The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-05-26
L STEAL PREVENTED.


From Our Special Correspondent
Washington. May ga big steal
from the funds Of the Kansas Indians
has been prevented by an adverse re-
port by the Indian committee on a bill
to pay the holders Of Kansas Indian
scrip an additional 4 per cent on it
from 1862
This interest would have amounted
70 thousands Of dollars But in look
ing UP these claims the committee
found that not only was the present
one unjust but this tribe of Indians had
been systematically robbed
In 1883 the Kaw or Kansas tribe Of
Indians were the owners Of l55.653 acres
OF land which were among the best
farming and grazing lands in the state
of Kansas. and today there are no
finer farms to be seen than those on
the former reservations of the Kansas
Indians The lands were mostly In
Morris. Lyon and Chase counties
The government owed them 500, 600,
at per cent interest. under the treaty
of 1876 At that time the total debts
Of said tribe Of Indians did not exceed
$50. 733. of which $40 901 were for i'm
provements made by settlers and the
balance for claims Of various kinds
against the tribe.
In October of that year, having more
land than they wanted, and being anX-
ious to be established as a farming
people and to pay all their just debts,
they entered into a treaty with the
United States whereby they agreed to
remove to what was known as the
diminished reserve which contained
60.409 acres of land. and the United
states was to sell the remainder of
their lands to the highest bidder for
cash. That to be sold was known as
the trust lands, and contained 1884
acres
1t was agreed in the fourth article
Of the treaty that out of the proceeds
Of the trust lands. the members of the
tribe were to be esta blished upon the
diminished reserve and the govern
ment was to build them houses and
furnish them with agricultural imple-
Tnents, stock, animals and other neCes-
Eary aids and facilities for commencing
agricultural pursuits. The fifth arti-
Gle provided for the payment of their
Indebtedness and for certain improve
ments which had been made on their
land by settlers between December,
1886, and October. 1889.
There was no authority in this treaty
to issue scrip Of any kind, but the
houses were to be built, the farm inn
pIements purchased. as provided in
the fourth article, and the debts were
To De paid, as provided in the fifth
article out Of the proceeds Of the sale
Of the trust lands.
Most of the improvements were made
on Norris county lands.
notwithstanding the fact that there
was no authority to issue certificates
OF scrip to build houses the secretary of
the interior issued what was known as
stevens scrip for the purpose.
He issued three classes Of scrip. The
Irsr class was issued TO r. s. Stevens
for the building Of houses which the
fourth article of the treaty provided
should be built out of the proceeds of
the sales of the trust lands. OF this
class he issued August r. 1852 to the
amount OF %70 638-45 and November 20
1862. he issued the further amount of
$4,000. making a total of S86 633. As. yet
= f7fnr- fr faarr ran
the scrip and the Indians never con
scented to its issuance.
The second class was limited In
amount by the treaty to the sum of
500 421, yet he issued S42. 9O1 % of this
class, which was for the improvements
mentioned in the fifth article Of the
treaty.
The third class was to those having
claims against the tribe provided for in
the fifth article of an amended treaty
The amount was limited to $685.. AZ.
yet he issued scrip of this class to the
amount OF S39. $50 g.
All of these certificates were to draw
interest at per cent yet the treaty
did not authorize the payment of in
Gerest on any OF them
All Of the three classes Of scrip, i'm
Guiding the overissue. have been paid.
with per cent interest. and this bill
Tor the payment of an additional j Der
cent on the Stevens scrip. which was
not only issued before the amended
treaty was proclaimed and before the
An04anH agree TO the amendments
but was issued without authority Of
any kind.
soon after this scrip was issued to
3dT. Stevens he disposed of it to parties
in various parts of the country. and the
claim of their attorney is that they
we're innocent purchasers. and, not
Withstandins the fact that they pur-
chased it at a great reduction. and that
they have been paid the principal with
Per cent interest he insists that they
should have the other I per cent
But the Indian committee didn't see
Il In that light and so rejected the
bill.
An evidence of how this tribe Of In
dams has been robbed is the commit
tee report. The report says:
Your committee further ind that
there has been wrongfully paid out of
the funds of these Indians the sum of
SIS. 366.55 In interest on the Stevens
scrip, and the sum of S37. 600 on the
overissued scrip Of the second and
third classes. and we think that there
should be repaid TO the tribe of KAN
sas Indians the sum of S125 1856 55. which
has been Wrongfully taken from
them"