Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1885-03-20
INDIAN DEPREDArIoS CLAIMS.
Demands for Reparaffon Amount
ing to Over SIS, 200, 900.

Demands for R~eparaffon Amount.
ing TO Over SIS, OOO, 900.
The Congressional Indian Appropria.
tion Act contains 9 clause OF great interest
to settlers in the Western and Pacific
States and Territories who have suffered
from Indian depredations. 1t provides
$4,000 to enable the Secretary of the In
terror to investigate depreciation claims,
and requires him to report to Congress at
Its next regular session all such unpaid
claims as have been allowed, in the whole
or In part, as well as all claims pending
but not allowed, giving the name and sd-
dress OF each claimant and his witnesses,
the date OF depreciation, etc. Legislation
on the subject of Indian depreciation claims
dates back to 1902, in which year the Pres
ident was authorized to deduct the value
OF property stolen or destroyed "ou Of
the annual stipend which the United
States are bound to pay the tribe" to
which the d~epredators belonged. In 1884
1t was enacted that II the Indians had no
annuities the claims should be paid out Of
the Treasury. In 1859 this law, SO far % ii
authorized payment from the Treasury,
was repealed. without impairing the obli-
CATION OF Indians to make naturalization
from their annuities. In 1870 it was or
dered that "no claims for Indian depreda-
lions shall be paid until Congress shall
make special appropriation therefor" and
by an Act of 1872 the Secretary of the In
terror is required to report to Congress an
nually all claims presented to him during
the preceding year. In addition to these
periodical reports the Secretary has been
called upon at different times for special
lists containing special items of informa-
ton.
These lists, regular and special, show
that during the last 80 years the depreda-
tions alleged to have been committed by
Indians amount TO upwards Of $40, 900, 900,
and, as stated by Senator Dawes, on the
authority of Mr.. Teller, there are claims
remaining in the Interior Department. and
not yet reported which amount to between
So, 000, 900 and S., 000, 900 more, making
an average loss since 1853 of considerably
more than $500, 900 q year. The depreda.
tors belong TO almost every tribe within
the limits of the United States. The
Arapahoes, Apaches. Cheyennes, Com
anches, Kiowss, Naysjos and Sioux appear
to have taken the lions share in the depre-
dation business, but even "good Injuns "
like the Osages, and :" civilized tribes " like
the Greeks, C~herokees and Chickasaws, are
charged with stealing or destroying the
property OF the palefaces.
The individual claims have an exceed |
ingly wide range as to amount, the SMALL
est one being for SIS for a Comanche dep
relation in Kansas, while the largest one
is the well known claim OF Ben Holiday
for $500, 600 for depredstions by the
Comanche and other Indians on the route
to Salt Lake, U. T., from 1861 to 1866. |
Many Of the claims we're an unconscionable
time in passing through the mill Of the
Interior Department. Some that were
presented in 1856, 1856, 1857 and 1858
were not reported to Congress until De-
last. Under the new legislation
these claims, as well as all others that
have been reported but not provided for. !
will be relegated to the Interior Depart
ment for further action and report, after
which they may be referred to the Court
Of Claims for adjudication. aud even then
Congress may decline to pay them. Since
the present system Of dealing with this
Of claims was established very
few claimants have succeeded in obtain
ing redress. The perquisites Of success
have been favorable reports from Indian
Agents and the Commissioner of Indian
friendly members of Congress,
persistent attorneys and pertinacious