Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1902-01-23
all to Cover Fraudulent
Practices of MuskOget
Land Companies.
FURTHER INQt Try
r NJ in ~, su ~ Di.mi "a
Wy az Vmm s,un Of II G.
II ckbu.h. Chief OF Their
Engineering D part.

=
Chieiisln oil the irafiirkipg in tlt
ttnd records Of IN. Daw cummi-.
SION, has resulted IN one mtmbsi
ut be Gun missions field iorce b.,
iug summsrily dlsm sstd from III.
--rvice and lurther measures b.
ng inaugura,,d by the commis
ION to b through the thick.
euing scandal.
The explanation ofiered by II
y. Hack bush, chief OF the engin
eeiirg department when sum
moned before ne commission to
explain how the records we're ub
tanned by the land companies, wa-
not satisfactory and he was sum.
marily Dismissed from the service.
One OF the most interesting features
Of the spreading scandal that
threatens to involve th"se of
"high social position" is he pitt
able fort Of the Muskogee press
to throw its transparent closk
around the guilty parties. Their
defensive efforts in their verv i'm.
potency, illustrates the weakness
f dependant press which pre-
vents it from becoming a public
menace.
IL has been ascertained since the
inquiry was instituted that the
raffic in the private records OF the
commission has become general,
aud that no great difficulty was
experienced by The land operators
IA obtaining any necessary inior-
nation that they desired.
The following statement has
been made public by Col. Needles
pf the commission:
"There is nothing involved in
he whole matter save that some
Information pertaining TO the
character of the surface of certain
lands in the Indian territory has
been given out by an empIUye Of
he commission who was not au-
horized to do so. No record has
been abstracled from the office and
not The slightest loss to the goV-
-rnmtnt will ensue a. a result nor
Sili the value Of the commissions
ork be impaired in any degree
I NJ only l,s- that rs likely 10 be
in uIred by any one II nat which
NAV accrue TO any persons who
nay have ,xper ded money in se
uring information which Is likely
.oon 60 br made a matter OF pub
C information 10 the usual and
'egular course The crmm '-sinn
u.vrr hrle-s might we'll b. re-
gard, derel.ci a. it, du'y did IL
tot exercise all possible vigilance
IN stctIisiuirP Wha' persons have
violated it, confidence snd IN TAX
uug ,uch further steps as reem
necessary 10 preserve the inleg-
rity Of public records aud prrserv-
ing due discipline" "
Col Needles In bis Effort tn ex-
p ain that the commissions labOTs
have not been negaIived by the
irsuds. has admitted hat such
fraud was generally pracuoed
through the agency OF some em.
ployees Of the commission.
HIS argument that the intended
publication OF The records will kill
their value, is somrwhat in the ma
ture OF "the zip is dead when the
race is won" While the stoppsge
of the fraud is to be commended. d.
it does not alter the bank accounts
Of the operators who have coined
wealth through their agency The
further investigation promises
some additional sensations, and
the frantic efforts Of the Muskogre
papers to cover their masters will
constitute a very interesting side
show.
T. ma g.. ,,g.-.L. uUihTo a.,uv.