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E18<br>
Saint Louis May 19, 1847<br>

Hon. W<sup>m</sup> Medill<br>
Com<sup>r</sup> Ind.<sup>n</sup> affairs<br>

D<sup>r</sup> Sir

I have recently seen a scurrillous publication in the Fort Wayne Sentinel of 24<sup>th</sup> April last, on the subject of the Miami Indians, & their recent removal and payment--and believing this to be a <u>malicious</u> & <u>false</u> statement prepared & sent you by M<sup>r.</sup> Sinclair to promote his <u>dishonest</u> plans & <u>intrigues</u>, 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<sup>st</sup> Joseph Sinclair was a <u>faithless</u> unworthy & dishonest man, as his short & <u>slippery</u> career as sub Agent has I apprehend fully demonstrated-

2<sup>d</sup> In January 1846, & whilst he was sub Agent, he went on to Washington City, <u>without</u> your permission, <u>hired</u> & <u>employed</u> by the <u>new</u> 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<sup>d</sup> to--He was to have five per cent on say about <u>$40,000</u>, 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<sup>l</sup> Driver LB Berthlet James L. Miller & Moses Falk of Peru