Contributed by SharonTMSI
Description: Reservation Troubles
Mayhugh Gives His Side of the Duck Valley Affair.
Newspaper published in: Reno, Nevada
White Rock, Nev., July 17, 1890
Editor Enterprise Dear Sirs:
Will you kindly give me some space in the columns of your paper to refute the slanderous reports which I have noticed by the Silver State, that reference was made to a letter written from White Rock under date of the 7th instant saying a telegram was sent to Washington telling the Commissioner of Indian Affairs there was a plan on foot to eject an Indian girl form the agency boarding school the same Indian girl that caused the trouble on the 17th of last April and that trouble was anticipated again; that a fourth attempt had been made to burn the school house, etc.
The good people of White Rock do not engage in writing slanderous letters about their neighbors; they are attending to their legitimate business. The cowardly falsehoods that have been sent to the press from time to time are instigated by the parties who attempted to murder the agent and farmer. They reside on the reservation, and the doctor, A. P. Meriwether, has just been removed by the authorities at Washington to the Crow Agency. This is the second time he has been removed in one year, having been transferred here from Pima Agency, Arizona, for mischief making and slanderous tongue. I can prove positively every statement made or charge above referred to about this agency are false.
It is a positive lie that any person on this agency (except the instigators of the report) ever tried to incite the Indians. It is also a lie that a fourth attempt has been made to burn the school building. An agent I have made diligent inquiry, and have been unable to find a single person who knew of heard about a fire.
If ever the building is burned it will be done by the present inmates, as they are continually saying the building will be burned down; they will then report it was set afire by the Indians.
It is a falsehood that any attempt was made to eject the immoral Indian girl from the school-house, who this woman Egan shelters. This immoral girl, with one other Indian woman, are there now, and will continue so until removed by the government.
I have done my best to administer the affairs of this agency upon the lines of morality and economy, particularly protecting the young Shoshone school girls. For this I am slandered by a perjured woman whose record is on file in the Indian office and a meddlesome man.
It is a little surprising that the press of the State has given aid and comfort to these rovers, who have no character or standing in society. They shelter themselves under the cloak of civil service. This shows the transparent fraud that civil service perpetuates on the American people, and President McKinley performed a most excellent thing when he knocked out over 4,000 employees form under that rule. It is to be hoped he will enlarge the number and fling open the doors wide, so that every American citizen may have a chance to enter.
Peace and harmony prevailed previous to the advent of Miss Annie C. Egan and Dr. A. P. Meriwether. The appearance of this disturbing element caused all the trouble that occurred on the 17th of last April.
The Indians of this reservation are peaceful and quiet and are busy attending to their farms. They will not disturb anyone and do not wish to be disturbed.
After a residence of 38 years in this State, 30 of the same in the county of Elko, during which time no one can successfully show that I ever committed any public or private wrong, yet two traveling hobos in the Indian service are listened to with attention when they are slandering a respectable citizen of the State of Nevada. At some future day I will unfold a tale that will surprise the people of the State of Nevada. Heretofore I have desisted replying to the slanders in any way, as I thought people knew me too well to believe them.
In conclusion I respectfully request, as an act of justice to an old citizen of the State, that those who have heretofore copied matters adverse to me that they will be kind enough to give place to his communication.
Miss Anna C. Egan, the distributer and fighter, has once before been arrested at Santa Fe, New Mexico in January 1895 and in a trial there which lasted a week she was found guilty of perjury and of slandering Colonel Jones and wife of Santa Fe Indian training school. The trial was heard before Hon. Thos. P. Smith, Chief Justice of New Mexico. I have a letter from him now in my possession which I may give to the press later on. The whole trouble was a conspiracy so they could supersede me, but more later on.
John S. Mayhugh

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