Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 8.djvu/105

 RECOLLECTIONS OF AN INDIAN AGENT. 97 "The United States to John S. White, Dr., for three months service as superintendent of farming at the Umatilla Agency ; last quarter of 1862, $300. ' ' I hereby certify that the above account is correct and true, that the services have been rendered as stated, and that there is due therefor the sum of $300. "Signed,, Indian Agent." This is the way the voucher must read in order that Mr. White could get $300, but it compels me to sign an untrue statement, for Mr. White has not performed the service as stat- ed. To this the two contestants for the inviolability of custom replied, ' ' Suppose it does, who will know whether the service has been performed or not?" My answer came quick and warm, "I know, and what troubles me, is, that I am the one to verify a falsehood. You can rest assured that I shall not do it." Mr. W T hite said he would appeal the case to the Su- perintendent, to which I gladly assented, as it relieved me of responsibility. He chose to present the case personally, and made a trip to Salem, taking sub-vouchers in my name to re- imburse himself for expenses, all unauthorized and unallowed. Mr. Rector gave him a letter instructing me to pay Mr. White the $300, but as that did not relieve me of signing a false voucher, I refused to be governed by the instructions. I offered to make a voucher certifying that he had performed two months service, and that I paid him $300 in obedience to the Superintendent, but this he would not consent to. I then proposed to execute a full voucher, if he would hire a man to perform the lacking service, to which he agreed, and I sup- posed the matter was adjusted satisfactorily. But I was in error. Thenceforth he viewed me as an enemy opposed to his interests, instead of a friend who could not be persuaded to sign a false certificate. The regulations governing Indian agencies stipulated that neither the agents nor the employees should own any interest in the sutler's store. It was reported, however, that Mr. White was a silent partner of the sutler, Mr. Flippin, who was