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Show COMMISSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. 45 LAW AND ORDER. The general conditions of law and order have been good through-out the Indian country, but an affair took place during the course of the year which I deem worthy of special comment. I t is with a keen sense of loss, both personal and on behalf of the service, that I have to report that Mr. Will H. Stanley, superintendent of the Soboba Reservation, was shot and wounded by Indians under his jurisdiction on May 2, and.died on the morning of May 3. Mr. Stanley had a record in the Indian Service for effective devotion to duty. The Indians charged with this crime are now awaiting the action of the Federal court, and it is to be hoped that their guilt or innocence will soon be determined. I have continued the fight against gambling among the Indians and am glad to say that our efforts are beginning to bear fruit. By the gradual modification of Indian dances and fiestas, and leavening of them with agricultural fairs, I feel that a step has been made in the right direction, which will result in much benefit to the Indians. SUPPRESSION OF IAIQUOR TRAFFIC. Through our service for the suppression of the liquor traffic among Indians, which underwent several changes during the past year, the war against the sale of liquor to Indians and its introduction into the Indian country was waged with continuous vigor and successful results. Mr. William E. Johnson, chief special officer, resigned from the service in September and was succeeded by his assistant, Mr. Harold F. Coggeshall. Upon Mr. Coggeshall's subsequent appointment as superintendent of the Santa FB Indian School he was succeeded by his assistant, Rev. C. C. Brannon, as acting chief special officer. Later, Mr. Henry A. Larson, one of the special officers, was selected as chief special officer, and has rendered effective and efficient service. There was available for this work $75,000, and its expenditure had the following results: New cases during the fiscal year 1912 .................................. 1,480 a e n July 1, 1911. .......................................... 846 Convictions ......................................................... 1,002 Disissaw .......................................................... 267 Acquittals ........................................................... 32 An increased activity was the order of things in several communi-ties, owing to the favorable construction of the law by the courts or legislation by Congress. By reason of the decision of the Circuit Court of Appeals for the Eighth District in the case of United States Express Co. v. Friedman, wherein it was sought to compel the |
