The National tribune., 1901-03-28
AFTER SWINDLERS.
Secretary Hitchcock Calls the
Attention of the Postmaster
General to the Matter.
A Plan Sugg,ste for Government Off
ciaIs to Act as Agents.

The Secretary of the Interior is not dis
posed to abandon the pursuit of certain
self-appointed land agents, who have been
flooding the country with misleading cir,
culars, soliciting fees for making entries
for old soldiers on the Kiowa and Co
manche lands in Oklahoma. In fact, last
Saturday he sent 10 the Postofiice Depart
ment a vigorous letter, calling attention
to the apparent swindling which was be-
ing attempted by the use of the United
States mails, and suggesting appropriate
action to check this nefarious business.
The particular case to which Secretary
Hitchcock called attention was that of B.
V. Cummins. of Kingfisher, Okla, whose
operations were exposed in last week S
issue of The NATIONAL TRIBUNE.
Numerous copies of circular letters
sent out from Kingfisher, Okla, by Cum
minis, and inquiries regarding them, have
reached the Interior Department, and the
Secretary has been receiving no less than
300 letters per day asking as to the re-
liability of this mans claims.
Cummins has claimed to have special
advantages and correct personal knOwl-
edge of the character and quality of these
Kiowa- Comanche reservation lands, and
to he able not only to file every soldiers
declaratory sent to him upon & quarter
section of land. but also has guaranteed
that each quarter section shall be select
ed and good land.
He has bOasted that he can file 1000
declaratories in three minutes, which is
tantamount to saying that he can prac
tically control, with Il sweep of his hand,
about one-Sixteenth of all the land that
will be left for entry after the Indians
personal allotments and pasture lands and
school lands shall have been subtracted
from the total acreage of the reservations
to be opened by Executive proclamation
some time between now and Aug. e.
CumminS has also promised that these
are to be free homes, whereas, in point
of fact, there are no free homes for set
tiers in the reservation except for In
dams, all other settlers, soldiers and citi-
zens, being required to pay finally S1.2o
per acre. in addition to the entry fee.
The POstoffice Department has taken
this matter under consideration. and il is
safe TO say that for the next few days
at least Mr.. Cummins will not receive
any great amount of mail, and possibly
the privileges of the United States mail
will not be enjoyed by him for long
time TO come.
This depends upon the final outcome of
the showing Mr.. Cummins may be able to
make when he is called to the bar for
explanation.
1t is understood that the Cummins case
is merely a test, the chief offender being
brought forward to begin with, but that
it is not unlikely that certain other peo-
pie who have been making an extravagant
profession of their ability to do cert; in
things for q consideration will likew Sc
he called upon to answer at no distant
date, unless they hurriedly take to cover
President Mckinley and Secretary
Hitchcock have received certain sugges-
tions for the opening of these lands,
through which the interests of the old
soldiers may be possibly protected from
these unscrupulOus agents, and should
some plan looking to this end be found
practicable under the law, there is no
doubt that it will be adopted, and will be
publicly announced in due time.
There is no question about the inten-
ton of Congress. The law provides that
veterans may file their dcclaratories
through an agent, without appearing to
make the entry in person for six months.
The practical question now before the
Interior Department is as to whether the
President under the law is empowered TO
appoint such 'agent" and have the SOL
diers' declaratories filed by Government
officers without cost to the veterans ey-
cept the nominal legal fee.
In tie mean time attention Of veterans
Is again called to Secretary HitchcocEs
letter, published in last weeks issue of
The NATIONAL TRIBUNE, warning old
soldiers 10 be careful and not to pay
money 10 agents not personally known to
them in connection with the filins of their
declaratOries upon lands in this Okla
h0;na reservation.