Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-02-09
AT THE CAPITOL TO-DAY.
p. O. APPROPRIATION BILL.
It is Taken Up in the House.
U. S. COURT IN INDIAN TERRITORY.
The Bill to Establish 1t Discussed
in the Senate.
The Senate.

The credentials of Mr. Ransom for his new
senatorial term were presented. read and
placed on file.
AU. s. COURT IN INDIAN TERRTroRY.
The Senate bill to establsh United States
court in the Indian territory was. on motion of
Mr.. Vest, taken up in conjunction with the
House bill to change the eastern and northern
Judicial district of Texas, and Mr.. Vest pro-
ceeded to state the purposes Of the bills, which
are in some respects identical He moved (as
a report from the Judiciary committee) to sub
stitute the Senate bill for the House bill
Mr.. Jones ARK offered another substitute
for the House bill and proceeded TO explain
the differences in the various propositions.
The substitute reported from the Judiciary
committee would not lhe said) help the present
condition OF things in the Indian territory,
where there was practically denial of justice,
the Jail at Fort Smith, Ark, where criminals
were brought from the Indian territory. being
always full. and the court there having to sit
during the entire year.
THE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE
simply transferred the court from Fort Smith
to Muscogee. That would produce no lessen
ing of the work, but on the contrary, the num-
Der Of cases to be tried at Muscogee would be
larger. His own proposition was to establish
IN the Indian territory court with limited
jurisdiction-not with full jurisdiction as pro-
posed in the substitute of the judiciary COM
mittee. He stated in reply TO Mr.. Dawes that
the court at Fort Smith would not be abol-
ished, but would still have jurisdiction of
Arkansas cases. 1t would only lose jurisdiction
of the Indian cases. which would go to the
court at Muscogee, as would also the cases in
those portions of the Indian territory which
now went to Texas and Wichita. Kans.
DEPLoRABLE CONDITION OF THINGS.
Mr.. Dawes described the condition of things
in the Indian territory as deplorable. The
court at Fort Smith has more business than il
could possibly do. When he was there some
time ago there were nine men under sentence
Of death, and he had seen in the newspapers a
few days ago that six men were sentenced to
death at one time for different murders
The court had to be in session every working
day of the year. The importance of the bill
could not be magnified. but he did not know
enough about it to make any suggestion.
Mr.. BERRY OPPOSED THE SUBSTITUTE
OF the judiciary committee, and advocated that
of his colleague. He was opposed to giving to
the Indians jury rights in capital cases. He
described Muscagee as a small town in the Creek
Nation, without court house or Jail, and
without any arrangements to hold court
Mr.. Coke also argued against the substitute
and in favor of the House bill which was, in
his judgment, the best solution of the whole
question.
Mr.. Edmunds explained the purposes of the
judiciary committee in reporting the substi-
tute. He spoke Of persons arrested in the In
dian territory having to be extradited to
Wichita Kan. Paris (Tex. }, Fort Smith ARK },
at great expense to the government, and said
that property owners and hotel-keepers at
those places might have reason to object to the
proposed change. But the committee thought
that the establishment of a court of justice in
the Indian territory would help to establish
social order and
RESPECT FoR LAW IN THAT TERRITORY.
In reply to a question by Mr.. Butler as to
the competency of residents in the Indian ter
ritory as jurors, Mr.. Edmunds admitted that
there would not be as good class of jurors
there as could be found generally throughout
the United States, but said that they would
bear the same relation to the people, and that
was the best that could be said. 1t was an ex-
pertinent; it might fail, but he hoped it would
not.
Mr.. Reagan stated the considerations that
recommended the House bill in preference to
either of the substitutes. There were Che said
many intelligent half-breeds in the territory:
but the great bulk of the population were pure
blood Indians, and there was hardly one of
them who would be competent a juror, or
who could even understand the English lam
guage.
Mr.. Morgan bore testimony to
THE GROWING INTELLIGENCE OF THE INDIANS
in the Indian Territory and declared his conf
dence in their capacity to act as jurors. The
jury system, he said. already existed there. and
justice was administered there as well as in any
of the states. He therefore advocated the SUBJ
stitute.
House of Representatives.
On motion of Mr.. McNIillin (Tenn) the Sem
ate amendments were concurred in to the
House bill authorizing the construction of
bridges across the Cumberland and Caney Fork
rivers in Tennessee.
On motion of Mr.. Toole Mont the Senate
bill was passed granting the right of way
through the Fort Custer military reservation.
Montana, to the Big Horn Southern railroad
company.
On motion of Mr.. Thomas Cwis.) the Senate
bill was passed authorizing the construction of
a bridge across the Mississippi river at La
crosse, Wis.
On motion of Mr.. Dingley CMe) the Senate
bill was passed for the establishment of life
saving station near the mouth Of ST. Georges
river Maine.
On motion of Mr. Thomas I1l.) the Senate
bill was passed granting to Randolph county, |
ILL.,, the title Of the United States to certain
lands in that county.
On motion Of Mr.. Cox, On. ~ the Senate |
bill was passed directing theaccounting officers
of the treasury to allow VIM. H. Robertson and |
Edward L. Hedden, collectors of the ports of
New York, credits of o., ,346 and S30 073 respect
lively.
THE PosT-oFFIcE APPROPRIATION BILL.