Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1899-05-18
SOME ANCIENT HISTORY.
Chief Mayes "ExpIains" in
the Freedman Matter,
MUsKOGEE. a. T., May l6. ISq9.

MUsKOGEE. a. T., May l6, lS99.
DEAR SIR:-The enclosed letter
| think should be printed. 1t is
reply from Chief Mayes in re-
sponse to an inquiry from me. The
Cherokee nation has been injured
by the report, more or less credit
ed, that the Cherokee chief had
been guilty of some wrong in con-
nection with making the Freed
men payment and rolls. Think
ing that the enclosed letter should
have publicity, l requested per-
mission TO print it, and received
the following letter:
"Mr. John c. West, Mukogee, l.
T., Dear Sir:-I have no obiec.
ton to your publishing the letter
referred to. Yours respectfully,
S. H. MAYEs."
Therefore 1 send you a copy of
it. Yours respectfully,
JOHN c. WEST.
Executive Department Cherokee Nation.
Tahlequah. i. T.. April 81 1879.
Hon. John c. West, Muskogee,
l. T., Dear Sir:-Answering your
favor of the 18th inst, l take oc-
casion to thank you for your
friendly suggestion. 1t has taken
some time for me to realize that
anybody could possibly have be-
lieved that | as chief of the Che
rokee nation, was capable of col
luding with Mr.. r. H. Kern to do
her an injury.
AT the close of the regular ses-
sion of council of 1897 on an ex
parte inquiry inspired by a very
crafty aud insidious source and
having for its manifest purpose to
break down the credit of the Che
rokee nation in Washington, l was
requested to call a special session
of council. For some years l have
vigorously opposed special ses-
siOns OF council because in thirty
days the council ought to perform
its duty fully, and because the
Cherokee nation being deeply in
volved in debt, and special ses-
sions of the council being very ex-
pensive, l did not think it desir-
abe. l recommended the con-
tinuance of the investigation by
judicial authority where the ac-
cused should have opportunity to
face the witnesses and cross exam
inc them. l did not believe it pos
sible that anybody could believe |
myself had had any collusion with
Mr.. r. H. Kern, for the reason
that during the summer of 1896 |
was engaged in collecting evidence
and preferring charges against Mr..
r. H. Kern. l sought the assist
ance of other men in this, to-wit:
ex- United States Indian Agent
Robert L. Owen; the then United
States Indian agent, Hon. Dew NJ.
Wisdom, and other persons. /
submitted to the president of the
United States a strong letter from
Robert L. Owen, Esq, the afiida-
Wit of Col. Dew NJ. Wisdom, the
affidavit of Albert Taylor, the afli-
davit OF John Ross, and the afida-
Wit OF Eli Vann, and demanded an
investigation of Mr.. Kern's official
conduct with a view o, dismissing
him from the freedman's commits
sion. Instead of my prayer be-
ing granted, the secretary of
the interior submitted the mat
ter to Mr.. William Clifton, the as
sociate of Mr.. Kern, for report
and he replied, requesting that the
matter be dismissed, so that my
demand for an investigation was
denied and the matter having been
presented as forcibly as was able
to do, was not investigated but
was dismissed as not proven, and
this was done without investiga-
ton. This record is now in the
archives of the interior depart
ment. recently made a demand
for il and was refused except as TO
the charge l filed on July 18th,
1896, and a copy of the action of
the department, which | attach
hara,o Tho action of the execu-