Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1902-11-06
THE TROUBLE At FORT TOTEM.
indian Agent eetehe'' Gives His ve'.

Indian Agent GeteheIl Gives His Vet.
sion Of the Controversy With Court
The trouble between Indian Agent
Getchell and Postmaster Court at Fort
Totten has attracted much attention
in North Dakota. In explanation of
the reasons for removing Postmaster
Court, Mr.. Getchell gives the following
interview:
Il am not interested in any scheme
touching the sale Of Indian lands, d.
rectly or indirectly. There is great
deal of this class of land to be sold.
There were l 1882 allotments made and
completed in 1892. OF this number,
about $500, or more than one-quarter
OF the original allottees, have died.
This amounts to, in round numbers,
about $4,000 acres on this reservation;
This land is subject to sale by the
provisions of the act of congress ap-
proved May, q, 1902.
Naturally, the indians desired to
sell, or to probate, so they could sell,
under the Jaw. Frank Palmer, the
Indian trader, and several lawyers,
principally at Minnewaukan, took up
the work of probating. Mr.. Court, the
postmaster, was at that time also off,
cial interpreter, and undertook to fur
nish Information requested, regard
less of the order of Acting Commits
sioner Tonner, that permission must
first be secured from the land commits
sioner's off1ceThis ran along for some
time, until finally Mr.. Court ignored
entirely his official duties, and was dis
charged from the service on Aug. %,
and ordered to vacate the quarters &C.
cupied by him without unnecessary
delay.Then he undertook to get per-
mission from the commissioner to
build on the school grounds. The COM
missioner telegraphed Supt. Davis,
and it was referred to me, upon which
l wrote the commissioner, on Sept. 6,
entering my protest against granting
any permission to Court to occupy
either agency or school grounds, Civ
ing my reasons therefor On receipt
of this letter the commissioner wired
ne, on Sept. 10, not to allow Court to
build or occupy building on the agen-
cy or school grounds, and directing
me to notify him. l notified him, as
directed, and he answered that he
would move only when ordered to do
so by the second assistant postmaster
general.
Il wired his reply to the depart
ment, requesting at the same time that
the department see the postmaster
general and make the necessary ar
:ngements, upon which the commits
sioner wired me that the question Of
removing Postmaster Court from the
agency building was entirely in my
hands, and informing me that the
postmaster general would not inter-
fere with me in the discharge of my
duty, and directing me to dispossess
Court Immediately, which order | put
into execution.
''Of course, the people with whom
Mr.. Court was doing business took up
the matter for him, not forgetaing the
power of the press. However, l have
done nothing but carry out my orders.
My last order in the land matter is to
stay the proceedings, pending new
| rules.
81 presume the lands will be ap-
praised and sold at auction, as being
the Indians, with the lesIs chance of
fraud. 1t is the intention of the gov.
eminent to safeguard these transfers
in every way, and to make the title
to the purchaser substantial.
at is only natural that persons de-
sire to obtain this land as cheaply as
possible. ] do not accuse anyone OF
trying to defraud wilfully. have no
thoroughly believed, he had right, as
cltiZeA 70 use MS OI1clal information
for his own benefit"