The evening times., 1900-03-21

N :. Buetley. an Indian agent. has been
in this city for sew eraI weeks endeavoring
to effect a settlement of the claims Of the
Absentee Shawnee Indians. He has made
favorable progress in the work and an at
torney is now busiIy engaged in preparing
necessary documents 10 present to the
proper officials Substantial ding the claims
made by the tribe. Before Mr.. Buetley
left the city yesterday for his home he
said in regard to The demands of the
Shawnees:
The shawnee Indians were granted land
in the present State of Missouri. by the
Spanish Government after having been
driven from their Eastern homes by the
encroachments Of the white settlers. About
the year 1894. the Government made a
treaty with portion OF the tribe by which
they bought from the Indians this reesrya-
tion, giving them in lieu thereof a small
er reservation in the present State Of Kan
sas. AZ that time. the tribe numbered
l.20O. OF this number 200 we're dissaus-
fed with the treaty and went to the then
Province OF Texas, while only 500 went 20
tbs reservation in Kansas. Those who
as the Absentee Shawnee Indians
They fought with Texas in their war
for Independence ard served with the
Texas troops in the gathering together Of
and supprossing the wild tribes OF that To-
caiity. They were given By the Govern
ment OF T-Nas for their services a reser-
vatior forty miles square. where they re-
main,i and accumulated considerable
prope ~ in horses and cattle until about
the year lN5S, when they were told BY
President Sam Houston. % the Texas Re
public, that there would soon be a war
and that they had better leave the State
and On 70 the Indian Territory.
They did so. taking with them such
Of her property as could be readily NOV
ed. They settled in a part Of the Semi
mole purchase In Indian Territory. built
log Spuses. and prospered until 1862. when
James Lane went 10 them with a force Of
Union troops and told them to move TO
the State OF Kansas within the Federal
lines. and to leave behind them their
cattle and other property; that they
would be amply paid for its value by the
Government
They went near the present site Of
Wichita, Kans.. and furnished TO the
Fourteenth Kansas Cavalry one company
OF men and horses. These men enlisted
AfA NAA Nf NtAtIH OI during Ale WAT. and
served until its close. Their property
left behind was use by the troops or lost
and destroyed \ the close Of the war
they returned e the locality Of their
former home In Indian Territory and
again built good hewed log houses, plant
ed orchards. ind became prosperous farm
ers.
Bat in q fax years another tribe Of In
dians was 10 be located upon this particu-
lar .ract OF land occupied by them. and
soldiers were sent 10 remove these Shaw
nees, which they did. burning their
houses and fences behind them In 1872
a commission was appointed TO estimate
nd make report of the value OF the prop
trty Of the Absentee Shawnees lost and
destroyed during IN. civil war. This re-
port shows property agRregating S457 .000
OF which the Big Jim Band were the own
Of some S2jO. 600. They never have
a -,eired any payment for this property
ald have received no annuities from the
Cover nment or pay Of any kind since they
left Missouri i'm 1884. They have never
been i'm arms 'gainst The whites. and
have frequently fought with the whites
ia heir various troubles.
These Indians are now penniIess. Their
surplus land has been sold and whites are
scttlel o. around and among them. They
hove always been farmers. are willing to
work. and only ask that they be given
he material and the opportunity. There
are q families Of them and about 300
aI"mbers. and no Indians need aid more"
The claim OF the Absentee Shawnees is
now being bricfeu in complete form by
Richard G. AdPTs. who is empowered to
act as attorney 10 the tribe. and the brief
Will II is said. be Divsented before the
Interior Department and the Senate and
HnH q Committees or indian Affairs at
an lIIIy date