The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1901-03-23
CLAIMS FOR INDIAN
OUTRAGES
Are Being Rapidly Pushed;
Government Assumes
A Big Debt

Washington, D. C.. March 22.-
Under ths treaty with the Kiowa, Com
nnche ana Apache Indians providing FOR
the allotment of the lnnds IN severally
a. tbf indians and the opening OF inc
residue 90 homestead entry tho govern
rnent OF the United states has assumed
obligations which viii amount in Che
aggregate 10 nearly N0ooonoo. These OBJ
lieations arc in the nature of claims FOR
dopivdations committed the kiowas,
sComnnchcs and Apaches covering o. per-
iod of sixty years. Untn the treaty was
ratified by congress no attempt was
made by the claimants 60 collect the
amounts due them from the tribes as tho
Kiowa.. Comonche and Apache Indians
are included in The liet of bankrupt In
dians 10 the United states. But under
the terms OF tho treaty providing for
the opening of the reservation 60 settle
mcnt assumed ali The obligations of tho
yndlnns and now the claimants are come
ink forward demanding % settlement in
full.
About ,00.to0 of The claims against the
ISiOwas Comauches and Apachcs are held
by members 0f the Five civilized tribes
10 indian terrltUrS The majority OF
these are IN the Chlekasaw nation. Those
claims now being pressed for settlement.
one of them has been paid, that OF
Ovcrton Love. one on the wealthy meme
hers OF the Chickasam nation While
The amount he received "a settlement OF
his claim was only $500, II Is looked up
on as an opening through which the re-
mainder OF these claims can be drawn.
Mr. William G.. smailcy, a prominent
attorney OF this city. has had these
claims ln charge for -lmbor OF years.
Realizing the lmposslbility OF collecting
them from the Indians even II judgments
were secured. nc allowed them Go remain
In statu quo until afte- .hc acceptance
OF the trenty by congress. Then tn
claims were brought TO the front over.
ton Loves case was the first urged for
consideration. After a long wrangle be-
tween tho secretary 81 the interior and
the comptroller OF the treasury the CLAN
WAS finally allowed and an appropriation
made during the closing hours Of the
last congress. Having established pre-.
cedent Il viii not be difficult TO secure
the payment OF the remainder Of claims
and for some years to come each con.
gress viii be called upon TO appropriate
money IN compensation for damages sus-
tained from raids made by members OF
the hostile bands Of Kiowas, Comanches
and Apaohes IN the early COS, co.'s and
sV's
The sl0.o0o.OOO worth OF claims arising
from depiedations committed by an In.
dams are held by people living in Ar
kansas Texas. Indian territory. Southern
Kansas and Southwestern Missouri They
arise from the seizure cf live stock, per-
sonal effects moneys ana slaves. and
property destroyed.
one case is particularly interesting and
raises On unique question. in 1860. shortly
~ before the breaking out Of the civil
war. "a band OF Comanches made a raid
Upon "A wealthy slave owner IN Arkonsns
ana tooir front hm ~ slaves who
were 1ffrtd .itt lae at from $1,000
negroes into Mississippi and there sold
them. il is now question as to wheth-
er or not the slaves constituted property
As they were taken prior 20 Lincolns
emancipation proclamation ard were rec
osnized as property NJ the time Of the
seizure It is probable the claim win be
paid
An interesting case has arisen in con-
necron with these claims which is unique
In 1862 the Comanche Indians made O raid
across the border into Texas IL was
known that a certain farmer who was re-
ported TO be wealthy, Kept his money
IN his house. The Indians demanded the
treasure. The farmer denied the pos
sssion of IT, After repeated threats that
resulted futillv. the Indians tied him 10y
his thumbs ana tortured him in various
ways 20 try to make him disclose the
whereabouts Of his money Failing IN
this they then took his wife and started
10 burn her az the stake The sight
was SO horriSing that the farmer re-.
taxed and turned over 10 thcm the SEQ,
Ooo In question The Indians took the
treasure and departed. followed shortly
by band OF settlers. A number Of
the Indians were killed and two were
captured but the money was never re-
covered. The two captured indians were
convicted and sent 70 the ponltenuary
Claims were afterwards Aled agalns, the
government 20 recover. the s200oo taken
After long wrRngle the claims were hn-
ally paid IN yhe meantime the man died
ana litigation arose over the distribution
OF hiss estate During tho course of the
trial his wife aud his mother testhed
that the $4,000 taken WAS Confederate
money. News of this fact. however
never reached the government untl years
after the money had been distributed and
tho heirs had become scattered through
out the various states.