Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1895-04-29
Fx-CONGRESSMAN SlLAS HARE
WRITES ABOUT INDIAN DEPREDA-
TON CLAIMS.
THE ACTION or THEM LATELY
HAS BEEN SLOW BUT HE HAS
PROMISE THAT THE LAW DE-
PARTMENT OF THE GOVERN
MENT WILL EXPEDITE MATTERS.



ex-Congressman silas Hare, when Is
Of Interest to all who have claims or
are interested in claims for Indian
deprcdations, 1t is as follows:
Washington, d. C., April 20. 1895, Nc
GIN Bulldlng.--Iohn $, Hagler, Esq,
Montague, Tex. Dear Sir: You ask
me to give you Information as to the
present status of Indian depreciation
claims in the court of claims, and the
prospects Of getting trial for claim
ants. etc
1 can not at present spare the time
TO give more than a general summary.
Tho total number OF cases filed up to
the 4th day OF March, 1894, Uhe time
when the statute barred claims not
nleO is 1854.
The total amount claimed in all these
cases is S43,5l5,S67O6.
a considerable number Of these cases,
however, We're filed in duplicate that is,
different lawyers brought suits for the
same claimant for the same cause Of
action, and OF course where there Is
more than one case pending for the
''N'lN f'ASbllf AAAt AAaFf bNtA gllt must
be dismissed. And this will greatly re-
duce the total number OF cases as
given above as wen as the amounts
claimed.
The total number Of judgments rem
dcred In favor OF claimants to Novem-
Der /, 1894, Is 4gl amounting In all to
5000 Ol70i, OF the above claims, and
Judgments pa cases were decided be-
tween March 3, 1891, and November 1,
1892. and amounted to SfS2, 1887. all OF
which has been paid, and OF which
citizens Of Texas have received about
100000 Between November I, 1892
and November 10. 1898, 2Ol Judgments
IN favor OF claimants were rendered,
amounting to the sum OF $3.50 03S.2S
on these latter Judgments congress
IN August last appropriated Sl75. 600 10
DO paid out Of the treasury, ana the
balance to be paid out OF the Indian
FUND II sufficient. About the sum an
propnated has been paid out of these
judgments, but the remainder of the
$i65'OO Ground numberO after deduct
ing the $4,000. has been held up on
motions for new trial on the
ground that the Indians were not in
Amity with the United States at the
time Of the loss. All the foregoing
Judgments dating from March l. 1891,
10 November 10, 1893, We're prepared
anu submitted to the court by the MS
glstant attorney general, appointed I'm
der liarrison's administration, showing
the total number Of cases dlsposed Of
under the Harrison administration 10
be 40, and the total judgments In tho
same time to be SgS7757.15, of which
sum as before shown, about $1,000
nHs neeh pad, ana the remainder is
now pelng held up on motions for new
trial Between November TO- lSg8 and
NoNember !, 1894, being under assist
ant attorney general appointed by the
present administration, 80 judgments
We're rendered in favor OF claimants
amounting to the sum OF Sl32. g50. Sc
Sinte november l, 1894 to the present
t'me' Judgments have been rendered
IN FAVOR OF claimants In the sum ~
$opOUl. So 1t Will be seen TINT tho
t9tal judgments rendered in favor ~
elalnants In two years of the Harrison
alminlstration, amounts to the ann,
OF fSaGfbHlS. while for two years nm.
uur SIevelGnds administration. iudr-
meIIs nave been rendered in favor ~
claimants In about the sum Of Siea
aooNN. II Is believed by lav,yera co,
E'rsant with the business that 40 a.
business was systematlzed ana co
lu,lN IN motion, under the TIorr,so,
administration, that at least tc,ic,
,i,c amount IN judgments should have
9Hnlstration by this time. tbat H.,
delays In dlsposlng Of tho 'sr,, ~
hulnber OF these claims has bonr -
result or design on the part Of ,,i,,i.
tetlul officers, rather than nm how,
SSlgIl 10 expedite the business NJ
T., A,i..c oun De attached 10 the court NO
IL promptly decides every rnsa 90
United. In the appropriation sun
Ausust' 1891, the assistant stto,.,S vi
EVuetdi was required to file n,ottC,, ~
new trial In all cases where a. iur
9s1u9tDIy appeared that wrong ma in
gustlce mad been done the tirtt,1
Judgments. any unpaid |
rms enactment of congress pro,, 90,
OF me charge that some s1unv, Out
IN Dakota, who had by maria NJ. men "a
~ WISE become members of sn,,o - I
eHe tribes IN Dakota, had brougbt III ~
hhn ,. obtained judgments wrobgSr,ii, i'll
st,.,,o5 "sSsistant attorney general can. |
sTued TINS act to not only ipci,,,5 ~ n
ssquaw men but all Judgmenta tSet In, the
Zen ootained by citizens OF the Trrite-i
StNlea against the goverumont an - -
:, u4uus VINO AZ the time were hostjio e.
Ilc united states And he has No., ~ ~
a. W. 70 move for new trial, wboro
,r,, ,ut tns alone were the only boe-
NJ uu'S against the United ST.
rms position has caused bin, .t'eS'
lvr now Trials In about ali thn az
inents rendered under his preJecnsIs
.nut remain unpaid. And tboso -,
.i3ns, made In about 100 cases bo,.,
.uh UP me time of the assistant N,
u39rhey ana his assistants almost yboii,.
n,nue ,Hst August On the Goth Of Inrs
uSIy, lNsl, there We're about 200 OF tbe.,
o,1l,ns mat had been placed by cIaln,-
ah.s through their ATTORNEYS on H.,
m l,.t,. book or docket for trial The
ls'ncc IN these cases had either besn
nieq m the oiice or the Communicated,
OF lndlan otairs before the passarre ~
me act OF March. 1891, or We're tnl,er
up oy the assistant attorney general
uuuvr h0rrison's administration. Dur.
ins the year 1894 evidence in but fa,g
HaHes was taken, the claimants NOT ha,
lnE permitted 10 do so without tho COW
sent OF the assistant attorney genera
Yuu tnis official not only would No,
consent, hut objected. Neither wero
answers filed IN more than n few ~
,lcse 200 cases on the notice bool, DIR.
ing the year 1894. and these cases In
whlen announcements OF ready for
ulal nave heen made by claimants FOR
= period OF two years Or more remain
JUST the same, and can not proceed IN,
urr the rules OF the court without tho
consent OF the assistant attorney gen
the foregolng summary shows that
unuer the Harrison administration
every NffOrt was rOn1a n nxsnaltN. a. !