of what he had repeatedly told me,    to change nothing of Agent Wilbur   s system       till his return   , and he said to the Indians that all would go on as before till the return of the Agent   After what he had  just told them, this seemed to me somewhat inconsistent, and the enthusiasm of the  Indians was considerably damped. He also said at this, or a previous Council, that he was investigating Agent Wilbur   s accounts   that he would not say that Agent Wilbur had been guilty, because he did not know that   that he had not gone far enough yet to be sure that he was guilty  amp;c but I am sure the impression produced on the mind of every body was that he had discovered such evidence of fraud, as left little doubt on his mind of his  guilt. Why he should tell this to the Indians is a question that perhaps Mr  
        Pollock can answer   He said    I hope       he may come out pure as an Angel, but I       cannot tell yet      but that the Agent had  been sending papers to the Great Father that  were not strait: He also inquired what denomination had received the most favors in the way of having houses built for them, but it appeared that the Agent had  been impartial in that respect  If Inspector Pollock did not intend and desire, to create the impression on the minds of all, whites and Indians, who were present at the Councils, that  he believed Agent Wilbur, had for  years been engaged in systematic rob- bery of the Indians, and that he (Pollock)  had discovered that fact, he was most unfortunate in the choice of language, for he certainly produced that impression --If he did not expect the Indians  who were present at the Council at the  School House, to understand that Agent Wilbur had been falsely reporting to the Department, issues of cattle to the Indians and pocketing the value himself, he is  is certainly most unfortunate in his  knowledge of Indian character, and if he did  not expect they would thereby be greatly incensed against the Agent  
        he certainly misinterpreted the nat- ural effect of his action and words  After his departure the Indians were no  longer the same people   In the place of their former cheerfulness and readiness to oblige, they were sullen and  discontented. When they wished for anything it was  demanded   they insisted that everything  should be turned over to them   each one  considered himself entitled to the first choice of harness, plows and wagons and demanded that they be immediately given up, and if his demand was refused seemed to think he had the right to take his own property by force. In the Spring we had  the chiefs and leading men, to assist in the distribution of harness and plows, that they might be given to those most needy, but it was impossible to satisfy them   Each  one considered his title the best. It was useless to tell them that we had but 11 sets of harness and 9 plows   that many had last year had those things, and now we must issue to others   they declared we  had stolen their money for years, and each one insisted on his right to be immediately reimbursed   Inspector Pollock   they said    had told them, all these things belonged  
        to them, and they would have them   and it is my belief that one more visit from  Inspector Pollock would set the Indians  back where they were 10 years ago, and  perhaps lead to bloodshed It is difficult to convey an idea of the  evil results of his visit to the peace and  religious interests of the Reservation. When  the more turbulent Indians were told, by one who had just come from the Great Father,  that the authority that had controlled and  restrained them, was all wrong   that the Great Father had no knowledge of the man- ner in which he was conducting the Agency,  it is not to be wondered at, that crime  and lawlessness became more common than for years, that theft, adultery and  bigamy, became so common that the  Police no longer sought to suppress it    that the US mail was stopped on the  highway by Indians, and that drunkenness  became common  For years the Agent has been preaching  to the people here and has gathered a church  of several hundred earnest faithful members, who a short time ago were degraded heathen       When they are told by so high an  authority as an Indian Inspector, that  the Agent who has so long preached to them   
        the Gospel of peace and good works   who has taught them to be honest and just in  their dealings, is himself a bad man who for years has been engaged in robbing them    who has covered up his wrong doing by  lying reports   what wonder that they lose confidence in anything good   that the  Congregations fall off   that the services of  the Church are neglected, and the Sabbath  used for a day of pastime, or labor    that those who have previously borne good  characters, have in some instances taken to gambling and drinking, and seem no  longer to care for improvement. In all the Councils, or at any other time, never did I hear the Inspector say one word favorable of Agent Wilbur.  He evidently came here with his course mapped out, and the results are as I have stated  After his departure Dr Kuykendall and myself took steps to gather some of the leading men, and those of the Indians  who had been sufficiently educated to  understand the matter, and went through  the books and papers, of the Office, as far as possible, and showed them that they  had been deceived by Inspector Pollock   
        In this way much of the evil he had created was allayed, but suspicion is a  plant of such quick growth, and so hard to eradicate, that the great body of the  Indians will always look suspiciously  on any Agent, and any reforms he  may recommend  JH Fairchild Subscribed and sworn to before me this 30th day of April AD 1881  James H Wilbur  US Indian Agent  
        Affidavit of J.H. Fairchild Kuykendall Miller Olney  amp; others    Relating to Pollock