Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1886-04-22
J. /. BAucn, Cl'k, c,

ultlll tOlllllutus
Ques. Have you asked Mr.. d.
II. Ross anything regarding this
matter2
Ans. have, and as far as my
recollection goes is that he said
they borrowed the money from
John, Brown Wright.
/ have also received letters from
J. NJ. Bryan, but do not know any
thing farther OF this business.
HENRY CHAMBERS STATEMENT.
Ques. Have you anything in
the treasurer's Office touching this
matter, or anything showing that
any money has been turned over
as payment for the sale of these
lands2
Ans. l have not examined all
the old papers in the Office but
there has never been anything
turned over to me.
s. II. BENGE's STATEMENT.
All / have to say in this matter
is that l don't recollect anything
about it, and that | never signed
my name S. II. Benge to the treaty.
/ signed it Houston Benge. l don't
recollect signing this paper though
l might have signed it for it was q
long time 'ago. This land has
never been sold and as well as l
can recollect the delegation ever
since has been instructed to sell it.
Ques. Was there any money
got on this land from anybody
there2
Ans. Not as ] know of; we got
out of money while there and used
our own private funds and then af.
terwards borrowed money from
Dan Ross TO pay our board and
when we left there we got seventy
five (s75.00) dollars from Dan
Ross to come-home on.
d. II. ROSS STATEMENT.
/ was a member of the delega-
tion of May, 1866.
Ques. Was there any money re-
ceived on this land?
Ans. There was none whatever.
Ques. Did you sign this bill of
sale to John Brown Wright?
Ans. | could not tell but /
signed a memoranda.
Ques. When Judge Wri ght re-
ceived this pay from the Chrokee
nation did not that release the
lands?
Ans. Yes, but they were really
released before, for the secretary
of the interior refused to recognize
the obligation.
Ques. Who was agent at the
time for the Cherokee nation?
Ans. Justin Harlin ! believe.
The secretary of the interior was a
distant relative of his; believe his
name was James Harlin.
Ques. Did the agent endorse the
obligation?
Ans. / believe he did; it was
gotten up through him.
Ques. What was the considera-
ton of this obligation?
Ans. My recollection is that it
was five thousand (s5, 600 dollars;
would not say positively. The in
terror department hold that when
these lands are sold that the claim
of the heirs Of Duval shall be re-
versed.
Ques. Did you make a report of
this matter when you came home?
Ans. We made a written report
to the National council Of the whole
thing.
Ques. Is there anything in the
executive Office bearing on this
Ans. / do not know but 1 sup
pose there is as we made the re-
port. / understand the way this !
thing was resurrected was by find |
ing the memoranda / spoke of
some of Judge Wright's pa
pers at Cincinnati and sent TO the
interior department TO see if there
was anything in it or not.
Ques. Did you or did you not |
tell Mr.. Bushyhead that you bor-
rowed five thousand (s5, 5,0OO) dol
lars on this land?
Ans. No sir have no recollec-
ton Of telling Mr.. Bushyhead any
thing Of the kind.
Ques. Do / understand you TO
say that you received no money on
the land and that the consideration
was only for a lawyer fee?
Ans. We did not receive a cent;
il was only as a security for Judge
Wrights fees.
Ques. Afterwards do we under
stand that the five thousand
(s5, 600 dollars was paid by the
nation to Mr.. Wright?
Ans. Yes sir, it was.
Ques. We understand then that
it released this obligation2
Ans. II did in fact, it was al
ready released by the secretary of
the interior not endorsing the OBJ
legation.
Ques. Would it be necessary |
under the treaty Of 1928 for the
secretary Of the interior 10 approve
of the obligation TO make it Valid?
Ans. Yes sir.
Ques. Did you have any author
ity 10 make this transactiOn2
Ans. AS a delegation we had.
CUES. Did you have any in
structions TO that effect?
Ans. No, we had no special in
strnctions; under our general au-
thcrity Of negotiating new treaty