The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1883-12-12
THE CHEROKEE SCANDAL.
The Charges OF Bribery Involving Senator
Dawes and Secretary Teller.
Cpao;al 10 no cantinal.

The Charges OF Bribery Involving Senator
Dawes and Secretary Teller.
Special to the Sentinel:
WASHINGTON, Dec. 9.-Like all scandals
and sensations, the one which has come up
about Senator Dawes. OF Massachusetts,, and
Secretary Teller, of the Interior Department.
has been pounced upon by idle tongues and
unscrupulous correspondents and has raised
a deal of a hubbub here. Senator Dawes and
Senator Teller have both retera ted TO your
correspondent to-day tha: they have had no
personal connection with the Cherokee In
dian Fund and consequently have had no
opportunity to take any bribes for official
influence; and further, that they propose TO
prosecute the man who has libeled them.
Phillips who is the disbursing agent for
the Cherokee Nation in The Indian Territory,
is an ex-Congressman frors Kansas. Colonel
Boudinot who brings the charge that Phil
lips gave Dawes and Teller So, 500 out OF the
$500 600 fund appropriated to the Cberokees,
for the purpose of securing the influence of
the latter two in getting the appropriation
through Congress, is an exChief of the Cher
okee Nation. He is now pronounced by
some OF his tribe an outcast. He is about
fifty years old, we'll educated sharp as
knife, tall, well bnilt, with large. round
head, speaks several languages, wears long
hair, is afable well known. and although
he has one club foot he is energetic in NOV
ing about among the state3men. He is a
well known character here as well as IN all
parts of the West. He is probably half
breed. lie became a lobbyist for
Railroad Companies that wanted to
enter the Territoryiof his tribe several years
ago, and coming here soon became a profess
sional lobbyist. He is about the Capitol con
stantly during sessions of Congress and has
bad somethi inS 10 do with nearly all Indian
L.. Inr I,a - 10 He hoe
been connected with most OF the machines
civilization that have entered the Indian
Territory. some Of which have been very OBJ
iectionable to his tribe. and he has often
been warned not 10 return there again. But
he has courage, and he goes and comes at
will, and seems TO have friends there who
back him with money. His tribe is rich and
intelligent.
For years Congress has been called upon for
large appropriations for the Cherokee In
dians. They have asked largely for school
houses, teachers. Churches. preachers. farm
ing implements, stock, and all the modern
articles Of civilization, and th' y have been
literally supplied, and have improved their
opportunities For year OF more there
have been whisperings here that the large
sums OF money which the Cherokees were
getting for this, that and the other thing
were secured through the influence of the
lobby. IL was charged a year ago that the
Lobbyists mere nau ioooy Hsto WIN ho N"cap-
KEGS, and that il was agreed in the councils
of the tribe that certain per cent. of the
moneys received through Congress was to so
to defray expenses in obtaining it. 1t is
known that lobbyists and LAWYERS here, at
any rate, men who do not work for amuse
ment, took great interest in seeing the ap-
propriations made.
Now that the scandal has come up, in
volving United States Senator and a Cabi-
net officer. there is much aftermath coming
to the surface. An old lobbyist said OF the
affair to-day:
IF there was any money paid TO get
through the last appropriation, there has
been money spent in the same way on nearly
every appropriation given the Cherokees-"
It is improbable that there will be any
facts proven in the charges. but there is little
doubt that Il will lead TO an investiga-
tion and result in proving that the Indians
have long ago learned that il they get money
through q lobby they must pay for 10. The
scandal is all the talk here now.