The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-05-02
OKLAHOMA FREEDMEN HAZE Fun.
Get alss Each and RnIoy n Midway Pini-
s~nnce-AHairs OF the Rich OsnEes.

Get A1as Zach ana kn1oy n Midway Plnl-
OF tho RICh OnnRes.
Ell RENO, Oklahoma, April 28.-The payment OF
the freedmen of the Cherokee nation has been tho
principal event of spring in the territory, and the
few whites who saw IL had impressed upon them
tho difficulties OF getting the money OF tho ma
tons wards into the right hands. The place
chosen for tho payment was Hayden. unknown
on tho map, because there was nothing but a
blacksmith shop and a general store there. In
two days after IL became known that II was TO
DO tho place for the payment n tent city of sew
oral hundred arose, and u little later there was a
community of thousands. 1t was like magic.
Tho freedmen are tho negro slaves Of the
Cherokees who wcro freed during the war.
When tho liberation took place 1t was agreed by
the Indians that their slaves should share with
them the distribution OF their property. Later
the tribe sold its lands In Kansas and did not
divide with tho freedmen. The lands were in
tho best part of Kansas, and tho price was good.
So the freedmen brought suit for their share OF
the cash. This was fought by the Cherokoes,
and the matter went to tho Court of Claims for
adjudication. The decision was in favor Of the
freedmen, md about $500, 900 was distributed
during tho carly days of this month 10 those on
the original slave list and their descendants.
Altogether there were about 4,50O of them. and
each received $1ss.74. 1t was a bonanza. and
tn0y mnuc inc TlObJ Oh inc gaia uHy. bebluOS
those to be benefited, there wore present tho
merchants who had been selling goods to tho
freedmen on credit because Of their coming pay
ment, and tho ~sharpors who hoped to profit by
the amount Of money per capita to DO distrib-
utcd and they did so. A Midway Plaisance was
started, and there were more reyolvers carried
than In the Cuban war. The note shavers also
Tho centre Of attraction was tho paymastcr's
secretaries Of the Interior Department made tho
effort OF their lives TO insure a proper .%distribu-
and as 81 th beS @ tooR he names nn1 pse Of their o owne essq IN thc;
day of emancipation, 4, is not ar, easy task to
find out, who is entitled TO cash. One. aged.
white-haired woman came to the door. She was
an original Cherokee slave and had with her five
of her grandchildren.
Lizzie Raymond. sub" was the reply.
Don't you mean Elizabeth =,
Dunno; missus al ways called me Lizzie"
Who was your missusf
"Ole Missus Raymo nd"
case. She hi had been a slave Of the Raymond
wei, Auntiie." said the clerk. "whO are all
ssoh, dey's Beckie's chillun."
"Oh, Bockic, she's my gal an she's daid."
so these are your grandchildren T.
mo, sub; they's all Beckie's childlun,"
Then they are your"well, it's all right Now,
Vel. there's Nat an Fronio an Bill an Bert
So the clork looked for Nathaniel, Sophronia,
William, Samuel, and Albert and found them.
Each got a check for $1ss. IA and went out happy.
a mas man was Wh an 1 had S Sssn G @arried t Iisa 'f tims es
and had children by each marriage, and had
any OF them. II this case was ever settled the
clerks must have a few more white hairs in their
There are Indians who fare better than these.
They are the Osages. They are the richest peo-
P Eheir On ian enr ahd as the q i fpl6si fG From ~ the t lhsd ss. sof Sf
In the past, as well as from the rents they collect
from the ,cattlemen who use their unopsned
toll not, neither do they ride on the suIkyy
plough. but they live like millionaires. In some
aires. for they do not have to look after their in
come.,thc Government does that. The Osages
n 100 600 acres SrS y and a fnsS n hsS tho %S Neti oman .
Treasury amounting to about So 200, 900, the in.
1 Ter in, on wh nSh ri is Slo sn ;99 70 s a SeaT; =, Tn icy. get get
each man, woman and child in the tribe. Chill.
dren Of school age who are not in school are not
the interest the Government retains one.tcnth
for school purposes. There are no day schools;
troll Of the Roman Catholic Church.
There Is every INCENTIVE to raise large families,
s gu and. although they do not Addf draw any any.
thing nlmsro from n,i1 the ssn T55e Re the ms their
ih iSe In l%su Ss.'' 6ne f iSa iiai int IN the sh nor lishaF p saq
Of the Territory has thirteen children, and his
income is from 5000 to ss 5000 annually. He
fare. and his servants are white men and women.
He drives in a carriage and has the best there H..
He often takes n trip to Washington, and has
been to Europe. He has a college education and
Is happy.
The Usage Council Is composed OF fourteen
members chosen biennially by rira roce vote.
They are in charge OF all tribal affairs. There is
little trouble for the courts. for thero Is a quarter
mile strip between each farm and the next. This
strip is open plain, and none may use 1t. The
tribe wants TO draw from the National Treasury
a sum equal to about 500 for each person in
the tribe. The men say that If the Government
will allow 1t they will use It for tho improvement
OF their lands. and make the reservation a Gar
den of Eden. The full -bloods are opposed to
this. for they fear the white men who have
married into the tribe will get too much. The
resolution has passed the Council.