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Show REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. 77 by E. K. Chenowett, collector of customs at Nogales, Ariz., that officials in Lharge of the Pima Agency had placed obstacles in the way of cus-toms collectors who were after smuggled cattle, and that the Indians had adopted the Mexican brands, thus making it extremely difficult to detect stolen stock. Therefore request was made by the Treasury Depart.ment that instructions be issued by the Interior Department L' with a view to the cooperation of the Indian service with the Treas-ury Department in the protection of the revenue, the observance of the sanitary laws, and to avoid internal complications which may arise from the unlawful acts of the Indians." Accordingly Special Indian Agent 5. L. Taggart, temporarily in charge of the Pima Agency, was directed June 29,1898, to make a thorough investigation as to the basis for above charges; at the same time he was given the following genera1 instructions: Of course, s8 you are awsre, i t is .%hsolotelyn soessary for the proper oonduct of the Government business and the maintenance of harmonious relations with the border Republic that this Department should give its active support and hearty cooperation to the Treasury Department officisls in the ohservanoe of the sanitary laws and the protection of the revenue. As sn agent of thin Department in tam-porarg charge of the agency yon are responsible for the carrying out of a proper line of poliay to this end, and you ahodd make such regulations and issue such . orders, if you have not already done so,as may be necessary to secure the fullest cooperation of the officialls of the Pims Agency in the matters above mentioned. Special Agent Taggart replied August 3,1898, that the charges were ullfounded, the customs officials having, in his opinion, been misled by statements made by Mexicans, and that while the Indians under his charge had been guilty of some smuggling, yet the whites, both Amer-ican and Mexican, were also engaged in cattle smuggling, and were for this purpose using the cattle brands of the Indians. These state-ments were submitted to the Department September 8,1898, with rec-ommendation that the entire matter be thoroughly investigated by a special agent from the Treasury Department, in company with one from the Interior.Department, in order that they might make such recom-mendations and formulate such rules and regulations as would correct the evils complaiued of and subserve the best interests both of the Indians and of the revenue serviee. This recommendation being approved, the Secretary of the Treasury detailed Special Agent E. T. Stokes to cooperate with Special Indian Agent G.B.Pray, of the Interior Department, in making the investigation and formulating the desired rules. In his instructions of October 27,1898, Agent Pray was advised that all parties should he given every opportunity to be heard, and that the joint report should be of such a character as to enable this Depart-ment and the Treasury Department to take definite action, to the end that the evils complained of might be corrected and justice done all parties concerned. November 14,1898, Special Agents Stokes and Pray made a joint report to their respective Departments and submitted therewith a draft |