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INDIAN AGENT H. N. RUST -- CONFLICT OF INTEREST

Anonymous

Some time ago an inspector of the Indian Bureau was sent from
ihington to investigate certain charges that had been made against H.

..Rust, agent of the Mission Indians of Southern California. While the
9*lt of that investigation has not been officially announced, yet the

per in which it was conducted was such as to leave little doubt as to

0:character. A single instance will suffice to illustrate the farcical

zre of the proceedings. At Palm Springs, where the difficulty that led
he investigation originated, Inspector Tinker began operations by mak-
a speech to the Indians in which he told them that they had no rights

ever. They were not like other Indians, who had certain treaty-rights,
were subject to the arbitrary will of the Government and must do ex-
y as the agent told them and give him whatever he wanted. If they

told to go to the top of the San Jacinto mountain and starve to death
would have to do it. They could not help themselves. With this en-
ging announcement as a starter, it is small wonder that those who

,complaints to make against Agent Rust prudently remained in the back-

d and refrained from pressing the charges which they had freely made
blic before. Instead of holding the investigation on Indian ground
lm Springs it was held on the place of a white man with whom the

ns who had charges to make were not on friendly terms at the time

* a natural result they refused to attend. Furthermore, their own

preter was dismissed to give way to one provided by the agent.

.handicapped, the investigation became a farce, and was further made

the conduct of the inspector in simply putting the questions to the
Indians who did attend that were prompted by Agent Rust himself.

It was owing to this fact that the peculiar methods followed by
in using his office as the means of making extensive collections of

os, which he has sold for many thousands of dollars, entirely escaped
attention of the specialinspector.   It appears, however, that Rust,
$ince he secured his position of Indian Agent, has devoted a large

of his time, which should have been given to looking after his wards,
collection of the stone implements, pottery, basket work, laces,
which are the handiwork of these industrious people. Instead of

coin for these curios, however, as those do who recognize that

)lssion Indians have a few rights, the special inspector to the con-

notwithstanding, Rust uses his authority, so the Indians say, to

.whatever he wants without making any recompense. It is said that he

visits the remote villages of the Indians except when he hears of
:istence of curios that he wants, and that he incontinently seizes

rries away such articles from the wickiups and homes of the Indians
t so much as saying by your leave.  Some of the owners of these

ed articles have become very wary, however, and now in many cases,

Francisco Chronicle, August 27, 1892.

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as soon as they hear that Rust contemplates a visit to their rancherias,
they make haste to bury in the sand or hide elsewhere their metates,

pestles, mortars, baskets, laces and other objects which they know would
excite his cupidity, and thus he is obliged to go away empty-handed,
unless, indeed, he is so lucky as to catch some of them napping.

But bad as is the manner in which this agent uses his official
authority in the collection of these valuable curios, the disposition

which he makes of them is still worse. It is no archaeological enthusiasm
which actuates him, but simply a spirit of commercial enterprise. In other
words, he makes these collections in order to sell them at a good round
price. Not long ago he disposed of one lot of curios, which included a
quantity of specimens gathered from the Mission Indians, obtaining the

comfortable sum of $7000 therefor. This is the third or fourth sale of
the kind that he is reported to have made since he was appointed agent,
and it is currently stated that he has realized something like $18,000
from the enterprise. When this is added to the comfortable salary re-

ceived by him from the Government, it will be seen that he has made a very
"fat thing" out of his official berth, and it is no wonder that from a poor
man he has come to be regarded by his neighbors at Pasadena as one of com-
fortable means.

There, is a positive inhibition against certain classes of.Govern-
ment employes making such collections for sale, it being required that

curios and objects of interest collected while in the public service be

turned over to the authorities. Whether this requirement applies to In-

dian agents like Rust does not appear, but if it does not, it is certainly
contrary to the spirit of good government that he should be allowed to use
his official position in such a manner, enlarging his private purse at

the expense of the poor ignorant wards whose interest he is appointed to
guard. Ever since Rust secured his office and began his systematic col-
lecting of curios the Indians have made frequent complaint,but without

avail. It is said that the special inspector who visited the agency re-

cently had his attention called to the matter, but refused to pay any heed
to it.

Another illustration of Rust's character is furnished by the

attitude which he has assumed toward the St. Boniface Industrial Indian

School at Banning. This school was the gift of Miss Drexel of Philadelphia
and is one of the most successful institutions of the kind in the country.
It was begun in 1888 under the supervision of the Benedictine Fathers and

is at present under the management of Father Hahn, assisted by Father Emil
and ten sisters. Upward of 125 Indian girls and boys have been gathered
here from the villages of the desert which are under Rust's supervision.
The Government makes an allowance for the care of 100 of these pupils,

but this is no restriction upon the benevolence of the school authorities,
who welcome all. The boys are taught such trades as shoe and harness

making, carpentering, blacksmithing, etc., and are also instructed in farm

work, the school having a fine orchard and garden. The girls are instructed
in needlework and all kinds of household duties. Besides this they are
given instruction in the usual bfanches of education and their religious
wants are not neglected, as is shown by the fact that a large number of
the children have already been confirmed.

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Before being brought into the school these children were literal-
ly running wild on the desert. Many did not know what it was to wear

dlothes and all were about as degraded as it is possible for human beings
Co become. Now they are in a fair way to become good members of society

$ad an honor and credit to those who have accomplished the transformation.

Surely such admirable work is deserving of the encouragement
all good citizens. Yet Agent Rust from the outset has shown an un-

iendly attitude to the school. Although located adjacent to the Banning

servation and the inmates of the school are all under his charge as agent,
had never, down to the first of last month, at least, and not since so
r as known, so much as paid a visit to the institution. Furthermore,

has fallen in with the cry of a few against "sectarian schools," and

en drew up a petition to the Government requesting that further aid be

thheld from such institutions as this at Banning. This petition he put

in the postoffice at Colton in order to obtain signers, but the people
the San Bernardino valley are too familiar with the good work done in

laiming these savages and refused to sign it in any considerable numbers.

The San Bernardino Courier adds another chapter to the peculiar
ings of Agent Rust and produces some damaging facts in regard to his

.duct. There has been a long-standing dispute between Samuel N. Black,
old soldier, and Rust, in regard to the title to certain land claimed
Black near the Banning reservation and alleged by Rust to be a portion
that reservation. A voluminous correspondence ensued in which all
cerned took a part. The matter was referred to the authorities at

hington, and finally Commissioner Morgan settled it by writing a letter
the Secretary of the Interior in which he stated that the lands claimed
Black were not included within the reservation and that Black should
be molested.  Agent Rust was also so instructed, yet he actually had

ck arrested for harvesting his own grain on this land. Black, of course,

.acquitted by the jury that tried the case, but a civil suit was brought
ch is now pending.

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