The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-01-26
THE FALL OF NIX.

The fate of Marshil Nix of Oklahoma,
should prove a warning to his success
sOr and all other United States mar
shals, as also a pointer to congress, if
indeed not profitable to western sher-
ifs, who are wont to worry honest tax
payers with constructive mileage and
unwarranted fees. Chairman Cannon,
of the house committee on appropria-
tiOnS, in his report on the urgency de-
ficiency bill has called attention to that
chronic abuse, the payment of United
States commissioners, marshals, etc,
by fees, a large percentage of which
simply represent cases trumped up to
mulct the government. For full fif-
teen years the department of justice
has complained to congress of this
evil, and the time is now ripe for re-
forming it altogether. The financial
necessities of the government and the
political necessity which has impress
ed upon Speaker Reed the importance
of the policy of retrenchment should
combine to demand the cutting off of
the the fee system in the department
of justice and the substitution of fixed
pay for spefic services.
Attorney General Harmon is said to
be in harmony with this change from
fees to salary. The Eagle has not
doubted. nor has its readers nor its
Oklahoma correspondents who furnish
it with information, that great injus-
tice has been done to hundreds of poor
settlers in oklahoma through this III
iquitous fee system. as IL has been car
red out. and to an extreme. by the
deputies under Marshal Nix For
three years at least the press of Ok
lahoma kept up an incessant protest
against the timber-cutting arrests.
Poor settlers would be arrested at mid
night. when il was impossible for
them 10 secure bail. would be hauled
a hundred miles across the prairie and
brought before a United States COM
missioner and bound over for trial.
Whether that poor man, taken away
from his family. leaving them often
in a precariOus condition without sup
port and far removed from neighbOrs'
assistance. whether that man was
guilty or not was Of little concern. It
was easy enough 10 convict upon af-
fidavits and many innocent men. who
had never cut stick OF government
timber have been fined heavily and the
deputy marshal awarded an immense
fee for his work. The press OF Okla
homa did not protest in vain Il pro-
tested merely in the interest Of human
ity. The settlers were poor and strug- /
Cling. and for friendships sake the
newspapers Of all political complexion /
took Up the cry for relief. and II was /.
heard by one Of Oklahoma'S judges
Judge McA1ee. who in his district sat 4
down 50 hard upon the deputies prac- !
tees that 10 a great extent. today, the I
timber-cutting persecution has ceased +
all over the territory
There j. a strong United States pro 4
vision that no whisky shall De- intro /
duced into Indian reservations The I
Indian reservations are situated a. = 4
great distance from the fedora! Jsll q,
Guthrie. The deputy nlarslJls. q .
course. found mileage BONANZA n this \
liquor prohibition and for months and 4
months. IengIhening into years. The
arrest Of -lntroducerS" has been out
landiSh. The lSiis have been allied
with ~introducers.- There ! reason
10 believe that any man il a. Indian