Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-03-05

lilti uI lfhHHf ~.
diatficl courts Of the United states ~
4 thn Lastcrn Judicial district Of The stat'
Of TEXAS should be held AZ the city O
pafis IN the sald county of Lamar nnf
lint ali process, civil and criminal, cog
/ nizabln before said courts, respectively
issued against persons residing IN th'
aald counties of Lamar, tannln
Delta and Rcd illy0r, should % fe
tnrnabIc 10 said courts 10 be- hell NJ
said city Of Paris, aud that the district
and circuit courts OF the United States "a
be holden NJ Paris should have original
and exclusive jurisdiction ~ ull offonHoe
against the laws OF The United Mates now
or which Inny hofonftof DO Of force 10 the
Indian Territory, committed within thhl
PORTION OF the ChoGtaw Nation httached 70
Ills Eastern judicial district Tor the state
Of Texas.
i q, That terms oi the circuit aud dis.
trlet courts Of tile United States Tor me
\ Northern judicial district for the state oi
,rexna 40 should he held at The city Of
DoniAon. In tho said county OF GrnyeOn,
and that All process, civil and criminal,
oopnllablo before said courts respective.
/ ly, Issued against persons residing inHaid
counties of Cook, Urays0nand Montague
should bo made roturnable to the SAID
fourtR, TO be holden NJ the city Of Denl-
eon, and that the courts 10 be holden NJ
DonlsDn should have original ana eNclu.
alye Jurisdiction OF oil offonsos against
the laws OF the United States committed
within the ChiCknaaw Nation and that
part OF the Chociaw Nation attached TO
the Northern judicial district Tor tue
state Of TcxaR.
Some of The controlling roas0ns that In
/ ducc the committee 10 arrive at the fore
going conclusions viii nov be brlolly
stated
The federal court Tor The Western iu'
diCinl dlstfict for the STATE VI ArkanAasi
held M the city uf Fort Smith, now exef-
clros jurisdiction over eighteen counties
al the state Of Arkansas, ana over The
whole territory NJ the Indian nations, oc-
onpiOd by The 1yo civilized nations, w,
ChornkcoR. Greeks, hcmlnoloA, Gli0ctaws
and ChickasaWH. The tblckaehw and
ChocMw Nations Ito north Of the state of
/ Texas aud contiguous therefor aud their
social aud commercial intercourse are
with the people Of North TeNpp, and have
always been since the earliest settlement
OF the respective countries
Tho Chickasaw nnd that part OF tho
Choctaw Nation which ~ proposed TO be
attached 10 Texas for judicial purposes
have 90 commercial intercourse with the
people OF Arkansas. The average dis.
tat oe OF travel from the Chlcknsaw Ma.
tion 10 Fort Smith, whore the federal
court Ia held, " estimated 30 be- not less
than 260 miles by land, or 300 miles by
rnilrond and The snmr may
loo said Of the Southern part OF
the Choctaw Nation, which IL proposed TO
be- attached 10 Texas Tho loss OF time,
expense and Inconvenience Incurred by
! lltigants, witnesses aud other persons re-
sliding IN these localities who may be re.
4ulrod 10 attend the court AZ Fort Smith,
| strongly Impress your committee that II
IN the duty OF congress- 10 provide more
IcOnyonlont and accessible places for hold.
1 ing the courts which exercise Jurisdiction
over the Territory.
There h, besides, no doubt In the minds
Of tho mombOrs OF your committee that
the romotenosB Of the territory proposed
/ TO hc attached 10 Texas from Fort Smith,
/ whore the courts are now held, cncour.
ages violations OF the laws OF the
! United States. The difficulty Of procur.
| Ing process aids Offenders IN escaping ar.
rest, and II arrested, the Inconvenience,
| expense and loss OF time 20 be Incurred
| by witnesses In attending tho court at
Fort Smith 0iton induces witnesses Ia
avoid the duty aud permit the law TO ga
! unCSccuted, Tho people OF this terri
| tory sought 20 DO attached TO Texas are
| practically denied the means Of enforcing
the law and maintaining order, There h
another consideration In ths respect
which has attracted tho attention of the
committee, and doubtless win secure the
attention OF congress- We allude to the
enormous expense OF the federal courts
at Fort Smith No charge OF Improper
conduct on the part OF tho officers has
been brought 80 the attention OF
tho committee, and wO believe That
the expenditure OF public money III
the Western district Of Arkansas In such
UNUSUAL amounts may bo properly attrlb
utod TO the large territory over which the
courts exercise Jurisdiction and the In.
accessibility of Fort Smith by railroad
aud otherwise 70 a large portion OF that
territory, and especially to that section al
the territory proposed TO be attached L
Texas,
Tho committee believe that, while The
people would bo greatly benefited by tn,
proposed change OF the law, In respect I,
their convenience, loss Of tlmo, expenses
aud Hufer means Of enforcing tho law
aud preserving order, the goyornnon
would save large sums OF money now un
necessarily II not uaclossly expended u,
reference 20 the report OF the attorney
gonerai II appears that the oNponaeA o
the United Statoa courts for the Wcstorl
district OF Arkansas for the year 1882
aud paid ia the fiscal year 1883, amounted
TO SlhG,DlB 80 NEARLY $780, more thar
was expended In any other judicial dis
trict In tho United States Tor the satn,
dime, In the Eastern district Of Arkansai
only els,016G3 was expended during tha
year, aud that sum la not lar from thl
average amount expended by the otho
districts, II ", therefore, apparent thu
J tile bulk Uf the expenditures In the Wost
ern district OF Arkansas was on account
! of the jurisdiction OF the oourts oyor th,
Indian Territory There eau DO but llttl,
doubt Ia the minds Of any one who will
examine the map aud consider the linel
OF trnYol from the remote sections OF thi
/ Indian Territory TO Fort smith, thu
much Of such expenditures IL Wholly un
necessary and viii be avoided by IA,
changes proposed by the substitute ~
! ported By tho committee,