Daily Texarkana Democrat., 1893-12-28
REFUGE FOR CRIMINALS.
Governor Fishback Writes a Letter
to President Cleveland Calling
His Attention to the Indian
Territory.

In recent letter from Governor
Fishback, Of this state, to president
Cleveland, the former calls the atten-
ton of the nations chief Executive to
the deplorable state of affairs now.
and for some years past existing in
the Indian Territory, a country which
lies so near to and effects so closely
the States and people of both Arkan-
sas and Texas. He also points out
the startling increase of such crimes
as train robbing, murder etc, in the
Indian country within the past ten
years After reciting these and other
facts the Governor continues and con-
cludes as follows:
During the past twelve months
there have issued from the states of
Arkansas, Texas, Kansas and Oklaho-
ma Territory sixty-one requisitions
upon the Indian Territory officials for
criminal fugitives, while we have
reason for believing that as many
more are in hiding among their
comrades in crime in this asylum of
criminals.
These criminals who fiud refuge in
this territory are rapidly converting
the Indian country into school of
crime. They are demoralizing the In
dians and are especially stirring the
young Indians to deeds of blood and
theft. Young Henry Starr for ex-
ample although less than twenty
years of age, and with fine capacities,
has been charged with almost every
crime in the catalogue, and is now TN
der sentence of death for murder.
The records of the Federal courts
of Paris and Fort Smith reveal a
startling story in this direction, yet
they do not tell one tenth OF the whole
story.
Prior to the civil war resided in
the city of Fort Smith, on the border
of this territory. The merchants of
the place did half million worth of
business in that country every year.
Their clerks would make periodical
collections, travelling openly and
known to have large sums of money
with them, yet nobody was ever mo-
lested. Travel was safer than in the
states.
Now, according to an estimate of
one Of the newspapers published a
year or two since in Muskogee, the
number of murders reached the ap-
pslling figure of 200 in one year that
were not cognizable in the federal
courts. The federal Jail at Fort Smith
is nearly full of prisoners at all sea-
sons from this territory, and the fed
eral court holds sessions every month
in the year.
This state of semi-chaos and the
farces of the Government which exist
in this territory, rendering it con-
stant menace to the peace and order
of all the States ofthe Mississippi Val
ley suggests the very serious question
whether The time has not arrived for
the federal Government to assert its
right of eminent domain over this
Rart of the national territory, and to
change its political relations with the
United States.
can think of no valid reason upon
which to base the opinion that an In
dams rights, either of person or of
property are any more sacred than
those of the white man, which it is
conceded must give way to the public
good.
In this case not only the public
good, but public safety, as well as the
highest interest of the Indian himself,
demands the suggested change. Very
respectfully
VIM. M. FIsHPAoK.
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HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY.