Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-10-11
WAS 1T A swfNDLEr
An Army Omcer's Charges Concerning tire
Cheyenne and Arapahoe Fund.


INDIANS ALLEoKD TO HAVE BEES prrRArpEp
OCT OF NEARLr S70.oo0 rSDER rHE NAME
OF FEEs TO ArroRSEYs-A CONTRACT AP-
PROVED BIT THE INTERIOR DEPARTMENT.
Charges Of fraud and bribery and the wrong
full payment Of s67. 500 Of Indian money 20 al
legged attorneys" on a contract approved by
the Indian bureau and the Secretary Of the In
terror have been officially made by an officer Of
the e. S. army.
The charges are contained in the annual re-
port Of Gen Miles. commander Of the depart
ment Of the Missouri, to the Secretary Of War.
made public today.
The alleged fraud IL connected with the pur-
chase by the government Of the Cheyenne and
Arapahoe Indian reservation, which Was thrown
open TO settlement April 10 last. The discovery
of the transaction was the result Of the inves-
tigation by the military authorities OF threat
ened outbreak among the Indians last May,
caused by their resentment of the taking OF the
money from them by the Interior Department.
The charges are made by Capt. J. NJ. Lee Of
the ninth infantry. United States army. They
are contained in report made 70 Gen Miles,
dated Chicago, August s. 1892.
CAPT. LEES STATEMENT.
Capt Lee says: "In connection with nv an
nual report i have the honor to submit the fol-
lowing statement concerning the wrongful pay
ment Of So, 500 from moneys belonging TO the
Cheyenne asd Arapahoe Indians under their
agreement with United States commissioners OF
October, 1850, ratified by Congress March 3.
1881. made 10 certain so-called attorneys on an
alleged contract approved by the Secretary of
the Interior February 5. 1890.
Throughout the negotiations between the
Cherokee commission and the CHEYENNE and
Arapahoe Indians and upon their final accept
ancy OF the terms of the commission il was the
clear understanding of these Indians that the
entire sum Of Sl.500,o 600 would be paid for
their surplus land on the home reservation.
This understanding is evidenced by the state
ment of a member of the commission. and this
seems to be one Of the leading and pronounced
features of the agreement ITSELF"
Here Capt Lee quotes the agreement and
saws: I'm view of the foregoing attention is in
yited 10 the following statement contained in a
letter OF May 6, 1892. from the Secretary OF the
Interior. which would seem TO indicate that the
full facts in regard to this contract business had
never been received or had never been con-
sidered by the Secretary.
I'm this letter, which disapproved an investi-
CATION OF this matter by the military author
tiles. the Secretary (of the Interior SAYS:
THE contract was approved by the commits
sioner of Indian affairs and the Secretary of the
| department; the attorneys we're present at the
.
and the fee (SG7. 500 was paid some months
ago out of the proceeds coming 10 these Indians
| for their claim on the Cherokee outlet and not
for that under the executive order"
After quoting this letter Capt. Lee continues:
Comparing this statement with the agree
/ ment as to the source of proceeds coming TO
| these Indians The variance between the two is so
pronounced rs TO appear irreconcilable.
Having been sent among those Indians by
the department commander pursuant 10 their
request, ana at a time when they were much
/ incensed TO investigate their complaint and IL
4 found well grounded 10 endeavor to allay the
discomfort by an assurance that the matter
would be fully represented TO the authorities in
| Washington, and believing that no power this
side of Congress can right this wrong by re-
storing TO these Indians the So 500 Of which
/ they were unjustly deprived. | deem it NV
right and duty as a citizen. an officer of the
| government and a. friend of these Indians
| to submit the following charges:
IL That the so-cglled contract was a fraud,
in that it represented only minority OF the
Indians at interest.
-. That the signatures Of the said
! minority representation were procured through
| misrepresentation and deceit. in that the said
| Indians were kept in ignorance of the force
and effect of the paper they were induced TO
sign.
''3. That the Indians never knowingly au-
/ thorized any attorneys 20 receive So. 500 or
paEL Vi ..tu.VuD promised lnt m
by the United States commission: and that the
/ parties who received said money never rendered
any beneficial service to said Indians which
could equitably entitle them TO any part of the
/ same.
"A. That the so-called contract. from it's In
| cipiency to it, final onsummation. was tainted
with misrel presentation. fraud and bribery. and
Is an outrage upon the Cheyenne and Arspahoe
| Indians"
/ Capt Lee says that he makes these charges in
/ good faith and based upon the statements Of
reputable witnesses, and that he believes there
Is abundance of good evidence to fully sustain,
before any impartial tribunal, the subs of
every material allegation"
STATEMENTS FROM The COMMISSIONER
Capt Lee submits with these charges the
following report of conversation held with
one of the members of the Cherokee commits
sion. In reply to the question. Were YOU in
fuenced by the attorneys to make concessions
to the Indians" the commissioner replied:
mo, we had nothing TO do with the attor-
neys. We did not want them there. The In
dams did not want them Except Left Hand and
a few others), and it would not have made anv
difference to with as to the terms we had pro-
posed If there had been hundred attorneys
present"
The commissioner further said: 81 remember
seeing one or two of them (the attorneys) az
Darlington when We were talking to the Indiana
but they kept in the background. They did
not appear in open council TO advocate the
cause of the Indians. My opinion Is that
they did nothing to entitle them to any such
sum of money it is stated was paid to them
1t looks very much to me like a steal. OF course
we could not prevent its being paid TO them
We agreed on the price and it was appropriated
| by Congress, but we could not control the
manner of it's payment. 1 am very
sorry that Ii has turned out this wav
1t will handicap US in our dealings
with other Indians This attorney business is
all wrong. They should not be allowed. and no
contract should be approved by the Interior
| Department where there is a commission ap-
| pointed TO treat with reservation Indians. We
are appointed to do everything necessary and
TO see that no injustice is done to
| the Indians in formulating our agree
ment with them. 1t is money thrown
away to pay it out to the attorneys: il might
all be saved to the Indians. am indignant to
| think of the manner in which the money we
| promised these Indians has been diverted, and
l shall do everything in my power to see that
| this great wrong done TO them is righted by the
government. 1 feel satisfied that there has
been gross deception and Misrepresentation by
the attorneys"
Capt. Lee says that certain Indians forwarded
petitions and protests to Congress through the
| channels of the Indian bureau.
Manufactures in New York CITY.
The census Office today issued a preliminary
b. 4,