New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-01-16
THE LOOTING" OF OKLAHOMA TOWN SITES
SWEEPING CHARGES AGAINST GOVERNMENT OF.
FICIALS MADE BY SPECIAL AGENTS OF
THE INTERIOR DEPARTMENT.

THE INTERIOR DEPARTMENT.
Washington, Jan. 10 (SpeciaD.-ln accordance WIN
a demand made last month, the secretary ol t'e III
terror has furnished to the Senate copies OF lle re-
ports of the two special agents, D. A. flchier anu
Cornelius Mcbride dispatched last spring to oklahoma
10 investigate the alleged loonG' OF town sites as
Guthrie and other places by Government omciaH.
These rcpors consist of series of letters from the
Territory dated between April - and the latter part
Of MAY; and in them the two agents express WIFI
great deal of force and freedom their opinions about
the Irregularities they were sent 10 inquire mo-
Their charges against the officials concerned IN "loot
nps sites and in other dsgraccful performances dur
ing the settlement Of the Territory, are certainly
sweeping alt is melancholy truth they say, that
the United States Deputy Marsais and Deputy Col
ectors of Internal Revenue caused more trouble, more
friction and perpetrated more wrongs calculated 10
disturb the public peace than all the other citizens OF
Oklahoma put together"
The story of the landgrab at Guthrie by the officials
who got on the ground in advance of the legitimate
settlers has been already told in The Trbuncs dis
patches from the Territory, last May and June The
testimony Of the agents fully cOrrOboratcs the facts
stated them though ii may be added that there were
some outrages that the official investigation has
failed to probe to the bottom.
The three United states officers who come in for
the largest share blame in the reports OF Messrs
Mcbride and Picker Land Register Ollie. OF
Guthrie; L.ornal Revenue Collector Acres. and
Marshal Jones' of Kansas. On April - the agents
write of Ollie that he allowed a friend Of his. named
COIN. TO make the first land entry AT GUTHRIE ana
that two of the three deputies at the ONCE also Hio
decialatory statements through Conn., whom ~
colusion they let in ahead of all other applicants
On May ) they charge that Collector hcres ""'
RESPONSIBLE for more deputies who acquired lands than
were both the marshals Jones and Needles, toseler'
and that Across deputies were deputies simply 10 INC
extent of being in the Territory ahead of the legitimate
settlers The charges against Jones are summer
up as follows That lie the avowed owner Oh ono
of the best lots in Guthrie, taken before noon OF Ap
% that his deputy marshas all holders OIL iot' III
violation OF the Presidents proclamation ana t'"' o
did not furnish a correct list OF deputies 10 'io
inspectors nor aid them in making their lhVeSusa'o
Jones's field of operations to have been pha-
bon,a CITY. The agents write as follows Nav 3
The people Of Oklahoma City feel that NHSn"i
W. G. Jones' a resident Of kansas and not 3onaiuo
settler with his deputies. ana WIN lnHu,ltdi P'o,
I'm the AtchsOn, Topeka and santa lie hhi""N N"'i
many ana other SPECTATORS. unfairly gained entrance
to the forbidden Territory and iFauuHoHu! s' H.
treat advantages over the honest sctter', ana tha
secured the valuable property, WINE t'o,v h
Obeyed the law were beaten 10y law bFcincia in w,
race and to this conclusion all IAN -hhuou' ho'0''
Ncain thcy say: The Seminole Town and Improve
,,f C,r,,a,y corpoI,,tion Of the state Of kansas
of which corporation J. F.. Frost, Of Topeka, Lana
Comui,sioucr or connected with the Land Depart
"ni - IKE Ncbi.on. Topeka and santa Tc Railway
mem. 81 ''c ~ ffcr md H. Cr,udaI secretary
Of said company. together with tinted Sld',> MH,'"
W. c. Jones and "A syndicate rom Nc"lgi' N',..' ".''
ID d, believed are part ci. or interested lh lhe cI'
mole Town and Improvement company rH,'.o' w.
present site Of Ohaloma 'llN at OF h''io noon
-. ,url D. and secured for Themselves and friends
lar-, number Of the best and choicest lots iA s'H
MARSHAL Needles. Of the Indian Territory. is largely
cNoucraed from blame in the report. although several
OF his deputies are charged with ialnS lots. Inc
in forest i'm any land and stated Ia them that the dcpu
ties acted in violation Of positive Instructions