Omaha daily bee., 1890-07-24
MARCRAVE'S LITTLE SCHEME.
He Laid His Plans to Capture Comfortable
Heritage,
A STORY OF THE SAC AND FOX AGENCY
The Wen Laid Plans Likely to Gang
Aglec-Thc Government Comes
TO shs Rescue OF the
Indians.
WAsuINGroN BUREAU THE OMAHA BEE,
5l3 FOURTEENTH STREET,
II .IllN O3

here at this time reveals very peculiar Incl
dent in connection with the Sac and Fox
Indian reservations near that town. 1t seems
there are about 5000 acres of land In this Sec
tion occupied by something like eighty In
dams and that these Indians are dissolutc,
lazy and disgrace to the state. According
to the evidence which has been submitted 10
the secretary of the interior and the commis-
sioner of Indian affairs this state of dcmorall-
zation among the Sacs and tOXs Is que
largely to the efforts of white
man named Margrave, who married an
Indian woman of the tribe and who
farms the entire reservation to his own |
benefit and he receives, it is alleged, an in
come of about $50, 900 year from his enter
prise. Margrave's policy seems to be to keep
the Indians in such state of dilapidatl0n that
they will rather kill themselves off bv drink
ing whisky or die off rapidly. Then if he can
| maintain the tribal relations he will be able
| to practically control the entire reservation
| for himself and family. Owing to this
pretty little design the Indians are allowed
| to exist upon the bounty of the government
| No attempt is made to bring them into the
| ways of civilization and few dollars oc-
casionally spread out among them serves
| to keep them in constant
state of intoxication, and maintain them as u
constant menace to the white people in the
vicinity. On March 10 last five ha!f-breed
men and a woman, the men being named re-
spectivey Frank Lewis, Philip, Thomas ana
Peter Murphy and the woman their sister,
Mrs Maggie Lefevre, secured an order from
the secretary of the interior enrolling them
as members of the tribe, as their mother re-
sides upon the reservation and has always
been looked upon as entitled to any benefit
| which may accrue from her connection WIN
the Sacs and Foxs, but some Kansas
congressman who are supposed to have
a very friendly feeling towards Mr.. Mar
grave introduced a bill lin the house providing
that no member of the tribe who was not en-
rolled on January / should be entitled to any
of the lands or any portion of the annuiies
due to the Indians. Subsequently the gen
tlemen secured an amendment TO the Indian
appropriation bill providing that no portion
, OF the annuties provided for by that bill
should be paid any members of the Sac and
Fox tribe in Nebraska who were not enrolled
/ | as members OF the tribe on January
last the object OF This TINS OF ,,, conT3e, ,.i,,ht
which they might have under the order OF the
secretary of the interior of March last. TO
: day Judge Iieavis who is the attorney Tor
the Muir phys called upon the commissioner OF
Indian affairs with Senator Paddock and the
two gentlemen explained the situation TO the
. commissioner to such good effect that ne has
ordered special agent to proceed to the res
= ervation for the purpose of reporting fully
g upon the condition of affairs generally as he
. finds them there. 1t is believed that the re-
suit of this will be that MI MargraVe $
little scheme will be nipped In
s. the bud Several years ago congress
: authorized the allotment of lands in this re
servation to the Indians in severalty, but 1T is
!, alleged that the opposition of the Indians was
the result of Nlargrave's machlnatlons anu
q .l,,tl l.. dads hcn nnfpltlnQ
y the entire plan for allotment. II the special
S agent finds that all these allegations are true
u it is quite probable that new steps Will bC
n u taken to allot the lands authorized NY con
u gress and that the Indian Office will c"e to2'
l. Margrave does not again defeat the Will 0
congress and the desire of the Indians. III
o. this connection, attention is called to the lac
: that while the Sacs aud Foxes are slovenly
s. and disreputable, the Indians on the adjoin
le ing reservation occupied by the loWas a'
s. thrifty farmers, every male among whom Il
ID sef-sustaining.
s. PADDOCK WAS MIsQuoTED.
IN Senator Paddock, who has been confined t
q his bed for week, was at the capitol thl
:, morning, He was shown dispatch and ell
IN torial from Philadelphia paper in which h
II was quoted as being violently opposed tc th
C. federal election bill and asserting that n
IN would not vote for any federal election bill
:, | that might be offered and stating That TN
o. business interests of the country were OF
posed to such measure and that that wa
Nv | sufficient ground lOr us uclOaI ocio'o
ur | Paddock said:
a. II have not seen a newspaper man or bee
s interviewed by any one for week past an
Vi any such statement of my views Is eHCrei
Is unauthorized by me, l have been open l
ut nv opposition to the Lodge election bill a
ar passed in the house and have no hesitation l
;st saying that l do not believe the countr
i' will endorse a measure which VIII TAX
Sl2. .OOO, 900 year to enforce, especially at I'M
in period when the whole country is demandin
nut relief from taxation. have serious douo'
,se whether a force bill is either good politics {
os advisable from any standpoint under prcsel
eh conditions. While do not believe that til
On, elections held throughout the south al
ch honest, it is very serious question how
ed, meet the difficulty without creating a sti
-" greater one IN It's train. | should be glad I
support measure which believed would |
effective and accomplish more results ft
good than it will do harm. / have not sa
that will not vote for federal elections b
and have been misquoted by those who hay
made the assertion"
'le- ORIGINAL PACKAGE coNFEREEs.
uel Seaator Wilson of Iowa, author of ii
ing original package bill, was asked by THE Bl
cad correspondent today what would
cd done with the measure, ut has not yet be-
@ @ou received from the house. But the senate W
1mi on probably accede to the request for confe
ini ence The desire of this body, have
1on doubt, is to get some efficient legislation
tn,, own bias and the only one know OF on .
" part of other senators is in favor of securil
roa noa part Of the house will be Messrs, Stewart
INC Vermont, Cubertson Of Texas and E.
LET Taylor of Ohio,
oh SAVERS ON IRRIGATION
urn Representative Sayres of Texas, charm
and of the sub committee of appropriations
ON charge of the sundry civil bill said todS
speaking of the action of the senate in str
ond ing out the item of s120, 900 for continuingt
and irrigation survey that he would prefer to $
of the bill fail altogether than to agree to
The elimination of that item. 1T is
uty principle the house is striyi
not to maintain" said he, sand l
not believe that it will consent to the abs
donment of that work just on the era of
compishng great things for the country
ian be benefited by it, TO secure these benei
a 81 it is necessary that the lands should be wi
= ~ VI drawn from settlement in order TO preyt
ing their falling into the hands Of spectators a
at syndicates. 1t is evident that Il bitter
OF probably prolonged controversy over the II
uuU ga,ion survey is inevitable between the hol
L and senates
ENUMERAToRs' PAY.
Superintendent Porter said today II wo'
You, be some time before he would be ready
Vow send out the checks for the payment OF
onumerators in the state Of Nebraska