The Green Forest tribune., 1894-01-04
A CRIMINAL hAhB0R.
GOVERNOR FisHBAck EXPLAINS TO PRES
lDENT CLEVELAND
Why the Relations Of she indian Territory to the
Surrounding States Should Be Changed.

Surrounding States Should Be Changed.
Gov. Fishback has addressed the fol-
lowing letter in relation to the Indian
Territory as harbor for criminals to
President Cleveland
To the President
DEAR SIR:-The developments incident
to the recent train robbery and muir
der at Oliphant in this state render it
proper, it seems to me, that | call your
attention to the dangerous relation
which the Indian Territory west of lis
occupies to the states of the Union and
especially to the adjacent states of Ar
kansas, Kansas, Texas and Oklahoma
Territory.
Upon the person of one of the capt
ured robbers was found map of the
route they had taken from the Indian
Territory 175 miles to the scene Of the
robbery, and also map of the country
around Chattanooga, Tenn, showing
that another robbery was contemplat-
ed at or near that city.
1t also appears that the captured
leaders are noted characters in the
business and inveigled some very re-
spectacle citazens along the border
into this robbery.
| l have good reason to suspect that
very large percen tage of the bank and
train robberies which take place west
of the Alleghanies and east of the
Rocky Mountains are organized or orig
mate in this Indian Territory.
Let me also add that the refuge which
this sparsely settled rendezvous of out
laws otfords to criminals is 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
Territory siXty-one acquisitions upon
the Indian Territory authoritioes for
fLgitives, while we have reasons to be-
lieve that as many more are hiding
among their comrades in crime in this
asylum Of criminals.
These criminals who find refuge in
this territory are rapidly converting the
Indian country into school of crime
They are demorelzing the Indians,
and are especially stirring up the young
| la 4 of
Young Henry Starr, for example. al
though 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 Ft. Smith reveal startling
story in this direction, yet they do not
tell one tenth of the whole story.
Prior to the late civil war [ resided
in the city of Fort Smith, on the border
of this territory. The merchants of
the place did half million dollars
worth of business every year.
Their clerks would make periodical
collections, travelling openly and known
to have large sums of money with
them, yet nobody was ever molested-
travel was safer than in the states.
According to an estimate of news
paper published year or two since
in Muskogee, the number Of murders
reached the appawling figure of two
hundred in one year that were not cog
nizable in the Federal courts. The
Federal jail at Ft. Smith is at all sea-
sons nearly full of prisoners from this
Territory and the Federal courts holds
sessions during every month in the
year.
This state of semi-chaos and the
farces of government which exist in
this territory, rendering it constant
menace to the peace and order of all
the states of the Mississippi valley,
suggests the very serious question
whether the time has not arrived for
the Federal government to assert its
right Of eminent domain over this part
of the national domain, and to change
its politital relation with the United
States.
| canrot think of no valid reason
upon which to base the opinion that an
Indians rights, either of person or of
property, are any more sacred than
those of the white man, which, it is