The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1901-06-25

hooiai pOllcN IN uealluR WITH tne uO- |
lettered and uneducated people lie
urged that the commission be di- !
rected to hold meetings at such |
places as would be convenient to the
applicants, so as TO relieve them OF
the necessity of going miles away to
present their cases In the opinion
handed down by Acting Secretary
Ryan in the case Of Lizzie Wood
ward, which was made test case,
the secretary reviews the action of
the commission bre fly, refers to the
commissioner of Indian affairs re.
port and returns the case to the
Dawes commission with instructions
to institute further Investigations.
A copy OF the commissioners letter
severely arraiguing the Dawes com
mission is also enclosed with the
secretary's decision. The secretary
says in part:
THE name of the applicant is
written in your records as Lizzie
Woodward, although her application
and papers fled with II are signed
Lizzie Woodard. In her application,
which is sworn to by her, she traces
her claim back to Tom Woodland ard
Mary Mingo, both alleged to be
blood Mississippi Choctaws, whose
son, Lewis WoodRrd, is the father
of this applicant. The record of her
oral examination. and she was the
only witness thus examined. shows
no question was asked as to her
grandparents and the record does
not show that any effort was made
to ascertain whether they we're in
fact Mississippi Choctaws. II seems
that Lewis Woodard applied at the
same time for Identification by you
as a Mississippi Choctaw, and it NAV
he all the facts as to his parents
we're developed in the examination
of his claim. If so, those facts
should have been considered by you
in the examination of the daughter Z
claim and should have been brought
10 the attention of TINS department.
In cases like this, where several par
ties CT one family present claims,
their cases should be considered to-
gether to the extent. at least, of TAX
ing into consideration in connection
with each, all the facts developed in
connection with all the other claims
Indeed, all the facts shown by your
record, or within your knowledge
affecting a claim pending before you
should be considered by you IN con
nection Herewith and should be
made to appear in the record to bt
submitted to this department.
at does not appear that any ex
amin alton has been made to ascer
tain whether this applicant or arl
of the persons mentioned as her az
cestors were ever enrolled as Mis-
sissippi Choctaws, or recognized al
sucn by the tribal authorities.
"As appropriately said by the act
ing commissioner of Indian affairs
the only interest the government hat
in this matter is to see that exac
Justice be done, that every person
honestly entitled to participation b,
sought out and cared for and tina
every spurious claim be, beyond per
adventure, shown to be spurious.
To attain this result it is necessar!
that your commission should maxi
such an investigation OF each CLAIM
as will develop all the facts essentis
to a Just and satisfactory conclusion
as to the rights of the claimant
That has not been done in this CLAIM
of Lizzie Woodard, and the paper
are for that reason returned 70
= further inquiry. You will advise tn
claimant of this and afford her al
opportunity to present such furthe
testimony as she may be able to pro
duce. The commissioner of lndial
affairs will be requested to forNarl
you such rolls of the Mississipp
Choctaws as may be in the posses
sion of bis office, TO assist you in tn
identification of persons claimin
rights as such.
There are now 1893 similar cases il
: the Indian office, which will be re
. turned to the commission in fey
days. In addition, there are owe
. 200 cases which have been passe
7, upon by the commission which hav
not get been sent to the department
. Secretary Ryan's decision mean
: that the Dawes commission must re
-. open all of these ceases, furnish OF
: portunity to the claimants to estat
lish their rights, accept deposition
and affidavits, and finally make
= complete record of each case 70
i submission to the department 70
the guidance of the secretary.
Great Newspaper,