The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1869-06-25
THE Usage LAND SWlNDLE.
LIE WHOLE STORY TOLD.
POSITION OF POMEROY, ROSS, AND
CLARKE.
THE WAY THE SETTLERS WERE
ssPROTECTED.''
LAwRENcE. JUNO I2th. 1865.

In response to your invitation for
more light upon treaties and land COB
blers," l thought it might be interest
ing to your numerous readers to know
something about the Usage Treaty, its
inception, its progress, its prospects /;
who intended to make a big pile, who
intended to make small one, who got
mad because 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 Major 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. III it
an immense sum to be realized from a
very small investment. He first salts
fed himself that Major Snow, the agent
of the Usage Indians, would cooperate
with him (Sturges) in procuring for the
Usage Indians a new home. This done,
Mr.. Sturges starts for Washington and
submits his scheme to Gen. Thomas
Ewing, Jr., who, after settling upon a
fee so generous as to cover the contin-
gency of a former partnership with
Secretary Browning, gave his opinion
to the Secretary and Mr.. Taylor, the
Commissioner of Indian Affairs, that
the best thing that could be done with
the Usage Indians would be to procure.
for them new and smaller reservation,
and allow them to sell their present one.
Secretary Browning readily consent
ed 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
correctness of his judgment. But Com
missioner Taylor had less confidence
in Gen. Ewing's Judgment, and inter
nnSnh nhinCtinnC tho whole fhjnU
To use Sturges' own words, 1.-THE Com
missioner became satisfied on being
told that he could have twelve sections
of the land as soon as surveyed, of his
own selection, if he would go himself
as the head of the Commission and
make the treaty." The Commissioner
of Indian Affairs, Mr.. Taylor, went as
the head of the Commission, and made
the celebrated Usage Treaty. While
these things were going on, Mr.. Pome-
roy was talked to frequently in general
terms about the treaty. His language i'll
reply was like the tabled spider to the
fly" He was waiting to see when the
Interests of the Indians and Govern
ment could be best served, then he pro-
posed to aid.
Ross was appealed to in behalf of the
Galveston Railroad, and made to be-
lieVe its success depended entirely up
on the success of this scheme. With
its success, our city would become THE
city of the West, and he THE man. So
he was and is enthusiastic.
Mr.. Sidney Clarke was not talked to
or noticed in the preliminary arrange
ment. But he was on the lookout. Put
himself i'll their way, and talked much
about and in opposition to Indian
treaties" and ''land gobbles." Still no
notice was taken of him. He talked
loud, but elected no reply. Under these
circumstances, Mr.. Clarke calleda coun-
Gil of his chosen few, when the whole
matter was discussed in all its phases.
The unanimous conclusion of Mr.. Clarke
and his friends was that it was "big
steal ;" that he must do something to
get in or prevent its consummation.
They finally concluded Mr.. Clarke
should write letter to the Commits
sioner of Indian Affairs, and should
state that "unless the rights of the set
tiers upon the Usage lands were protect
ed, he should oppose the treaty if they
should make one"
He wrote the letter, but they took no
notice of that.
Mr.. Taylor, with the commission, left
Washington for the Usage braves, to
provide for them new homes and make
a good bargain for Mr.. Sturges in the
purchase of 100000 acres of land, I'M
der the name of the Leavenworth, Law
renee & Galveston Railroad. While he
was making that treaty, Gen. G. w.
Blair, as President of another railroad,
made an offer of 40 cents per acre for
that portion of the land that had not
been settled upon. But that was not
the scheme. The Indians were made to
agree to take 20 cents per acre. The
treaty completed, the commission hur-
ried back to Washington with the in
tention of rushing the treaty through
the Senate and completing the job at
once.
They supposed the only obstacle in
the way was Mr.. Clarke. Robinson,
Kalloch, Sears, Sturges and Morrow
were closeted with some others to see
how Clayke could be opposed. Gen.
Ewing had told them that Clarke must
be hushed up if it cost 100000 acres.
In this dilemma they dispatched Rob-
ert Morrow to find j. f. Legate of your
city, to see if it were not possible for
his ingenuity TO suggest some plan by
which MIR. Clarke could be opposed and
his support obtained for the treaty.
Morrow reported that Legate had seen
Clarke, and if they wanted Clarke they
would have to pay him $4,000 in U. S.
bonds and give him assurance of getting
[OsOOO dCEGS vi IL w Us
not improbable that Legate might de-
sire to make something and those were
above Clarke's figures, Gov. Robinson
sought and obtained an interview with
Clarke upon the understanding that
their conversation should be upon that
subject only. Upon his return he re-
ported that those We're Mr. Clarke's
terms. and unless Sturges complied he
would fight the treaty. But he added
one more condition. That Sturges with
his friends must support Clarke for re-
election. This negotiation was contin-
ued so long that it became almost pub
lie talk among Kansas men then in
Washington. Failing to agree with Mr..
Clarke they agreed to disagree, and
flight it out on that line The next
step was to rush it through the Senate,
Mr.. Clarke to the contrary notwith-
standing.
They had been so busy with Clarke
that they had forgotten TO stalk bust
ness" with Pomeroy, and he was not
ready; besides, he had the Potfawato-
mie treaty on his hands, on the ratifica-
ton of which his brother-in-law would
become possessed of 115.000 acres of the
most desirable land IN Kansas. So the
Usage treaty went over till last session
of Congress, 1t transpired last session
that the-treaty was so amended that the
Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad
would have 100000 acres of the Usage
land. Pomeroy's brother-in-law own
ing that, was to sell the land at an adj
vance of eight cents per acre-Ihus net
ting the snug sum of $4,000 IN green
backs for Mr.. Pomeroy's services in rat
flying the treaty.
Thus, what would have been done
and what was desired by the ratification
of the Usage treaty was about as fol
lows :-Sturges would make s., SOC, 900 !;
Thomas Ewing, jr, Sz5000O (probabIy
divide with Browning): Taylor, Com
missioner of Indian Affairs, $4,000 ;
ISSs,.. .s,.<,,,s. Observation-Disclosures 500 6n1 :