The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-01-27
.CATTLEMEN
BROUGHT TO
SHOWDOWN
Pay Tribal Tax on Cattle in
ChickaSaW Nation.
STOCK WAS ROUNDED UP
instructions of Department
Were Carried Out.

! Chickasha, /. T.. Jan 26.-The collection
of the tribal tax of 55 cents per head on
all cattle in the Chickasaw nation owned
/ by non-citizens has reached show down,
| according TO the express. Yesterday
morning Guy p. Cobb, internal revenue
| inspector, returned from Muscegee
where Sunday he had a conference with
w B. Johnson, United States district
attorney, regarding the payment of the
tax or the removal of the cattle. The
matter was gone over thoroughly and
of the interior by telegraph. The ans
wer of the interior department TO MIR.
Cobb was Il positive and peremptory in
struction to collect the tax or remove
the cattle, and TO do it at once. The in
terror department has lost patience
Last week, while Mr. Cobb was at
Muscogee, he received instructions of
the same nature, and telegraphed the To-
cal revenue officer, Mr.. Kelsey, to round
up and drive out the big herds of cattle
belonging to Maxwell and Morris, Mr.
Norton and other clients of Davis who
were still refusing to pay Mr.. Kelsey
caused the police TO return from NARROW
and Rush Sprinfs and remobilize here,
and made all prepare tions to carry out
the instructions of his chief when he
received a telegram from Mr.. Cobb to
cease operations for the time being Mr..
Cobb explained this action to reporter
this morning, by saying that at that time
the cattlemen had replevined the cattle,
and that it might either place him in con-
tempt of court or in an attitude of opposi-
ton to the department of justice, which
he wished to avoid; so the cattle were
not driven out.
Mr.. Cobb states that only four cattle
men of all who have been approached in
this vicinity, are still holding out. All
have paid the tax but these four, includ-
ing many of Davis and Riddles clients
The department of the interior is deter
mined that the tax shall be paid or the
reached a stage where action must be |
taken Immediately When the cattle are |
once driven out, they will remain until !
every obligation to the Chickasaws has !
been discharged, and it will cost the !
cattlemen more than . cents in the end.
Mr.. Riddle. local attorney for the cat |
tlemen, was interviewed by a reporter |
this morning, and he stated that the cat |
tie would not be removed. Mr.. Riddle |
has instructed his clients to stand pat. |
and to maintain possession of and pro- |
tect their property at all hazards, as the |
cattle are now in custody of the law un- |
der the replevin suits filed. Wednesday |
the attorneys for the cattlemen went be- |
fore Judge Townsend at Ardmore and |
applied for an injunction restraining |
Mr.. Cobb Mr.. Kelsey, the Indian police |
and Agent Shoenfelt from interfering with |
the cattle in any way. on the grounds /
that they were in custody of the law |
under replevin. and could not be re-
moved until a decision had been rendered.
The injunction will be argued before the |
court of Judge Thompson today. but Mr.. |
Cobb will not wait for decision. The
cattle will 5e moved.
Since the above was placed In type, |
there has been something doing. Yester
day morning a posse of the Indian po
licemen mounted and armed, left the |
Royal hotel and. acting under the in
structions of Mr. Cobb. went to the ranch |
of f. F. Mann, five miles south Of |
where they rounded up
herd of 500 held and took possession of
them. Mr.. Mann. seeing that the cattle
v ere to be removed. asked for sufficient |
time to see Mr. Cobb in person, and came
to the city. conference
with Mr. Cobb resulted in an arnicable
of the matter. Mr. Mann not
only settling the tax in full. but all the
expenses of the policemen alnd revenue
as well.
Mr. Cobb informed the Express at noon
that the matter had been settled, the
giving up the fight and paying
The tax. Maxwell & Morris. Blanton &
Norris. Judge Guthridge and Ike Far-
ness. ali large cattle owners came IN !