Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-12-07

A Large Sum Said to be Missing from
an Indian Appropriation.
INDIRECT INsINUATIONS MADE AGAINST SENATOR
DAWES AND SECRETARY TELLER PROMPTLY DENIED
AN INVESTIGATION PROBABLE

At the second session OF the Forty-seventh Con-
gress an Indian appropriation OF 100000 was made
TO reimburse the Cherokee nation for certain lands
The distribution of the money was intrusted to the
agent, ex-Congressman VIM, A. Phillips OF
Kansas, who, it is alleged, stated to the
Cherokee council that he had retained
~ per cent OF the amount, or SD SOC, to pay two
high government officials for their influence in Sc
curing the appropriation. 1t is further reported
that Phillips distributed the remainder of the $500
oO 10 those OF Indian blood only. The Cherokee
nation includes large number OF people OF African
descent who are entitled to all rights of Cherokees
They have prepared memorial to Congress recit-
ing the reported state OF affairs and asking the dis
tr1Dut1on OF the appropriation, including the
amount said TO be retained among the whole
nation They also ask the abrogation OF an alleged
lease OF 100000 acres OF grazing land made
by the Secretary of the Interior. dispatch to the
New York World to-day says that Mr.. Phillips, when
to tell the names Of the officials t to I Whom % he % paid
the money, named Secretary Teller and Mr.. Dawes.
SENATOR DAWES DENIES.
Senator Dawes, when asked about the story, de-
MED emphatcally the charge or insinuaton against
him, and Said that he would, when he learned who
sible. He expressed the hope that the matter
would be presented to Congress so that full tnveS-
tigation might be made.
WHAT COL BoUD1Nor SAYS.
Col. Boudinot said to STAR reporter to-day that
the statement that Phillips had told him that the
Dawes was incorrect. ''Mr. Phillips statement
was made to the Cherokee natfon,' said Col. BOudi-
not land it was that the s22 500 was paid to high
officials in Washington. Some guileless Cherokees
but said, well II it hadn't been for senator Dawes
ana secretary Teller the appropriation would not
nave been made leaving the impression, you see,
that those gentlemen had received part Of the
money. Tomorrow Will address q letter to Sena-
tor Dawes proposing to him to offer resolution to
investigate the matter, as understand he declares
his desire to have it 1nvestigated.'
COMMISSIONERS PRICE INTERVIEWED.
A STAR reporter called the attention of Indian
Commissioner Price to the publication in the New
York World to-day. He said: 81 don't know any
thing about the employment Of Mr.. Phillips by the
Interior department. II he was employed l know
nothing about it, But don't believe that he was
! understand that he was the attorney OF the In
dfans. The fact about the payment of the money
is simply this: We issued reuuisftion upon
the U. S. Treasury to the order OF the Secretary
OF the Cherokee nation This was placed in the
United States Sub-treaSury at St Louis, and was
subject TO the order of the secretary OF the nation
! know OF no deficiency in this fund. What was
done with the money after it passed under the con-
troll Oh the nation have no means OF knowing"
SECRETARY TELLER
was absent at the Cabinet meeting when STAR
reporter called to see him. 1t was stated at the
Interior department that he will endeavor to find
the responsible authors Of these statements and
proceed against them.
Ex-CoNGREssMAN PHILIPS
was found at the Interior Department In response
to an inquiry he said:
and understand that he has not been at the capi-
tai OF the Cherokee nation since 1869. or course
had nothing to do with the payment OF that money,
as IL was paid to bonded officer, whom, have no
care to notice such things, as l have made q rule
Tor some years past not to do So"