The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-01-24
UNCLE SANS DEBTS.
Creditors Bother Him With All
Sorts of Claims.
QUEER DEMANDS OF cRANks.
Disreputabie Agents-Suits for slaves
Killed by Indians in Is36-The Chfv.
fngton Massacre Recalled.


Feople who say that he owes them money
are always swarming about the capitol
"hen congress is IN session, while rhous-
anus OF such claimants all over the coun-
try are continually clamoring by letter for
payment. Some of them are cranks, and
not lew are frauds: but many are honest
creditors. hopeful or despairing of settle
meht. Numerous are the bad debts re-
corded against the government, which has
oi.en oeen accused of never paying any,
tnlng when 1T can help do,ngso.
True stories of lives ruined, fortunes
wrecked and homes destroyed in the prose-
cution OF just claims against this govern
ment would NIL library of volumes. Un-
paid victims haunt the legislative Hobbies
rom congress to congress, pursuing the
oennquent debtor with pever-dying hope,
while scores of Others ale relegated to the
poorhouses and the lunatic asylums. Some
such debts due from the nation are handed
down by the creditors from generation to
generation -legacies usually productive
only OF misery and unhappiness.
Nothing Is more difficult than to get the
most just claim against Uncle Sam
through congress. However fayorably
recommended by committee, the chances
are enormously against its ever reaching
consideration by the House. Surprising
that 1t passes the House, miracle must
interpose to secure its approval by the Sem
ate and the presidents signature. If only
this last be lacking. the claimant must be-
gin at the beginning again in the next
congress as if he had never taken a step
before. The labor of Sisyphus, whose
stone always rolled down to the foot of the
hill before he could get it quite to the top,
was nothing to this.
Much of the labor incidental to the
settlement of claims under existing laws
is caused by claim agents Many of them
are not very reputable persons. They
send circulars broadcast to the unin-
formed, suggesting that the latter are en-
titled to moneys from the treasury. BY
way of fee for looking into the matter,
they demand 81 or So in advance, with the
assurance that nothing further will be de-
manded unless the claim is allowed. Hav-
ing got the fee, their interest ceases in the
claim, which is in due time disallowed.
| Meanwhile they send out more circulars
soliciting victims. Consequently, more
than 60 per cent. of all claims are found
| devoid of merit.
Suits are to this day being brought for
slaves killed and stolen by the Creek In
| dams during hostllities with that nation
in 1886, in Alabama, the value of the
| human chattels being estimated at $1,000
each. There are numerous claims out
| standing against the government for dogs
taken by Indians, their worth being reck-
| oned at from S. to $50. A woman in
Nebraska has recently applied for repay
ment for property destroyed by Indians,
who, on August 7, 1864, burned her house
and carried her into captivity for eighteen
| months. Not very dissimilar is the case of
| lady in Davenport, Ia, who was captured
| in 1865, in Southern Kansas, by Cheyenne
| Dog soldiers, and kept bv them for two
months. At the end of this time she was
| bought by an Indion trader for $1,000 and
| returned TO civilization. Now she is suing
| for $50, 900 which was stolen on that occa-
| sion from her father, who brought the
| money from England in the shape of gold
| and notes of the Bank of England. Claims
| for Indian depredations against Uncle
! Sam aggregate $23, 0O0,0 600, ranging in
| amount all the way from $l9.75 to S1,2e1,-
| $50.
General L. w. Colby. assistant attorney
| general in charge of Indian depreciation
| claims, it was who picked up the little
| Indian baby on the battlefield of Wounded
| Knee. The fight occurred on December
| %, 1890, fifteen days after Sitting Bull was
| killed, and the conflict was SO severe that
! both sides retired from the ground on
| which it was contested, the savages not
even returning for their wounded. Wit
nesses are not wanting who de-
| clared that the affair was
shot down the Indians merely because the
| latter refused to give up their weapons.
| At all events, four days aftarward,
| General Colby, who commanded the
| Nebraska state troops, went over the field
| of battle and found living infant
strapped to the back OF squaw. The
| child was somewhat frozen, but it
! actually recovered, and is now a remark
ably pretty little girl of Is months. She
| has been given an Indian name, signifying
Lost Bird, and is to be brought up in
| every respect as white young lady would
| be, having been regularly adopted by the
| general.
Colonel John NJ. Chiyington wants the
! government to pay him big sum for
damages done to his property by Indians.
| A bit of ancient history is to be set up
| against his claim. Formerly he was
| Methodist preacher in Nebraska. After
| ward he went to Colorado and raised
regiment. which he commanded. In June,
1864. the governor of Colorado by procla-
| nation invited all the friendly Indians of
| Colorado, Dakota, Nebraska and Wyo
ming to come into the neighborhood
of the forts. saying that it was de.
| sired to protect and take care of
| them during hostilities which were in pro-
gress. Twelve hundred OF these friendly
Indians, responding to the invitation, en-
| camped at Sand creek, Col, and gave up
their arms. On November q, 1854, Col
| onel Chivington led his regiment 10 their
camp, over which huttered the United
| States flag and also white nag lie Tell
| upon the defenseless savages and massacred
nearly ALI of them killing the women and
| children, scalping the dead. cutting oil
| their noses and ears, numbering the
souaws and Draining the infants torn from
|. their mothers arms. Now he COM
I plains of Indian depredations to the
| amount of $4,000, and this record
| is TO be brought up against him. He was
| not punished in any way for the outrage,
| because Colorado was then only terri
| tory. and he was not an officer in the regu-
| lar army.
There are plenty of crank claimants.
| One man wants $3.50 for cutting the corns
| of soldiers during the rebellion. Another
person desires SIS in payment Tor pair OF
| trousers which were eaten oil G clothes
| line in 1876 by government goat. In
| BROOKLYN there is citizen who petltloned
| for $500 in settlement for calf killed by
| cattle inspector, who put tin tag through
| the animals nostrils and so caused blood
| poisoning. Another applicant wants SO
| Tor the stealing and taking away OF one
| sky-blue horse"
Now and then persons file claims against
| the United States for service IN the Con-
/ Tolerate army. The late Colonel Dick
/ TAYLOR, OF Chicago, asked several con-
/ crosses for $40, 900 IN payment for his hav-
/ inc suggested TO President Lincoln the
| idea OF issuing greenbacks. Colonel de
Arnaud has made repeated demands for
/ $50 0a- which he considers 10 be due him