Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-02-05
TRIAL OF JUDGE WRIGHT.
The Alleged Indian FOrgeries.

indisposition, the trial Of Judge John W. Wright
on the charge Of for ging the name Of q Chero-
kee Indian, Lacey Hawkins, to receipt Tor
second bountYas a soldier, was resumed in the
Criminal Court, Judge Cartier.
Henry G. Neigs, a witness for the defence, was
recalled and cross-examined by Mr.. Harring-
ton.-Witness admitted his signature TO paper
purporting to be the application of Parhas
Hargoe, company A, LIST regiment, for bounty;
witness did not know an Indian Of that name;
did net know whether he was dead or not; the
body of the application he thinks was filed in
by Brown Wright, son Of defendant.
Re- direct by Mr.. Stanton.-Witness does not
know that Judge Wright was in the Indian
country at the date Of the application, April
LIST, 1861. Witness knows that it was the
custom for the widow or other heir to
sign the deceased Indians name, and
he had witnessed such signatures This Is one
of the cases he referred to when he said that he
witnessed papers in the cases Of dead Indians.
He considered 1t an honest transaction, and it
was the custom in that country TO pay the mo-
new to the legal representative of the deceased
Mr.. Harrington claimed that the powers Of
attorney were also fraudulent.
Witness identified the powers of attorney in
the cases of Little Hawk, Dick Draper, Young
Squirrel, Runabout Puff, and others, witnessed
by ID. III. Ross, Lewis G. Ross, and himself
BY Mr.. Harrington.-After these powers of
Ciapperton as irregular, with the receipts, and
witness received them, giving a receipt. He
had been under the impression that they had
been destroyed, but was mistaken.
The entries in the books of Ross & Go. and
Ross, Gunther 81 Co, of charges against Haw-
kins, were considered in evidence.
Pinto Wright, swOrn:-Witness was at Fort
Gibson from May 18th or 26th to June 5th, 1869,
with his father when the latter paid the bOun-
ties. There were 400 or 500 paid, some of those
who called did not receive their drafts, (they
could not be found y and in such cases they
were paid their money leaving a power Of at
torney; there were not more than ten of such
cases. Witness noticed traders present at the
time, who were collecting debts due TO them by
the Indians; did not see any draft paid into the
hands of merchants, they were each handed to
the Indians. Witness identified the book of
Clspperton, and explained that it contained
the names of Indians, and when they were paid
the number of the receipt taken was placed OPP
pOste the name. Witness also identified a book
OF similar character kept by his father in the
same manner.
Cross-examined by Mr.. Observation-Disclosures
could not explain why the claims of Parhss
Hargoe and Pa ha Hadgoe appear to have been
paid unless some one personated them.
Re-direct:-Mr. Clspperton made the re-
ceipts; they were brought away with them; they
left In hurry; were told that an attempt would
be made to rob them; Clapperton appeared to
be under the influence of liquor when they left;
witnesses father carried $40 900 to Fort Gibson
from Little Rock; he purchased large number
of the drafts from Ress and some from the
Indians: he paid dollar for dollar for the drafts.
VIM u. ROss.-Witness is chief of the Chero-
kee Nation; resides at Fort Gibson; recollects
seeing Judge Wright making payments of
drafts to the Indians; recollects that his house
Ross & Coz had some business transactions
with defendant, in which there were from six
to eight thousand dollars worth of drafts used;
recollects that the use OF the council chamber
was given TO the arbitrators in the case of the
United States gainst Wright. Hawkins was a
member of the council at the time. Witness
Identified his signature to power of attorney,
as also the signatures of his brothers to others.
Gross examined:-Witnesss said at the time the
power of attorney was witnessed there was no
authorized seal of the nation by law.
Re-direct.-The clerk of the court in which
Fort Gibson is located procured seal which
was exhibited, and witness said he believed it
to be genuine.
BY Mr.. Harrington.-wright never had an
interest in the store; a copy of agreement be-
tween Ross and Wright was produced, in which
the latter agrees to furnish SO 600 to former to
buy goods in ST. Louis, and on selling them to
remit the proceeds to latter, with 10 per cent.
Witness explained this transaction as legiti-
mate business transaction; Judge Wright
agreed to indorse for him, and he agreed to
pay him for so doing; it was a common thing
for Indians to give orders on the second bounty,
and such was the condition of the country at
the close of the war that the acceptance of such
orders relieved the people greatly.
DR.. John B. McKdy, sworn.-witness knows
Alexander ClappertOn; rtcOllects he came to
witnesses Office in 1872, and said Wright had
never been guilty of fOrgeries; that w. had
him all the harm they could.
III. G. Harmon, sworn.-Witness is attached to
the Second Auditors Office; identified a draft
as paid for additional bounty by the Assistant
Treasurer at New York in 1869; witness ex-
planned that the bounty was paid by a paw
master by check, and there was no occasion for
ment Of accounts.
Cross-examined:-In the case of dead soldiers
the custom and regulation is to require proof
as to who are the heirs.
WA. u. Observation-Disclosures is a LAWYER and
also farmer in the Cherokee nation; recog-
nized the impression OF the seal of the District
Court for Illinois district of the Cherokee ma
ton; it was used by him when clerk of the
court.
Cross examined Witness Office was in the
store of Nash, and he left the seal there. Wit
ness recognized the purported signature of
Judge Thornton to an application in the case of
party as in his own writing. Judge Thornton
authorized witness to use LIS signature. Don't
know that the party was present; does not know
the party; they transacted business there lit
tie loose.
Re-direct.-witness explained that owing to
difficulty in transacting business. Witness did
not understand Cherokee and generally re-
quired an interpreter.
Re-cross.-ThInks that the man was present
and must have "a en- sworn.
Mr. Harmon Tecalled.-In cases of discharged
soldiers (living), il was requisite that the dis
charge papers should be produced, but not
when heirs made application. A recess was
here taken.
on reassemblng, at LOO O'Clock, Mr.. Har-
man was again recalled, and testified that there
was law division of the second auditors
office, of which he had charge.
Question.-Hss there ever been a complaint
MED that Lacy Hawkins had not received his
second bounty? Ruled out.
OFF II was ascertained that endorsements
on the back ola draft were forgeries, how would
the rights OF the United States or claimants
be affected, and what course would the govern
ment pursue?
This question was objected to, and the objec-
ton was sustained.
The question as to what proportion of COM
plants had come from the Indian regiments of
Irregularities was ruled out by the court al
though the government did not make any OBJ
lection.
Mr.. Stanton proposed to introduce a witness
10 testify that the same way OF doing business
In the Cherokee nation prevailed in Florida
but the court ruled out the offer.
Bernard Burns sworn.-Witness testified that
Clapperton, after coming from New York in
le12, came In his place, g restaurant on eth
street, and In the course of conversation spoke
very high OF Mr.. W., saying that he Nv. J had
trusted him as If be were a son; some time after
ne came in and spoke very hard against Wright
saying that he had given him but $40 to 20
home; week or two ago Clapperton came In
his place and said Wright was a big fool; that
II he would give him co. $1,000 TO IS 900, he
would go to his home in the old country, and
the case would never be called up again.
IrriHg b. WTIght.-Witness is q SON Of defend
ant; an attorney, resides in Cincinnati; was one
OF the sureties on his fathers bond. Witness
had nothing to do with the payments. In Octo-
Der, 1871, when he heard OF the difficulty he
came here and went to the Indian countrv