The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1900-12-26
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AN EFFORT NOW ON FOOT PRESS.
ING ITS PAYMENT.
Some Attorneys CiaIm it 10 not Valid
and Cannot be CoIIscted-Osaee ln-
diaas want Bill Providing q
Per Capita Payment
special to the Ardmoreite.

or congress or the Cn0rOkee clhiH
against the government for $5,-
900, 900, principal and interest,
about which so much has recently
been said in the western press.
About a month ago Messrs. Hal
sell and Turner of Indian Terri
tory, secured a contract from the
Cherokee council to collect this
claim on a ten per cent. commisson
basis. Mr.. Halsell is one Of the
wealthiest men in the Indian Ter
ritory. Mr.. M. L. Turner has
been one Of the most successful
men in handling claims in the Ter
ritory. They are nov in Wash
ington pressing the Cherokee claim
for the payment of $5, 900. 900.
Bills wera introduced last winter
in the house and senate appropri-
ating this amount of money in
settlement of this claim against
the government. Thus far neither
of the bills have been reported.
Messrs. Halsell and Turner be-
Ii eve that they will be able to Sc
cure favorable reports upon the
claim and secure the passage of a
bill 'appropriating the amount of
money necessary to settle it in full.
Inquiry of the members OF the
committees on Indian affairs of the
house and senate indicate that they
will encounter considerable diff
Guilty in the task which they have
set about to accomplish. Even in
the face of opposition to this claim
congress may be induced to settle
it. Attorney General Harmon,
under the Cleveland administra-
ton, handed down an adverse
opinion as to the merits Of this
claim against the government. He
held that it was not valid and
could not be collected in any OF
the courts.
Copies of this decision are now
in possession of the members o1
the Indian committees of the house
and senate, and there is an indispo
sition to authorize direct appro-
priation. Members of congress
have suggested that if the claim
has any validity if should be es
ia blished in the court of claims
Messrs. Halsell and Turner, how
ever, do not care to submit the
case on its merits in court and ART
insisting upon direct appropria
ton. 1t is evident that if any
action is taken by congress thi'
winter it will be in the shape of 1
bill merely sending the bill to tn,
] court of claims for adjudication
XIX
Oscar A. Mitscher, agent of tn
Usage Indians in Oklahoma Ter
ritory, is in the city with a delega
! ton of Usage and Kaw Indians
The Osages have come on to Wasl
ington for the purpose of trying t,
secure the passage of a bill whicl
has been favorably reported t,
the house, but which is still pend
ing in the committee on Indial
affairs of the senate, providing TO
a per capita payment of $3.50, ,00I
to enable the Indians to liquidat
their Indebtedness with the pos
traders of the Usage reservation
) The Kaws are here to resent griev
ances to the secretary of the inter
ior. 1t seems probable that con
gress will authorize an appropria
ton for the Osages, though it Wi
not be for the full amount asked
A plan has been devised for tn
Q liquidation of this indebtedness.
The plan contemplates an apprc
; priatlon of from $25O,OOO t
$500. 900 Of the money now in th
8 treasury to the credit Of the trib
9 to be pro rated among the pot
traders in proportion to their out
standing accounts. Then it
b proposed to deduct each year frol
2 their regular annuitiee a certai
! percentage to be applied to the
= Indebtedness. In this way the
: indebtedness to the post trader
b could be liquidated in few years
'' This plan, however, will not
. carried out until the report {
i. Special Agent McComas, who
now conducting an investigatio
3 of the accounts of the post traders
9 has been completed. It is expecte
Q that his report to the secretary {
/. the interior will be submitte