The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1894-01-06
Governor of Arkansas Ferociously
IndictS the Indian Territory.
A LETTER TO CLEVELAND
Suggests Exercise of the Right of Emil
nent Domain to Bring Order Out
of Semi Chaos.


ing open letter to President Cleveland;
To the President-Dear Sir: The
developments incident to the recent
train robbery and murder at Olyphant
in this state renders il proper, it seems
TO me, that / call your attention to the
dangerous relation which the Indian
Territory west of US occupies to the
states of the Union, and especially to
the adjacent states of Arkansas, Kan
sas, Texas and Oklahoma Territory.
Upon the person of one of the captured
robbers was found the map of the route
they had taken from Indian Territory,
IT'S miles to the scene of the robbery,
and also map of the country around
Chattanooga, Tenn, showing that an
other robbery was contemplated at or
near that city. 1t also appears that the
captured leaders are noted characters
in this business, and inveigled some
very respectable citizens along the
border into the robbery. l have good
reason to suspect that very large per-
centage of the bank and train robberies
which take place west of the Alleghe-
MES and east of the Rocky mountains
are organized or originate in the Indian
Territory. Let me also add that the
refuge which this sparsely settled
rendezvous of outlaws affords to crimi-
nails is a constant temptation to crime
in all the country around.
During the past twelve months there
have issued from the states of Arkan-
sas, Texas, Kansas and Oklahoma Terri
tory 81 acquisitions upon the Indian
Territory authorities for fugitives;
while we have reason to believe that
as many more are hiding among their
comrades in crime In this asylum of
criminals. Those criminals who find
refuge in this territory are rapidly con-
verting the Indian country into school
of crime. They are demoralizing the
Indians and are especially stirring up
the Young Indians to deeds of blood and
theft. Young Henry Starr, for example,
although less than 20 years of age and
of fine capacities, has been charged
with almost every crime in the cata
logue, and is now under sentence OF
death for murder. The records of the
federal courts of Paris and Fort Smith
reveal a startling story in this direc
ton, yet they do not tell one-tenth o.
the whole story.
Prior to the late civil war l resided
in the city of Fort Smith on the border
of this territory. The merchants of the
place did $500, 900 worth of business il
that country every year. Their clerk
would make periodical collections
travelling openly and known to hav
large sums of money with them, We
nobody was ever molested-travel wa
safer than in the states. Now, accord
ing to the estimates of one of the news
papers published year or two since i
Muskogee, the number of murder
reached the appalling figure of 200 i
one year that were not cognizable i
the federal courts. The federal Jail a
Fort Smith is, at all seasons, nearly fu
of prisoners from this territory, an
the federal court holds sessions col
tinuing throughout nearly every mont
OF the year. This state of semi-cEac
and the farces Of government whic
exist in this territory, rendering it
constant menace to the peace and orde
Of all the states of the Mississippi va
ley, suggests the very serious questio
whether the time has not arrived fl
the federal government to assert i
right of eminent domain over this pa,
of the national domain and to chang
its political relations with the Unite
States. ! can think of no valid reasc
upon which to base the opinion that a
Indians rights, either of person or
property, are any more sacred tina
those of the white man, which is co
ceded must give wayto the public goo
In this case not only the public goo
but public safety, as well as the be
interests of the Indian himself, demal
the suggested change. Very respeC
fully, w. M. FIsHBAcK,
Governor of Arkansas