The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-12-09
BILLY BUCHAN HASA DEAL
Endless Litigation Promised Which
Shawnee Indians VIII Pay For.
A SUIT FOR 100000 DOLLARS
AGAINST the Government Engineered
by Buchanan Old Claim That VIII
Never be Successful.

Against the Government Engineered
by Buchanan Old Claim That VIII
Never be Successful.
10 the Office Of Buchan, Freeman &
Porter, in Kansas City, Kan, there is
being prepared claim against the gov
ernmert of the United States on the part
of the Shawnee Indians, for $1,9Oo,00o
The case is nearly completed, and the
claim is to be taken to Washington and
dled there in the interior department
within the next ten days. 1t is one that
will not be concluded at once, and 1t may
be ten years ere il is finally settled.
A hundred years ago, when the French
were in possession of a good part of the
western country, they decided tract of
land twenty five miles square near Cape
Girardeau to the Shawnee Indians to en-
courage them to settle in the territory.
as they were considered good citizens.
The land was indicated as reservation
in the proceedings that ensued when the
Louisiana purchase was made, and refer
ence is made in that conveyance to the
decided tract in possession of the Indians.
About two-thirds of the tribe went to the
reservation, and the other part declined
to GO, and went to Ohio and mingled for
many years with the miscellaneous tribes
of the state, They were the rowing per
ton of the tribe, and were constantly IN
trouble with the government Finally
the government in 1881, arranged with
the tribe to give up their land at Cape
GirArdeau and accept a tract twenty
five miles wide and 125 miles long
lying from the Kansas line west and i'm
mediately south of the Kaw river. There
was some other consideration. The
troublesome fellows from Indiana and
Ohio were shipped out to the new home.
while the peaceabIe fellows from Cape
Girardeau went to Texas and other
places, and tiually settled down in the
Indian territory, whore there are now
about 700 of them
The members of the Texas contingent
were many of them soldiers in the wars
and at at all times were loyal to the
government. Many of them were sol
diers in the rebellion, serving in regi-
ments from Kansas. They have at all
times been good citizens. While they
were pursuing the path of honor and
sobriety, their warlike relatives had
been sent out to the new land, along the
banks of the Kaw, and it was arranged
that the Ohio Shawnees, as the trouble
some ones were called, were to have 100,
900 acres of land adjoining the Kansas
territory already owned by the tribe.
Upon settling there they assumed own
ership of it all, and in 1854, when the
government agents came out to get the
land, the Ohio fellows sold out their own
100 900 acres of land, and also the $780,
600 acres of the original grant. They
got for the lot $950,000 and pocketed the
whole proceeds. when their own share
was but one-sixth of that amount.
Recently the business committee of
the Shswnees took the question up and
secured Bnchan, Freeman & Porter to
take charge of the case. An examina-
ton of the records proves the truth of
the statements of the Indians and estab-
fishes what they call their claim. They
gave up good home at Cape Girardesu
and have been disposessed since that
time. While they were loyal to the gov
ernment, the warlike members sold them
out, and now they ask for the funds due
them for the land.
Walter Shawnee secretary of the bust
ness committee of the nation, has been
staying at Senator W. J. Buchan's while
In Kansas City, KANSAS, looking after the
matter.