The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-07-20
BYRD'S BLOOD
AN ISSUE IN
G0VERN0RSHIP
Declarations That He Is a
White Man Denied Vigorously
HIS RELATIONSHIP TRACED
PrOofPreSented BY Those Who
Knew Him From Infancy.

Ardmore, I T., July ia desperate
effort is being made by the Palmer Nose
" faction Of the Chiclzasaws to prove
that William L Byrd, the progressive
candidate for governor is not Chick
a saw. The controversy over this point
has become very acrimonious and is the
absorbing topic in the Indian Territory.
Interest was added TO it yesterday when
G. A Burris heretofore an opponent Of
Byrds, came out in his defense. Writing
20 the Ardmore Appeal from Stonewall.
he says:
About Byrd's citizenship, I want TO
say that have known him since he was
& little boy 1 knew his mother well and
helped to bury her at Stonewall many
years ago. She was Chickasaw by
blood. I knew VIM. L. Byrds grandmoth-
er and her name was Della Love and she
was a sister to Sloan Love, Richard Nc
Lishs grand father, making ". L. Byrd
snd Richard McLish the same kind Of
Indians. I also know that W L. Byrd,
Frank Colbert, James Colbert and Mrs.
Cooling Of Colbert station, all belong to
the same family.
when I was member and chairman
of the Chickasaw citizenship committee
a few years ago I was against Byrd po-
litically and 'Chickasaw Sim being in
Tishomingo at the time, told US that Bill
Byrd was no Chickasaw; that his mother
and father were both white. and when 1
asked him TO swear to this he refused
saying that he was just talking this
= around TO help the Mosely party, to
which then I belong. but that if he swore
TO it. It would be perjury.
7 have touched on Byrd's citizenship
because it seems that parties are making
Misrepresentation about it through po-
itical designs only Capt Peter May
tubby viii bear me out in this matter
end If Cyrus Harris were living he would
do the same, and there are many Chcka-
saws still living who would do the same
thing. I further know that w. L. Byrd
went to school with the Chickasaws, has
all his life lived and associated with
them and knows more full bloods and
half breeds and their family relations
than any other Chickasaw
In conclusion want 10 say again
that have never voted for W. L. Byrd
in my life, but since my nations affairs
are 50 they are. and knowing Byrd to be
2 good business man from his success liz
private affairs. and knowing that it takes
this kind of a man to wind up our affairs.
II God viii spare me till next August,
shall cast my vote for Wm I. Byrd.
In addition to the above Mr.. Byrd has
sent the appeal the evidence taken
before the commission to the Five Civil
Iized Tribes. which was the result of an
inquiry into his claims to enrolment as
a Ch;clzasaw. This evidence is as fol-
lows
In the matter Of the application Of VIII
Ham Byrd. for enrolment as a Chieka-
saw Indian.
Ardmore. J. T, November p. a. d. 1898.
Reuben R. Bourland. being duly sworn by
Commissioner Tams Bixby. on his cath.
testified on behalf of the applicant. as
follows:
DIRECT EXAMINATION BY COMMITS
SIONER BIXBY.
Q. Where do you live? a. have made
my home at McAlester for several years.
Ny wife is dead and have lived every
year more or less down at Lebanon.
@ How Ions have you lived in the In
dian territory A. Since July a.
G Do you know William L. Byrd? A.
Well. yes sir.
O. How long have you known him?
A. Ever since a.
c. Do YOU know anything about his
psrentage2 A. Yes. sir
Tell us what you know? Al know
his father and mother Ills mother was
Chickasaw and has always passed to
be. She was a sister to my wife and his
father was Byrd. 1 have known him
from tho time he was a baby / think he
was two months old when first saw him.
/ left Mississippi just before he was born
in July or August I came out in july.
-. When they moved out here he was
a big. tat baby then, and in about one
month my first child was born. which
was his cousin. His mother and my wife
were sisters
. Jack Byrd was a white man? A.
Yes. sir. white man.
9. Did You know the parents Of VII
liam L. Bxrd's mother? A. I saw her
father and mother move out 10 this eoun-
try A. I came II "a 1 married his
mothers sister in September, 49, left
Marshal county IN July. ~ and came
out and then they came; 1 have forgot
ten whether he was month OF two
months old
Q. That is not material You knew his
grandmother on his mothers side? A
Yes. sir
Q, Was she Chickasawe A Yes. sir
she was a Chickasaw and passed as that.
Fer maiden name was DELLA Love. Her
first husband was Michel and her seq
ond husband was John B. Moore. ] was
rot acquainted with him. He was dead
when went down 70 Mississippi
Q. DO you know where William L. Byrd
has lived2 A. lie has lived at poaksvf,le
Choctaw nation. and then AZ Sto7ewar
ChielSssaw nation.
@ Is that the ony place ne eyer lived
during his life2 A. That is the only
place after he was born and came out
from Mississippi He came TO within
three miles OF my house when he came
down.
9 In what county in Mississippi was
William L Byrd bo-ne A Marshal
county.
O. State OF Mississippi A. Yes. sir.
c. What are YOU. an intermarried white
man Of the Chickashaw tribeg A Yes.
sir
Peter Maytubby Aeing duly sworn by
Commissioner T. b. Needles. on his cath.
testified on behalf o. the applicant. as FOL
lows:
DIRECT EXAMINATION