Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1885-09-09
WAS GEN. SHERIDAN DECEIVED.
MT. Sfmmo Thinks that a Mistake Was
Made in Settling the Cattle
Troubled

A Chicago special says: "Joseph Nim-
mo, ]r., late InI-I OF the Bureau of Sta
rlstics, who is on his way to the States and
territories embraced in the cattle, horse
and sheep growing area of the interior,
with view of writing upon that subject,
said in an interview to-day that he came to
this city direct from the western portions
of Kansas and the Indian Territory, the
scene of the recent troubles regarding the
cattlemen and the Cheyenne and Ara
pahoe Indian Tribes. 'As the result of
have been radically changed in regard to
the merits Of the whole subject sincs left
Washington. It appears to me that the
whole difficulty has had its origin in the
fact that number OF army officers with
their friends were formerly largely en-
gagged in the herdiDs of cattle on the
Cheyenne and Arapahoe lands without
paying cent for the privilege, which was
terminated by the leasing of the lands.
Hundreds of thousands of other cattle we're
also grazing on tie Cheyenne and Arapa-
hoe reservations without any compensa-
tion whatever to the Indians. These lat
ter cattle were ostensibly passing through
the Indian Territory on the two trails ex-
tending from Texas to the Northern
ranges, but, in fact, being held on the
Arapahoe lands, where they we're fattened
and shipped in large numbers to the mar
kets Of Kansas City, st. Louis and Chi
cago. After mature discussion of the
whole subject, as between the army Off
GERS at Fort Reno, the agent and the tribts
assembled in council, it was decided to be
best to lease the lands to responsible per-
SONS, not one-twentieth part of which
lands were occupied or needed by the In
dians for any purpose.
"Secretary Teller at first refused to ac-
cede to this pro position, but was finally pre-
vailed upon to do so on arguments showing
that such leasing would be protective of
| the interests of the Indians and promotive
of their welfare. The strongest argument
of this sort was made by army officers
stationed at Fort Reno, who appeared to
have not been in the ring. Gen. Pope,
commander of the department, wrote a
| long and earnest appeal in favor of the
plan of leasing, and Gen. Sheridan cor
| daily indorsed all that was said by Gen.
Pope. l will mention as one of the anus
/ ing features of the business the fact that
seven-eighths of the original lessees were
Democrats, and that they secured the ap-
probation of the Secretary of the Interior
| almost entirely through the influence of
| Democratic Senators and CongreSsmen.
| y am Of opinion that thorough inves-
tigation of the recent diffic".!..iie5 viii ois-
close the taaUr mat they had their origin in
the discomfort of certain eoptupacious
Indian leaders of bands who kept them
selves sloof from the main body of their
tribes, certain squawmen and certain army
officers and their friends stationed
at Camp Supply outside the Chey.
enne and Arapahos RESERVATIONS. Dur
ing the last two years the latter have
in connection with the bad I;;i1iaus ant am
the squawmen, been using all their efforts
to stir up discomfort and poison the MIND
OF the lieute nant-general against the cattle
men. The animus appears to have arisen
from the fact that their business OF cattls
raising wae cut of at the time of leasin.
the lands. l believe it was these Indians
who made all the trouble and that Gen
Sheridan was grossly deceived in regard II
the whole matter. believe further tina
the leasing of the lands by the INDIAN
, had up to the end the appreciation o
!, nine-tenths of the tribes, and that
proved to be beneficial to them, as it wa
large and valuable source of revenue"