December 29, 1880 Rev James H Wilbur US Indian Agent Dear Bro We are all well quite cold snow probably 15 inches deep. I fear many of the cattle will die Scool between 70 to 80 will soon have to hang the children on pegs Inspector Pollock still here and like to be for perhaps two weeks Evidently deter- mined to find something to base an unfavorable report on I do not think his action is ins- pired from Washington yet I dont know Sometimes I think he only wants to find out fairly whether the Agent is honest or not, but his whole intercourse with Indian and the infinite meanness and hypocrisy of taking advantage of the absence of the Agent to try and find something against his administration looks so black to me that probably I judge too harshly I shall keep you fully posted as to his words acts and even the impressions he conveys and will state nothing but what can be sub- stantiated by the affidavits of at least three You are so firmly intrenched in the fact that the Dept are fully inform- ed on all the points on which it would be possible to found a charge, that you have nothing to fear, if the inspiration comes only from Inspector Pollock I give you a true statement of the proceedings of the Council Monday In justice to the Inspector I must say he apologized for his course and said he intended to convey no wrong impression, but this he said to me and the Dr, while his statements were made to the Indians, and how any man of good sense could say such things and be ignorant of the impression they would make, is a mystery to me As I wrote you personally aside from his evident design he is a pleasant gentleman I trust you will make no move further than to try and have those friendly to you organized ie find who would be ready to stand by you if an attempt should be made to causelessly injure you I want to be extremely cautious in what I write I am so liable to be mistaken I think the Inspector fears suspects that I am taking notes of every thing and fears for the result to himself Mr Miller thinks we will lose at least three or four hundred head of cattle through his orders for a general round up in dead of winter It is true he Countermanded his orders last night (I think he begins to fear for Inspector Pollock ) but the drive had started yesterday morning with 60 men in 10 parties sweeping from the Ahtannum to the Mountains, and of Course it is impossible to stop it and the snow 18 to 24 inches deep and the Agt gone This morning he turned over all responsibility to Miller after he had ordered the drive without a word to any one and now when it is started and too late to stop it it begins to dawn on December 29, 1880 Rev James H Wilbur US Indian Agent Dear Bro We are all well quite cold snow probably 15 inches deep. I fear many of the cattle will die Scool between 70 to 80 will soon have to hang the children on pegs Inspector Pollock still here and like to be for perhaps two weeks Evidently deter- mined to find something to base an unfavorable report on I do not think his action is ins- pired from Washington yet I dont know Sometimes I think he only wants to find out fairly whether the Agent is honest or not, but his whole intercourse with Indian and the infinite meanness and hypocrisy of taking advantage of the absence of the Agent to try and find something against his administration looks so black to me that probably I judge too harshly I shall keep you fully posted as to his words acts and even the impressions he conveys and will state nothing but what can be sub- stantiated by the affidavits of at least three You are so firmly intrenched in the fact that the Dept are fully inform- ed on all the points on which it would be possible to found a charge, that you have nothing to fear, if the inspiration comes only from Inspector Pollock I give you a true statement of the proceedings of the Council Monday In justice to the Inspector I must say he apologized for his course and said he intended to convey no wrong impression, but this he said to me and the Dr, while his statements were made to the Indians, and how any man of good sense could say such things and be ignorant of the impression they would make, is a mystery to me As I wrote you personally aside from his evident design he is a pleasant gentleman I trust you will make no move further than to try and have those friendly to you organized ie find who would be ready to stand by you if an attempt should be made to causelessly injure you I want to be extremely cautious in what I write I am so liable to be mistaken I think the Inspector fears suspects that I am taking notes of every thing and fears for the result to himself Mr Miller thinks we will lose at least three or four hundred head of cattle through his orders for a general round up in dead of winter It is true he Countermanded his orders last night (I think he begins to fear for Inspector Pollock ) but the drive had started yesterday morning with 60 men in 10 parties sweeping from the Ahtannum to the Mountains, and of Course it is impossible to stop it and the snow 18 to 24 inches deep and the Agt gone This morning he turned over all responsibility to Miller after he had ordered the drive without a word to any one and now when it is started and too late to stop it it begins to dawn on on his mind that it was a foolish move and he wants to get out of it Last night he tried his best to make me order the drive and take the responsibility when I utterly refused to have anything to do with it other than to obey his orders, he countermanded the order, but it is too late to stop any but the party driving from here they have taken from the field the poor cows that we have milked all summer with the calves some of them will certainly die before they get to the ranch Now of course I am writing to you privately what I pre- pare for official use will such facts as can be sworn to by at least three or four persons He thinks there may be a bare possibility of finding some cattle belonging to James H Wilbur (my opinion) I predict he will hurt Inspector Pollock Please keep my private letters to your- self I will send the actual facts in shape to use if possible necessary I may be wrong in imputing bad motives to him, but after reading the enclosed state- ment you can judge All well Yours Respectfully JH Fairchild