The daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Ind. Ter. [Okla.]) 1898-1902, 1899-02-15


tents of the document to which
she signed her name as a witness.
She only witnessed as to the iden-
tity of Mr.. Whitmire.
Learned while in Tahlequah
that the treasurer of the Cherokee
nation refused to pay the money
on the contract between Kern,
Turner and Whitmire as it was
originally witnessed, but COM
PEELED Kern to get other witnesses,
which he accordingly did, secur-
ing the names of A. c. Cunning
ham and G. L. Harnage, which
seemed to satisfy the treasurer of
the Cherokee nation, and he ac-
cordingly paid R. H. Kern the
sum Of s126, ,666, as evidenced by
copy OF receipt, which is attached.
| learn that the additional wit
nesses to the signature of Moses
Whitmire are now in the employ
of one of the principal advocates
OF tne pproprlatlon.
Rumors were rife as TO bribery
being used in securing the passage
of the appropriation bill through
the Cherokee council, and while l
was not able to secure positive
testimony as to the facts in this
matter, not having the power to
summon and compel the atten-
dance of witnesses, from the best
information obtainable under the
circumstances there is no question
in my mind but the passage of the
bill was secured by liberal dis.
tribution Of money. This was so
notorious that the national council
of the Cherokee nation at its last
session adopted a resolution pro-
vlding for an investigation Of the
charges OF bribery and corruption
which were so freely made in con.
nection with the aforesaid APP
preparation.
In accordance with the pro.
visions of the foregoing resolution
a committee was appointed to in
vestigate, but the time before the
adjournment OF the council was SO
short by statutory Limitation that
they did not have an opportunity
to complete their labors, and
another resolution was passed
asking the chief of the nation to
call the council in special session,
with a view to investigating these
charges, copy of which trans
NIT to you. In reply to the FORE
going resolution, Chief Mayes re-
fused to concur in the same, as
evidenced by his reply.
"Although the committee ap-
pointed by the Cherokee council
had authority to summon wit
nesses and compel the attendance
Of the same, the character of the
evidence they obtained is not such
as to be OF much value, and the
refusal of Chief Mayes to authorize
the investigation to be continued
is not satisfactorily explained.
"In brief, the entire transaction
of the enrolment of the Cherokee
freedmen and free colored persons,
together with the appropriation of
the money by the Cherokee coun-
Gil for the purpose of equalizing
payments, was disgraceful affair.
Men high in the councils of the
Cherokee nation, as well as others
trusted by the Cherokee freedmen
and free colored persons, have
grossly and outrageously betrayed
the confidence OF too-confding
people"
The affidavit of Moses Whit
mire is as follows:
Vinita, l. IT,, January 8, 1885,
Moses Whitmire, being duly
sworn, says: am nearly or quite
70 years old; l was trustee FOR the
Cherokee freedmen when the
court of claims rendered what is
known as the amended final decree
in case No. 17.209, was filed on
February, 8, 1896. In that case
appeared as one of the parties to
the suit. / employed Robert H.
Kern, an attorney who resides in
St. Louis, to take charge Of the
suit before the court of claims. II
agreed on behalf of the freedmen
that he, Kern, should receive