Evening journal., 1888-06-13
FAIR 0KLAH0MA'S LAND.
HISTORY OF THE MOVEMENT THAT
WAS INAUGURATED BY PAYN.
HIap Showing the Location of the Terri
tory Now Wanted by the Boomers-No
Mans Land, of which 40 Much Has
Been Said.
Lsneeinl Corresnonllence

Especial correspondence
TAHLEouAH, l. T., June l2.--Oklahoma is
in the center OF the Indian territory, and
contains 2.400 square fnilee--that is. the
the original 0flahomasstrip did, though the
title Is now "noatedp In western phrase. 70
much larger region lying north and west.
The true title TO this land puzzles able law
yerx In equity it belongs to the Indians;
for the Cherokees, Greeks and Seminoles
decided it to the United States in 1855 with n
specific understanding that 1t should be oc
cupied by such other tribes as the govern
ment should from time TO time locate with a
view 20 their civilization. "Oklahoma" is
Cherokee compound which may be freely
translated tThe Red Mans State.
Between 1929 and ls40 ths Cherokecs were
taken to the Indian territory except a rem
nant OF some 800 who own tract on Tumb-
ling Fork creek In western North Carolina.
Tho Creeks or Auscogees, Choctaws, Chicka-
SAWS and Seminolea followed, on similar
conditions; and these constitute the Five
Civilized Tribes which, until 1865. owned
all the Indian territory. They number some
10000.
Soon after their resettiement the Cherokees
began the policy OF absorption inviting
fragments Of other eastern tribes TO join
them; and the Quaupsws, Senecas, Miamis,
Wyandottes, Shawnees, Della wares and many
other minor tribes hnvc, as the phrase goes,
dissolved their tribal organization and ac-
cepted head rights in the Cherokee nation. y
A new treaty was made in 1866 by which tho
four tribes ceded 100000 acres and the
Cherokees ceded all that part OF their terri
tory west OF longitude 90 degs.--estiniated at
S.l44,773 acres-the proviso In both cases
being that friendly tribes should be located
on the ceded lands. The government paid
the four tribes from fifteen to thirty cents an
acre for their cession, and agreed to pay the
Cherokees a sum, to he agreed upon. for such
land settled according TO the proviso
The government entered vigorously upon
the task Of locating other Indians. and dur
/ ing the administration OF President Grant
there was quite popular enthusiasm for 'ciy-
ilization and the Quaker policy.n The Chey-
enDes and Arapahoes were located, and then
removed to a wilder region. The Osages and
Kansas received 1870, 1876 acres, the Nez
/ Perces 9o,7l1, the Poncas l0l ,s04. the Otoe-
Missouras 100, 1lS and the Pawnees 23O,0l4
acres. At a later date the Sacs and Foxes,
the Iowas, Kickapoos and "Absientee Shaw
neesn those not absorbed by the Cherokeesl
received small tracts. 1t is needless to detail
the conflict Of laws and opinions. Suffice il
that the friends Of the Indians claim that
every foot Of the Indian territory is covered
by an unextinguished Indian title, while the
intending settlers insist that the Oklabome
strip and some more-nearly 10000, 900 acres
in all-is open TO settlement.
In this condition Of affairs the "Kansa,
boys began a dozen years ago to try the ex
pertinent Of settling in the territory. not only
in Oklahoma proper, but IN the "Cheroke,
Outlet as it is called-the strip stretching
westward from the northern part Of the oc
cupied Cherokee lands They were prompt,
elected BY the government; but the Chero
KEGS granted herders permits to graze cattli
on the strip, and this soon created a whit,
mans interest adverse TO that OF the settlers
In a few years all Oklahoma proper, ,ssT,
500 acres, and most Of the strip between !
and Kansas were covered by the cattle o
big syndicates.
Capt. p T. Payn, born in 1896 IN Gran
county Indiana, but a borderer since tn
opening Of Kansas IN 1854, had hunted an
secuted all over the country, had represente,
two counties in the Kansas legislature an
distinguished himself as an Indian fighter
when in 1879 he was appointed TO small OF
, fice in Washington city. There he familiar
lied himself with the Indian treaties, an
concluded, on good legal authority, that tn
! last vestige OF Indian title to Oklahoma prc
per was extinguished by clause in the &C
J providing for a right Of way for the Atlanti
and Pacific railroad. He at once began {
organize a band TO take possession, an
made no less thnn eleven raids into the di,
puted country-run out sometimes by th
; Indians and sometimes by the cattle men, a
other times compelled to leave for want {
support and finally evicted with all hi
large colony and imprisoned by the Unite
States authorities In 1880 he was arreste
I and imprisoned at Fort Worth, Arkansas
/ the court decided against him, but in 1882 /
was again in Oklahoma, with a small colonl
only to be again driven out. In 1883 he wa
indicted for violating Indian treaties, but al
quilted; and soon had a larger colony tina
ever. This time the "boomersn had posse
eiop lono anourh fo b,ilI a villa0a and Z,