The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-10-30
MONEY FOR INDIANS.
She Insists That the Ottavvas ana
ChfPpewas of Michigan Have
Been Defrauded Oct of $500. OOo-
PotsawaltOmies IN he Paid
Charge Of Coiiusiea Between IN
0ncial and . washingson City
Attorney.
cniarn Record.

Mss Louise 0her.n.lier OF Cleve,an~, o.,
mas been N Sauit Ste. Mare for several
days to consuk with the Indians OF ,hs
vicinity re-as-ve 20 securing moneys due
rom the United States 10 the Ottawa and
Chippewa Indians. Tnss money should
nave been pad years ago. but i 10 alleged
that through the dishonesty OF some of the
government agents ard paymaSters nearly
SSeo.ac has been Withheld from those TO
whom & belongs.
The work upon which Miss Obermilier
IL at present engaged came to her as a
sort OF segacy from her father. He be-
came interested N the Indians during his
annual VISITS to Northern Morgan and
learned how they had been desrauded. He
devoted much of his time for several years
20 investigating the claim. looking zip data
N connection Herewith and getting mat
fers IN shape for an appeal to congress
But Just as he was about 30 move IN che
matter he was shot ard killed at HE home
IN cleveland. The family were IN the
habit OF spending Their summers at Pesos-
key. and after the death of the father the
Incian delegations VISITED Miss Obermsl-
Ter and urged her TO continue the work
which he had commenced. She refused a,
nrs't, not feeling equal to the task. bu, the
delegations OF Indians Increased 80 largely
IN numbers ard IN the frequency of their
VISITS thag she finally consented TO do what
she could.
In order TO properly present the matter
10 congress Ii was necessary 20 secure the
signature of every Indian OF the age OF q.
belonging TO the tribes named. To get the
names the entire region between Grand
Rapids and Ford river on the upper penin-
suai had to be traversed. This work re-
quired much time and effort, but ii was
nnaliy accomplished. over 5000 signatures
being secured. After securing what she
considered 10 be absolute proof of the
equity OF her clients claim a memorial
was presented to congress. The matter
met with much opposition, no; the least
powerful OF the aniagonistic elements be-
Ing some of the former agents who were
Interested in the schemes whereby the In
dians We're defrs uded. A powerful lobby
arrayed itself against the bin providing
Tor the adjustment of the claim. Miss
opermiller persisted in the work, how
ever, and now believes that the chances OF
securing legislation at the next session OF
congress are very bright.
A copy OF the agreement which has been
entered into between Miss Obermiller and
tne INDIANS shows that the young woman
VIII receive handsome sum in case she IA
successful In securing the allowance OF
the claim. 1t provides that she shall re-
ceive one-haif OF all things or sums of
money which the government may allow
TO the claimants. At the time their lands
were sold for IA cents an acre the or
binary members of the tribes were TO have
received SIS apiece. and the chiefs SIS
apiece. Instead they were paid from Sc
to s. each at the most-some of them. it
Is said, not receiving a penny. This Is
especially true of those Indians living on
Bots Blanc ana Les Chneaux islands
The tale which other Indians of Michi-
gan tell of their treatment at the hands
OF the government and its officials SNe not
at all to the credit of the United States.
The Pottawatomies. who inhabited the
southwestern portion Of the state. tell
some very harsh things of the agents.
They assert that in 1893 Chief Pokagon
went to Chicago. and entered into treaty
with the government. whereby he decided
to the latter about 5.0000 900 acres Of land
lying between Chicago and the Grand
river. His people. II is claimed. were to
receive for this $1,000 in addition to
money for schoolhouses, farming utensils
and houses.
1t is asserted that the Indian chief went
home satisfied. but without penny of
the promised money. trusting implicitly in
the honor of the government. For thirty
three years they waited, meanwhile see
ing their possessions settled by the whites.
until in 1866 they were paid only $4,000.
Several years ago Chief Pokagon carried
the matter into the courts. and four years
ago his people recovered judgment
against the government for s146.25o. A
member of the tribe asserts that q Wash
ington City attorney was engaged to take
charge OF their case. the agreement being
that he should receive IL per cent. OF the.
amount collected for his services. It Isl
charged that the secretary of the INTERIOR
took no notice of the Indians bargain with
the attorney, but in settling with him al
lowed him a commission of Is per cent.
Word has just been received from Wash
ington that the government Is about TO
distribute the amount due among these
Indian claimanfS