The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-07-27
TIE GAOOHAWS AND CRICTAMWS,
asWths CAcstaws Were Cheated Out Of the Gov
Wsn@t Payments for Landsin Missimippi-A
Clique Il Lawyers and Half-bresd Deae-
gates Receive the Funds sna Divide
1t for Fees and Expenses-The
70 smsa Chiskassws Heavily '.Ylssosd." 111 aaf
Bo0oY DEPOT, Cn0crAw COUNTRY,

- snsa Chickasaws Heavily 'Tlesosd."
c1l ~ rsi5Iio Hi ----- - '''''" u
Bo0oY DEPOT, CuoCrAws C0UNTRY,l ri
-itA 'st ot- INDIAN TEDRIT0RY, July g. 1872. J
me Congressional Committee is stilr here taking
testimony In relation to the frauds practlscd on the
Choctaw and Cnckasaw Indians. The testimony
shows that they have been most shamenIy treated
~ lawyers ana even by their own delegates These
Indians were removed here by the government
forty years ago. from Mississippi under treaty stipu-
&tlons that this Territory should be theirs excu-
sivey and In perpetuity, and that they would be
allowed for the value OF all the improvements and
stock which they had TO abandon for their losses by
the way and for the expenses Of those who were
seiiemigrating. In the course OF time these ndi-
vidual claims swelled and magnifed until in 1859
the Senate Of tho United States determined to clear
them all on and to make clean sweep OF oil the
questions then In dispute between the United States
ana the Choctaws, adopted q resolution to pay to
the Choctsw Nation the net proceeds OF the sale Of
their Mississippi lands in full settlement OF all de.
monds, leaving the Nation to arrange with Its ind
vidual members. The amount asccrtained to be
due for these lands was about two million three
hundred thousand dollars, ana Congress therefore
appropriated $500 900 Of that amount half in cash
anA half In bonds The delegates and attorneys,
through whom this settlement was made claimed
ana received onehalf Of the cash appropriation as
the hands Of the then Indian agent to be expended
IN the purchase and supply Of corn, for the want
sf which the Choctaws were then suffering, or
supposed to be. That was the last seen Of
the money. One Steamboat load OF corn was sent
up the Arkansas River, but IL never reached the
Indians It rotted and was thrown overheard, ana
that was the end Of that transaction. The Indians
were completely swindled ont Of the nrst $250,0C0
appropriated. The $250,0o0 In bonds were never
issued but to that and to the remainder Of the
g. 900, the lien OF the nifty per cent commission
70 the delegates and attorneys attached. Tho at
torneys were certain Mr. J. T. Cochrane,
formerly a clerk in the Indian Department at
washington, now dead, ana another well-known
character around Washington In the days before
the war. named Albert Pike
THE REBELLION BROKE OUT.
The Choctaws and Chickasaws joined the rebels
and were brigaded believe, under Pike, who
made O bad mess Of his command and retired in
gl0riOusly from the service. In the meantime all
payments to the Indians were stopped, except that
the interest their trust fund In the hands Of the
government was diverted to the support of and to
the payment of losses supposed to have been sus.
tained by what were known as loyal Choctaws and
Chickasaws This was another vein Of robbery
and fraud which the committee has not yet opened
mp. After the war the Choctaw Nation again
spened negotiations with the government ct Wash
lnston, and for that purpose sent I'VE commission.
ers or delegates to the capital to make Q new
treaty. The irst thing they did, under the advice
n their former agent, Cooper, was to make an
agreement with Baltimore lawyer, Mr.. John
100000 ana q commission OF ffty per s'' cent
nans Out Of the Go s
was subsequently 70 be refunded. Tho treaty
existing treaties. There was no Ginicnity about *
for virtually the same terms n had been already
S $s q m ana the Of
Draw ss ssOa III z bs HUNDRED THOU
ana paid il over q SooJSsf liz AEON, ana re,.vs
Of Latrobe, who thereupon handed back halfof!s
& TO 81 Wss hs and
the carrying out OF an agreement by which half OF
Latrobe's fee and commission was to DO paid over
mileage and per diem rom their own Nation s'e; This
s the financial condition In which the unfortunate
ChOctaws are now placed. nan
THE FINANCIAL EXHIBITION. Al
Let me set 1t down in figures, as more convinc-
ing demonstration ESQ
Deduct e .SS sSInsy SO
Deduct commission sS swindlsp -. ...., isS"S
Received into the choctav treasury. ,.:;. sOOoo0
Ds ssSi S SSS Sssss,s
cent} anu ue.esa'es commission GU 70.
Also deduct Iatr0bcs commission io.' ~"
per cent? aud delegates Cor I,ntssoT
20 per cent)...,.,is- - I28nN
- --..E ~ $500 $4,000
x--A. -
Coming to the ohoctaw treasury ......... 100000
70 balance due under the settlement made by
the United States Senate 81, 100000
Deduct Cochranes commission GO per
cent? and delegates commission GO
Slso deduct L.trcbcs commission s ''''''
per cent? and delegates commission
''A'' '---,- 100000
Coming 10 the Choctaw TREASURY - sON0O0