White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1869-07-01
From the teveuaorth Conservative.
The 0SAGE LAND SWiNDLE,
THE WHOLE STORY TolD.
Position Of Psneroy, Ross l. Clarke.
THE WAY THE SETTLERS WERE
.PROrECTED.o
LAwREscE. June 18th. 1869.

I thought it nigh, be interesting to your
numerous readers to know something
sbout the Usage Trsnty. it's inception. It's
progress. its prospects; who intended to
make big pile. who intended to make
. small one. who got mad becsuse they
could not get their share. and why this
scramble among them killed the whole
scheme. This whole scheme originated
in the fertile brain Of M.jnr Henning.
who was at that time in the interest Of
the Sturges family. Of Chicago; BY him
presented to VIM. Sturges. who at once
saw in it an immense sum to be real z d
from . very small Investment. He first
satisfied himself that Msjor Snow. the
agent of the Usage Indians. would CO.
operate with him (Sturges) in procuring
for the Osaes Indians new home. This
lone. Mr. Sturges starts for Washington
and submits his schems to Gen. Thomas
Ewing. Jr.. who after settling upon fee
so generous Is to cover the contingency
of former partnership with Secretary
Browning. gave his opinion to the Secre-
tary and Mr.. Taylor. the Commissioner
OF Indian Aff,irs. that the best thing that
could be done with the Osage Indians
would be to procure for them q new and
SIN aller reserv ,tion. and allow them to
sell theis present one.
Secretary Browning readily consented. .
because he had great confidence in Gen.
Ewing's knowledge of the wants and
wishes Of the Indians in Kansas. the
disinterestedness of his opinion and cor
rectness Of his judgment. But Comrhis-
sioner Taylor hsd less confidence in
Gen. ESins's judgement, anil iu'erposed
objections to the whole thing. To use
Sturges's own words. "the Commissions
became satisfied on being told that be
could have twelve sections OF the land ss
soon as surveyed, of his own selection. il
he would 60 himself as the head OF the
Commission and make the treaty"
Tire Commissioner Of Indian AFT ,irs. Mr.
Taylor, went as the head OF the Commits
sion. and made the celebrated O.sge
Tfesty. While these things were going
on. Mr.. Pomeroy was talked to froquent'
ly in generalter ms sbont the treaty. Hi
language in rrplv was like the tabled
spider to the f1y" lie was waiting to
see when the interests Of the lndisns and
Government could be best served, then he
proposed to aid.
I Ross was appealed in behalf of tn.
Galveston Railroad. sud made to believe
it's success depended entirely upon the
success of this scheme. With its success
oar city would become THE city Of tn.
West. and he TUE man. So he was and
is enthusiaitic
l, MIR. Sidney Clarke was not talked tc
or po.icrd in the preliminary arang.
ment. But he was on the look ont. Pm
himself in their way, and talked mucl
about and in opposition to "Indian trea.
ties" and "land gobbles" Still no no
tice was taken Of him. He talked loud
bat elected noFreply. Under these cir
cumstaDces. Mr. Clarke called a counci
Of ais chosen few. when the whole matter
was discussed in all it's phases. Ths
unanimous conclusion Of Mr.. Clarke and
his friends was that it was "big steal,,'
that he must do something to gs, in. or
prevent its consnmmation. They finally
concluded Mr.. Clarke should write q let
ter to the Commissioner of Indian AZ
fairs. and shonld state that unless ,hs
rights Of the settlers upon the O.sge land
were protected. he should oppose the trea
ty ifthsy should make one.''
He wrote the letter, but they took NJ
notice of that.
Mr.. Taylor. with the Commission. lef
Washington for the Usage braves. to pro
vide for them new homes, and make q
good bargain for Mr.. S,urges in the pnr
chase Of 8 600. 600 acres Of land, under tn,
name of L"aveuworth. Lswrencs and
Galveston Railroad. While he was ma
king that treaty. Gen. G. W. Blair. a,
President Of another railroad. m ade sn Of
fer Of 40 cents per acre for that portion
Of the land that had not been settled np.
on. Bnt that was not the scheme. The
Indians were made to agree to take 20
cents per acre. The treaty completed
the com mission hurried back+o w Wsshing-
ton. with the intention of rushing the
treaty through the Senate and completing
the job at once.
They supposed tbs only obstacle in the
way was Mr.. Clarke. Robinson. Kal-
loch, Sears. S;urges anil Morrow were
closesed with snme others. to see how
Clarke could be opposed. Gen. Ewing
had told them that Clarke must be hush
! u :f :. 80. 1aa nn0 ...
In this dilemma they dispatched Rob.
ert Morow 10 find J. F. Lngats Of yonr
city, to see il it we're not possible for his
ingenuity to suggest some plan BY which
Mr. Clarke couli he opposad and his sup.
port obfsinsi for the treaty. Morrow
reported that Lagsfe had seen Clarke. and
IL they wanfaI Clarke they wo.li have
to pay him $50 900 in U. S. bonds. snd
give him assurance of getting 25 900
acres of lsnl. Thinking it was not i'm
probable that L.ga'e might desire to make
something. and those were above Clarkss
figures. Gov. Robinson songht and OBJ
tanned an interview with Cl.rke. upos
the understanding that their conversation
should be upon that suij 'ct only. Upon
his return. he reported those were Mr.
Clsrke's terms. snd unless Sturges com
piled hs wonld fight tn, treaty. Bat he
added one more condition. That SturRas
with his friends must support Clarke for
70. election. This negotiation wss con-
tinued 70 long that Il becsms almost pub
lie talk smoog Ksssss men then in
Wsshington. Failing 10 sgres with
Mr.. Clarke. they agreed to disagree. sri
light il ont "n that line" The next
step w.s to rush it through the Senate.
Mr.. Clarke to the contrary notwithstsnd-