Letter from W.G. Ewing to William Medill, May 19 1847: Sheet #2

Transcription

E18
Saint Louis May 19, 1847

Hon. W^m Medill
Com^r Ind.ⁿ affairs

D^r Sir

I have recently seen a scurrillous publication in the Fort Wayne Sentinel of 24^th April last, on the subject of the Miami Indians, & their recent removal and payment--and believing this to be a malicious & false statement prepared & sent you by M^r. Sinclair to promote his dishonest plans & intrigues, I respectfully ask your attention for a short time, until I give you a few items, known to me, touching those transactions & also Mr. Sinclar.

1^st Joseph Sinclair was a faithless unworthy & dishonest man, as his short & slippery career as sub Agent has I apprehend fully demonstrated-

2^d In January 1846, & whilst he was sub Agent, he went on to Washington City, without your permission, hired & employed by the new claimants to advocate & secure the confirmation of those very claims & for the very claimants, whom he is now domineering & abusing secretly like a coward as he is known to be, by letters & newspaper publications, such as the one first refer^d to--He was to have five per cent on say about $40,000, or about $2000 if he got you to sanction & approve those claims, which he felt quite certain he could do. The claimants advanced him money for his travelling Exps &c to Washington--If you want the proof of all this please call on Sam^l Driver LB Berthlet James L. Miller & Moses Falk of Peru