Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1888-06-16
Especial correspondence.l !

TAHLEoUAH, l. T., June l2-Oklahoma is
in the center Of the Indian territory, and
contains 1900 square miles-that is, the
the original Oklahoma strip did, though the
title Is now '-aoated,n in western phrase. to
much larger region lying north and west.
The true title to this land puzzles able law
yers In equity it belongs to the Indians;
for the Cherokees, Greeks and Seminoles
decided il to the United States in 1866 with a
specific understanding that it should he oc-
cupied by such other tribes as the govern
ment should from time to time locate with q
view to their civilization oklahoma" is
Cherokee compound which may be freely
translated "The Red Mans STATE
Between 1929 and 1870 the. Caerokees were
taken TO the Indian territory except a rem
nant of some !, 800 who own a tract on Tumb-
ling Fork creek in western North Carolina.
The Creeks or Muscogees, Choctaws. Chicka-
saws and Seminoles followed, on similar
conditions; and these constitute the Five
Civilized Tribes" which, until 1866, owned
all the Indian territory. They number some
$1,000
Soon after their resettlement the Cherokees
began the policy Of "absorption,p inviting
fragments of other eastern tribes to Join
them; and the Quawpaws, Senecas, Miamis,
Wyandottes, Sbawnees, Della swares and many
other minor tribes have, as the phrase goes,
dissolved their tribal organization and ac-
cepted head rights in the Cherokee nation.r
A new treaty was made in 1866 by which the
four tribes ceded 1900 600 acres and the
Cherokees ceded all that part of their terri
tory west of longitude So degs-estimated at
SHAFTS scres-the proviso in both cases
being thai friendly tribes should he located
NM ha 2eT No. =
the four tribes from fifteen to thirty cents an
acre for their cession, and agreed to pay the
Cherokees a sum, to be 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 "civ-
Ilization and the Quaker policy The Chey-
ennes and Arapahoes were located, and then
removed to a wilder region. The Osages and
Kansas received $40, 1856 acres, the Neg
Perces 90, I'll, the Poncas l0l ,S94 the Otoe-
Missouras l29, 1l3 and the Pawnees 23O,OI4
acres. At later date the Sacs and Foxes,
the Iowas, kickapoos and "Absientee Shaw
neesH those not absorbed by the Cherokees,
received small tracts. 1t is needless to detail
the conflict of laws and opinions. Suffice it
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 Oklahoma
strip and some more-nearly 10000, 900 acres
in sll-is open to settlement
In this condition Of affairs the "Kansss
boys began a dozen years ago 10 try the ex-
pertinent of settling in the territory, not only
in Oklahoma proper but in the Cherokee
Outlet" as it is called-the strip stretching
westward from the northern part of the oc-
cupied Cherokee lands. They We're promptly
elected by the government; but the Chero-
KEGS granted herders permits to Craze cattle
on the strip, and this soon created a white
mans interest adverse to that of the settlers.
In few years all Oklahoma proper, $751;
500 acres, and most of the strip between it
and Kansas were covered by the cattle Of
big syndicates.
Capt. D. L. Payn, born in 1886 in Grant
county, Indiana, but borderer since the
opening of Kansas in 1854, had hunted and
secuted all over the country: had represented |
two counties in the Kansas legislature and |
distinguished himself as an Indian fighter, |
when in 1873 he was appointed to small Of
Zee in Washington city. There he familiar
lied himself with the Indian treaties, and
concluded, on good legal authority, that the
last vestige of Indian title TO Oklahoma pro-
per was extinGuished by clause in the act
pro ding for a right OF way for the Atlantic
and Pacific railroad He at once began TO
organize a band to take possession, and |
made no less than eleven raids into the dis
puted country-run out sometimes by the |
Indians and sometimes by the cattle men, at |
other times compelled to leave for want of |
support. and finally evicted with all his |
large colony and imprisoned by the United |
States authorities In 1850 he was arrested |
and imprisoned at Fort Worth, Arkansas: |
the court decided against him, but in lSS2 he |
was again in Oklahoma, with a small colony |
only to be again driven out In 1888 he was |
indicted fer violating Indian treaties. bat ac-
quilted; and soon had a larger colony than |
ever. This time the boomers had posses |