Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1886-05-13


OsAeE AoEScY, I. T. April 23.--
In parting with their Kansas lands
it was an open question whether
the Osagcs had disposed OF their
interest in the sixteenth sections"
of each township afterwards set
apart as school lands. Some land
sharks and Indian spectators who
were on the lookout for claims
against the government assured
the tribe that they had q Legitimate
claim for large sum of money,
but nothing particular was done
concerning it for long time. a
contract was finally entered into
between the Osagcs and ex-Con-
gresham w. a. Phillips, Of Salina,
Kansas, and "ChaIlie" Ewing
(brother to Gen. Ewing and to the
wife of Gen. VIM. r. Sherman), by
which Phillips and Ewing were to
prosecute the claim of the Osages
for compensation for these
school lands and receive II 1-2 per
cent. of all the sums so allowed.
At the end of some extended man
ipulations and congressional lcgis-
lation the claim was allowed and
an appropriation made to pay it,
The department, however, objected
to allowing a commission Of II 1-2
per cent. TO Phillips and Ewing,
and cut them down TO 7 l-2 per
cent, at which rate the handsome
fee of s74 900 was actually allowed
and paid them. Soon after the
commission to Phillips and Ewing
was handed to them, some revcla-
tions were made, in which the
Usage chiefs, Governor 10 and
"Ogees" Captain, were implicated.
The latter claimed TO have a writ
ten contract with Phillips and
Ewing by which they were to be
allowed per cent. of all sums
obtained under the claim from the
government. They waited patient
ly for their share of the proceeds,
but never received it. Governor
Jo who had received a partial edu-
cation at Usage Mission, was in
constant correspondence with Phil
lips, but was kept out Of what he
claimed as his share Of the COM
mission money until he began to
fear he should lose it. He then
came TO Agent Miles, told his
story, entered his complaints and
requested Miles to bring the mat
ter to the attention of the commits
sioner of Indian affairs and assist
him to get the money. Miles told
him he could give him no assist.
ance; that it was an outside matter,
already settled, and that his only
hope was TO get the money from
Phillips or Ewing. But Governor
10 begged hard and the agent
promised to mention it to the In
dian commissioner on his next visit
to Washington.
A QUARREL Is wAsHuNGTON.
But Governor JOS appeal to
Agent Miles for assistance in col
lecting his claim came to the
knowledge OF Phillips and this
added to long string of grievances
which he had been accumulating
against Mr.. Miles led to the imme-
diate preferment of charges against
him in the department and to n
demand for hIs removal. This
fight upon him took Mr.. Miles to
Washington city sooner than he
expected, and put him on his de-
lense. In conversation with COm-
missioner Price the latter said:
"Why does Phillips so persistent
ly demand your rcmoval2 He
comes here daily and stands by my
desk by the half hour, going over
the complaints against you. He
claims to be the attorney Of the
Osages, and demands that some
one else be appointed in your
place. Can you give any reason
for his violent opposition TO you9"
Miles replied that he could not un-
less it was because of his having
promised to mention Governor
JOS claim to have q contract with
Phillips by which he was TO receive
4 per cent. of the commission al
lowed for collecting "that school
land claim" "Whatl' said Price,
"what claim is that which Govern
or Jo says he was interested in?"
So Miles repeated the story and
complaints of Governor 10, which
it seems, Commissioner Price had
never heard till then. He request
ed the agent to sit still n moment,
went into the sccretary's room a
few minutes and returned, saying
the secretary and himself would
have a conference on the matter
that afternoon and might wish to
confer with him further. So Miles
went about his business.
In less than two hours after his
conference with the commissioner
Miles met Phillips on Pennsyl-
vania avenue. The latter was in n
towering passion and commenced
an abusive conversation at once,
claiming that Miles had been SLAM
dering friend OF his-Charlie
Ewirg-to Commissioner Price and
the secretary Of the interior.
Miles denied it. Phillips became
explicit, and repeated nearly YER
baiim the conversation which
passed between PAIGE and the
agent. Miles gave his authority
for all the statements he had made.
disclaimed all knowledge beyond
that, and informed Phillips that he
had only kept his promise TO Gov
ernor In and WAS not askin0 any