The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1898-01-23

Be it enacted by the Senate and
House of Representatives of the
United States of America IN Con-
gress assembled, That in all criminal
prosecutions in the Indian Territory
against officials for embezzlement.
bribery, and embracery the word
.'officer," when the same appears in
the criminal laws heretofore ex-
tended over and put in force in said
Territory, shall include all officers of
the several tribes or nations of In
dians in said Territory.
Sec. 2. That when in the progress
of any civil suit. either in law or
equity, pending in the United States
court in any district in said Terri
tory, it shall appear to the court that
the property of any court is in any
way affected by the issues being
heard, said court is hereby author
lied and required to make said tribe
a party to said suit by service upon
the chief or governor of the tribe.
And the suit shall thereafter be con-
Quoted and determined as if said
tribe had been an original party to
said action.
Sec. 3. That said courts are here
by given jurisdiction in their respec-
tive districts to try cases against
those who may unlawfully and
forcibly enter upon lands and tene-
ments and detain the same, and also
those who have originally made a
lawful and peaceable entry upon
lands and tenements and unlawfully
and by force hold the same beyond
the legal period. and also those who
claim to hold as members of a tribe
and whose membership is denied by
the tribe, but who continue to hold
said lands and tenements notwith-
standing the objection of the tribe;
and if it be found upon trial that an
unlawful and forcible entry has bsen
made or that the said lands and tene-
ments are held by force, or that the
same. after lawful or peaceable
entry, are held unlawfully, or that
the same are held unlawfully against
the tribe by those claiming to be
members thereof, and the member
ship and right is disallowed by the
court, then said court shall cause the
parties charged with unlawfully hold
ing said possessions to be removed
from the same and cause the lands and
tenements to be restored to the per-
son or persons or nation or tribe of
Indians entitled to the possession of
the same: Provided, always That a
person IN possession of agricultural
lands, holding the possession thereof
under an agreement, lease, or i'm
provement contract with either of
said nations or tribes, or any citizen
thereof, executed prior to January
first, eighteen hundred and ninety
eight, may, in defense of said action,
show tina. he is and has been in
peaceable possession of such lands,
and that he has, while in such
possession, made lasting and valu
able improvements thereon, and that
he has not enjoyed the possession
thereof sufficient length of time to
compensate him for such improve
ments. Thereupon the court or jury
trying said cause shall determine the
fair and reasonable value of such
improvements and the fair and rea-
sonable rental value of such lands
for the time the same shall have
been occupied by such person, and
If the improvements exceed in value
the amount of rents with which such
person should be charged the court,
in its judgment, shall specify such
time, as will, in the opinion of the
court, compensate such person for
the balance due, and award him
possession for such time unless the
amount be paid by claimant within
such reasonable time as the court
shall specify. If the finding be that
the amount of rents exceed the value
of the improvements, judgment shall
be rendered against the defendants
for such sum. for which execution
may issue.
Sec. 4. That before any action by
any tribe or person shall be COM
menced under section three of this
Act it shall be the duty of the party
bringing the same to notify the ad-
verse party to leave the premises for
the possession of which action is
about to be brought, which notice
shall be served at least thirty DAYS
before commencing the action by
leaving written copy with the de-
fendant, or, if he cannot be found,
by leaving the same at his last known
place of residence or business with
any person occupying the premises
over the age of twelve years, or, if
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