The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-11-05
THE Usage INDIANS.
Fraudulent Claim of Adair and Vann
on the Indian Fund.
A QUARTER OF A MILLION WANTED
Suppressed Documents Brought
to Light.


ror by the Attorney General OF the United States in
relation to claim for services said TO have been rem
dered to the Usage Indians by Messrs Adar and Vann
two Cherokee delegates Your correspondent has In
vesgated this claim and has no doubt that II Is one OF
the most barefaced swindes which has ever been per-
petrated It's history is instructive and is as follows
By the provisions OF q treaty made with the Great
and Little Usage Indians at Drum Creek, Kansas all
the lands OF the osages in the State of Kansas
be sold to the Leavenworth Lawrence and Galveston
Railroad Company at twelve and half cents per acre
There were nearly 5000 900 belonging to these
Indians and nearly one.third OF the whole was as good
land any that State The treaty was such trans
parent swndle that the Hon. Sidney Clarke OF Kansas
denounced 1t pretended treaty" and ian outrage
the rights OF the Indians" in report No.
g. h. r., printed June Is, 1865 Mr. Vim
cent Coyer subsequently visited the Indian Ter
ritory, and finding that the matter had become public
scandal he telegraphed the facts to the East, and
The a second time brought to the attention OF
Congress by the United States Indian Commission in
petition dated New York. February rs, 1869, and
signed by Peter Cooper, President; Benjamin latham
Treasurer and Vincent Coyer, Secretary, we'll a
number of prominent aymen and clergy of New York.
Commissioner Parker in letter dated August 20,
1862 directed Enoch Hoag TO stake immediate steps TO
ascertain the wishes of the Indians in regard to 1.-THE
treaty and to report the unnfuenced wishes of the
Indians" Mr. Hoag reported that 'thc larger portion
of the tribe would prefer the treaty should be ra
ned 'from a feeling that by the terms OF the treaty
they do not receive much for their land as they
think they ought to"
On the 10th of November, 1869, Adar and vann en-
tered into a socaed contract with the Usage Indians
by the terms of which the former have "a fee
equivalent to onehalf OF any that through their
Efforts and representation might be allowed for the
That contract was returned TO the Governor oil the
osages in 1870 by Colonel vann, with the remark that
'they had rendered service and made charge"
and tho paper torn up, after Congress had fixed
the price Of the Usage lands at 81 % per acre.
II will thus be that Adair and Vann had no
claim whatever for any services rendered 10 the
Osages In obtaining higher price for their lands on
the contrary the members of the Indian Commission,
who sent out to obtain the consent of the 0sages
TO their removal into the Cherokee lands reported that
vann very jealous in endeavorng 10 get from the
osages higher price per than tho government
had decided to allow TO the Cherokees for the lands
cessary to to accommodate the osagcs. Nevertheless,
In 1878 contract cooked up, by which Adair
and vann to receive $780, 900 for their
mat amount to be taken from the proceeds
Of the sales OF tho Usage lands and paid by the
Secretary OF tho Interior AT the time the contract
forwarded TO Hon. f. Smith, Commissioner OF In
dian Affairs, EEoch Hoag also submitted with It q
protest against its payment as follows:-
To His Exccllency U. $. GRANT, President =
The undersigned, the Governor, chiefs and head in
Of the Great and Little Usage tribe OF Indians.
Ipcctfuy you consideration of the following
ent Of facts and that you will ntepose strong
10 the contamination of wrong to them and
In the year 1863 certain railroad parties made contract
with the osagesor of hemor the purchase of their
lands in Kansas, at an almost nominal price BY what
e resi.e but realizing how homeless
knowing that ourselves were poweress, and yet In
presented themseives-Colonc Adsir Colonel vana
o ane no az bpo %s made np ae
mcns that f through them the railroad contract was
lands ard have onehalf Of the the railroad
The with the railroad rejected but
and told us that the Shs e named
Father and the Senate needed prompting just
ann the
saying they had no and made no
And now in this year in February. 1873 Colonel
vation-on Bird crcekhaye council with part Of the
ss mot SsG being q tho ''
employed by these Cherokces at this
ermer contract known us They have used
ss BIRD to
our great injury in other matters as we'll
Gr Us warm love and a deep interest in our prosperity
have had with the Indians
young men dspored and condemned BY the whole tribe
authorities But friends, Colonel vann and Colonel
law Tor such surrender and that it was gratutous nerfer
seemed disregard wishes government the
rest where Ssopg Bn their .eoUs cham
he mean time they piled Is by every day and night n,s
council called by them; business neglected
and run into eGnfusOn payment was delayed
out by their opportunities and not realizing
they say solely get rid others wrought
differently The cher9kess represented that they had
they had shown their with the osages convince
solely by that that they had the ra6ca
lion % the Tsc%d that il would be bad faith to
TO repudiac and further that they had promised almost
therefore signed the ratification out gratitude
70 our Jealous and unsesh friends to save them from the
made believe that these Cherokees could to law and
THAT @ f&'oS
susy accept the paace Of 500 90 ana relieve us from
paper without knowledge their owners and
We desire pay these friends literally for all
wee they rendered US But now We representing ey right
the great leading half breeds do enter this our
ton Of this Honstrous fraud that being attempted upon
children into civilized and educated citizens We
" Of s aS to US from the
And as in DUTY bound will ever pray
This protest also accompanied by the follow.
ing
We, the undersigned chiefs councillors and headmen of
and Little Usage tribes of indians rcspectv
tae that We signed paper, which the above Is pro-
lest under entire Misrepresentation Of facs; and now
with better understanding oil the matter hseby re-
Voke and rcpudiate that act.
This signed by the principal chiefs, councillors
and braves OF the 0sagcs.
Another paper also submitted 70 the Commits
sioncrs at the same time showing that forgery had
been committed in The preparation OF the contract viz
Usage AGENCY, ISDIAs TERRITORY, Sth mo-, ~, 1873.
present the timo Of counciling, when Colones
vann and Adar having the petition signed by Usage
chiefs others the purpose OF having the
Of the United states them $2OOOO out OF the Usage
funds for alleged services.
During signing said petition not TO exceed onehaf
Of affixed present at the time,
their names aud affixed without their
cnce consent or knowlcdge. WILLIAM II. TINKER.
subscribed and acknowledged before this 9Th day Of
eighth month, 1878. .
ISAAC r. GIBSON, United States Indian Agent.
The protest signed by the larger portion OF the
Usage chiefs councillors and braves, and as will be
sent TO the Interior Department nearly one
year before any payments were made