The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-09-09
WANT HONEST Man
Secretary Hitchcock Is Looking for
Someone to Send to Indian
Territory.
Investigation Into Alleged Official
Misconduct There Is to
i, ~. Be Thoro.
New York Sun Special Service.

| New York Sun Special Service.
Chicago, Sept. 9.-Walter Wellman, in
a Washington special to the Record-Her
aid, says:
| A man is wanted at the interior depart
ment. He must be well known as man
of keen insight, unimpeac enable integrity
and unt1inching courage. For such a man
| there Is g fine job waiting, the investiga-
ton of frauds upon the Indians In Okla
homa and the Indian Territory. Secretary
Hitchcock has hunted high and low for
man who fills the bill and who is will
| ing to undertake the task, but up to to-
day has not succeeded in finding him.
1t is not going to be an easy task, this
investigation. In the first place, it must
be thoroly done-the investigation must
"cut to the bone,' as President Roose-
welt says. In the second place, the min
ute the investigator arrives in the Indian
Territory he will be taken in hand by
prominent people, anxious to make it
pleasant for him and at the same time to
fill his eyes full Of dust.
! It would not be Just to say that all the
[''best people of those territories are do
Ing what the late Mr.. Evarts said the
pilgrim fathers did upon their arrival on
the rocky shores of New England first
fall upon their knees and then upon the
aborigines." But "skinning the redskins"
is well recognized and thoroly estab-
lished industry in that country, and pub
lie opinion apparently does not regard it
as a heinous crime. So the man who goes
down there to make the rigid and thoro
investigation" which the president and
Secretary Hitchcock demand, Is going to
have his hands full getting at the facts.
District Attorneys Explanation.
Pliny T. soper, who is the United States
district attorney for the northern district
of the Indian Territory, has been heard
from. He is one Of dozen government
officials who are charged with being in
terested In companies which are engaged
in leasing lands from Indians and which
are said to be playing tricks that are
peculiar. Mr.. Soper has written the de-
partment of justice, admitting that he is
interested in at least one company Of the
kind that is said to be wrongly in opera
ton, but declaring that the company In
which he is interested Is not in opera
ton in his own judicial district, but in
the southern district of the territory. He
. also admits a connection with other con-
Germs doing business in the territory, but
declares that they are legitimate business
institutions. One of these is an oil com.
pany Mr.. Soper says that he is con
nected with the Tribal Development com
pany Of Tishimingo, I. T., but declare.
that, SO far as known to him, the compa
, ny does perfectly legitimate business il
' the handling of Indian lands.
/ At least he Is not aware of anything
: to the contrary and would not continu,
E his connection with it if he considered
$ there was anything improper in doin,
, so. Mr.. Soper points out that the fac
that the Tribal Development company L
entirely out of his legal sphere of actio,
, would demonstrate that he is not asso
ciated with a concern against which b.
! might be called upon to enter and con
a tonue prosecution.
8 Officials Of the department, of justic
. say they will take no action at this tim
a tof mt Of hut viii
! merely refer the document, together witt
il all the other facts in their possession, t.
: the\special agents who are now'in India,
Z Territory. Only one agent was at frs
sent out, but another one was added an
it is now stated that this force will b
further increased.
S Rough Rider Is Suspected.
Ben Colbert, rough rider with Presiden
Roosevelt in Cuba, is one Of tn
men who are to be investigated. He
y marshal of the southern district. COLDER
e was a private in the rough riders an
r when the president came into offic
4 and had an opening in the territory h
S remembered Colbert and put him in tn
best place at his disposal. So far the de
t partment has received no statement from
S Colbert in response to a request for infor
$ nation from him as to the accuracy O
g the charges against him. He is located il
> the district In which the Tribal Develop
menC company Is said by Mr.. Soper. to q
9 its business and it is not known whethe
a Mr.. Colbert is interested in this co1npan
= or not.
= Leo Bennett, marshal of the western
= district, is also to be placed on the rack
= Charges have for some time been pend
:, ing against him alleging that he and othe
=. officials divided the profits from the feed
y ing of prisoners in his district The ale
cation is that, at times, this profit wa
;. large and that Mr. Bennett received hi
e share Similar charges are made agains
other officials, and therefore the depart
ment has it's hands FULL and it's field wi
not be confined to any particular elias
Of charges. DR.. Bennett has been poiit
! ical power for a long time.
One investigator Thru.
The president entertained at luncheo
Francis E. Luepp, a Washington news
) paper correspondent who was appointe
# by the president several months ago a
a a commissioner to make an investigate
+ of alleged Indian frauds in the Ok1ahom
. territory. He has completed his work an
% to-day made his report to the president.