The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-11-16
FRANKLIN COUNTY INDIANS
Recent Proceedings in settlement o
Allotment Titles,

Recent Proceedings in settlement or
Allotment Titles,
Topeka. kan, Nov. lin his annual
report Indian Commissioner Jones re-
views recent proceedings in the settle
ment of titles to allotmenJs made on
the Chippewa and NIunsee or Christian
Indian reservation in Franklin county.
this state. Commissioner Jones says:
BY the ninth section Of the Indian ap-
preparation act approved June z. ,18S7 go
Stat L., p. go congress authorized the
secretary of the interior to appoint
discreet person" as a commissioner to
visit the Chippewa and 8Iunsee or Chris
tian Indian reservation, in Franklin
county, Kan, and thoroughly investigate
the title to each Indian to the several
tracts of land which had been allotted to
him in that reservation. Under the law
and the Instructions given him he was
reuired to take a census of the Indians
and to prepare four schedules. as fol-
lows:
Ffrst-Those Indians who held title to
land by original allotment, by purchase
and approved conveyance, or by inherit
lance giving q description Of the allot-
ment held or owned by each indian. and
the respective share in such lands claim
ed by anyone, as heir or otherwise; the
ownership of lands of deceased allottees
to be determined under the laws Of KAN
sas relating to descent
Second-Those who had not received an
allotment of land but who would have
been entitled to it if there had been a suf-
I dcient quantity of land to give an allot-
ment to everyone.
Third-Au the lands embraced IN the
reservation. designating such as should
be patented to original allotees. purchas-
ers or their respective heirs, and such as
should be sold, the tracts to be sold be-
ing either unauotted vacant or not capa-
bic of profitable partition.
Fourth-Au the members OF the tribes
who were entitled to participate in the
/ per capita distribution Of the tribal funds
now to their credit on the books Of the
treasury department, after deducting the
expenses incurred in carrying out the
provisions OF section @ above referred 20.
on the 9Th Of December, 1893 c. A
Smart. OF Ottawa, Kansas. appointed as
such commissioner, submitted his first re-
port giving the status of each Of the 104
alotments and selections that had been
made in 1860 and subsequently,. under
the provisions Of the treaty Of july lis
1859, with the Swan creek and Black river
bands OF Chippewa Indians and the Nun
see or Christian Indians G2 stat. o
ll00 also Of the tract Of land held for
missionary purposes and authorized TO
+ be patented TO the Moravian church or
F Its constituted authorities This was
found TO be a laborious work Owing to
+ the loose customs Of Iulians in reea-d Is
marriage relations it was found very diff
dcult 10 apply to the questions of heir
ship the law Of descent in force in kan
sas. After a critical administrative ex-
animation by this Office. vita the person
al assistance of Commissioner smart
into each question Of Inheritance and in
10 the proportionate share of each claim
ant to inherited lands, his report was
favorably submitted 20 the department.
. and was approved January s. 1870
on May g last, an appeal was made BY
one Of the members Of the tribe, from
the findings Of Commissions. smart on
+ allotments Nos. go and q in favor ~
Christian Ker. ard LYDIA kerr. resp-c-
lively The matter having bean refer
red ID Commissioner Smart Ter his re-
view he reported July g. last that the
appeal was well taken Tor he had over
lookel the fact that deceased child. uH-
Ger the law Of descent OF Kansas. in-
herited from his parents as though alive.
He therefore submitted an amen6at7rr
+ report on olatments s. and .e which was
submitted Z ths department July II, and
approved August IT, 1900