Arizona weekly citizen., 1882-03-05
Ininstiee tn Indians.
PIMA INDIAN AGENCY, A. IT.,
 February 27, 1882.

PIMA INDIAN AGENCY, A. T., February 27, 1882. To THE EDITOR OF THE CITIZEN Some three weeks ago there appeared in the Tucson Star an article apparently editorial. criticising my action m the removal of the Mexican intruders upon the Papago Reservation, which was so full of gross errors and falsehOOds as to convince me that it was a willful and malicious misrepresentation of the facts, SO much so that I deemed it useless on my part to make any denial Every in- telligent person who desired to know the truth could easily do so; but when on the 23d instant you published an article apparently editorial, of similar purport and headed "Injustice to In- dians." I am led to conclude that you have been misinformed and deem it my duty to correct these false statements and disabuse the mind of the public. I can only account for this seemingly concerted scheme to distOrt the facts on the ground that certain interested par ties are furthering their own interest by pretended sympathy with the Indians who demanded their removal to avoid bloodshed. am led to believe thls from the fact that some of the Mexicans on the day of their removal informed me that they were not interested there but were occupying the land for Ameficans who resided in Tucson. At least this theory of ownership would account for the endeavor to mystify and mislesd the public. Now as to the facts:
 Former agents had been officially notified by the Department to rel move these intruders, but having served notice upon these parties to move from the Reservation they seemed to think their duty ended. But during the month of last October, the Government incurred an expense of sl92.5O to survey the Papago Reservation so as to settla all disputes as to boundaries. Then my at tention was called by the Government to thls notice and that I was expected to enforce it. Following this I received a communication from Dr. Cook, Sub Agent at San Xavier, stating that trouble was imminent between the Papagoes and Mexicans. Upon receipt of this pro- ceeded in person and made a thorough investigation upon the grounds. l then served a personal notice upon each of the Mexicans and requested them to produce any claims or show legal cause why they should not be removed. With one exception, Nicholas Martinez, they all failed to do SO. I then consulted United States District Attorney E. B. PomrOy and also United States Surveyor General, John Wasson, who assured me that with the possible exception of Mar tinez none of the Mexicans had the slightest legal claim to the land they were occupying. And now the question arises, why, fl they have any rights il law or equity, they do not present these claims instead of striving to falsify and mystify? I could not deprive them of any rights tEey possessed and so in- formed them. If they have valid claims why do they conceal them when called upon? Now, Mir. Editor. where is there in all this any of what you call "the in- tricate workings of Indian Agents" and "undefined crookedness" which hangs about the Papago Reservation in par ticular and the thigh handed measures to dispossess hereditary owners of the soil?' As to the Pspago woman who was cast out of her house, home, lands, etc, the recital of whose pitiful case is calculated to bring tears from the eyes of such and all the Tucson citizens who are trying to hold lands belonging to the Government under the cover of Mex jeans, l assure you that the Papago woman us set out by these emotional and tender persons exists only in their own fine fancy. She is now occupying every inch of the soIl she claims as hers. She has never been elected; and if any of the MeIicans could have presented sufficient evidence to raise even a reas- enable doubt as to the ownership, they would have been left undisturbed and their. cases referred to the Department at Washington, as vas done with the Papago woman. In conc usion hope that the statement of the facts will put a quietus upon the croRkers who are in- terested in spreading abroad talsehoods and who are pretending a maudlin sym pathy for the Indians in public only to rob them in private.
 ROSWELL G. WHEELER,
 U. $. Indian Agent.