The daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Ind. Ter. [Okla.]) 1898-1902, 1899-02-15
ON THE GRIDIR0N AGAIN.
Bob Kern and the Compro-
mise Getting Attention.

affairs is now considering the cor
respondence, evidence and reports
relative to the payment of $780,
600 by the Cherokee nation on &C.
count of the Cherokee freedmen
and the deposit of sl26, 900 Of this
amount to Robert H. Kern and J.
Milton Turner, of st. Louis.
Judging by the report made by the
inspector of the interior depart.
ment, W. J. Mcconnell, who in
vestigated the whole transaction,
the matter is likely to cause con-
siderable scandal when it comes
before the senate. In his report
to the secretary of the interior, In.
spector Mcconnell says:
In accordance with your order Of
the 10th ultimo, l visited Table
quah, in the Indian Territory, and
investigated the appropriation OF
certain moneys made by the Cher
okee council, and the disburse-
ment thereof, and beg leave to re.
port as follows:
An agreement was entered into
between the representatives of the
freedmen and free colored persons
of the Cherokee nation and the
representatives of the Cherokees,
by and under which the court of
claims filed what is known as the
amended decree in the case OF
Moses Whitmire against the Cher
okee nation.
Under this compromise it was
ageed that S. H. Mayes, principal
chief of the Cherokee nation,
would call a session of the council
of the aforesaid nation for the pur-
pose of appropriating s40O, 900,
which was designed to equalize the
payments of the Cherokee freed.
men and free colored persons with
payment which had already been
made to the Cherokees. This ses-
sion of the Cherokee council was
accordingly called, and on March
27, 1896, passed an act appropria-
ting approximately the aforesaid
sum, directing that the same be
paid by the treasurer of the Cher
okee nation to the freedmen of that
nation, as their names should ap-
pear upon the roll provided by
the secretary Of the interior, after
deducting certain unestimated
amounts set up in said act. The
bill appropriating this sum was
drawn by one R. H. Kern, and
contained proviso that out Of the
sum appropriated should be paid
such attorneys fees as Moses Whit.
mire, as trustee of the Cherokee
nation, might incur. Prior to the
convening of the council, namely,
on June 2S, 1896, Moses Whit
mire, as trustee of the Cherokee
freedmen, entered into an agree
ment with r. H. Kern and ].
Milton Turner, of the city of ST.
Louis, state of Missouri, in which
he promised, to pay said R. H
Kern a sum of money equal to
one. third of s400, 900 for his serv-
ices in having said sum appropria-
ted by the Cherokee national coun.
Gil or the congress of the United
States.
visited Moses Whitmire and
took his statement concerning the
aforesaid transaction.
1t is claimed by Whitmire and
his associates, the aforesaid advis-
ory council of the freedmen, that
under the circumstances of the
agreement entered into as to the
fee to be paid Kern out of the
s400, 900 to be appropriated by the
Cherokee council he (Kern) was
to get the equivalent of per cent
of the money recovered by Mr..
Kern and associate counsel, under
the decree of the court of claims,
in favor of the Cherokee freedmen.
He says that the contract read to
him. and which he signed with his
mark, did not carry with 1t any
proviso for paying Kern or any
one else for their services Of get.
ting the appropriation of s400. 600
through the Cherokee council.