The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1903-08-21
GREAT FRAUDS in
the INDIAN LANDS
Government Officials Lease
Tracts to Themselves at
Too Cheap Rates.
MILLIONS ARE INVOLVED
Aand Leasing and Title Companies
Number Department Officers Among
Stockholders, Then They
Pick Up Snaps.

Washington, D. c., Aug. 1S.-Startlins
developments in the Indian Ian frauds
will soon be brought to light, n they
will involve government officials and
millions of dollars.
. Officials of the government have, ii
is charged, organized land and title
companies which operate in Indian Ter
ritory. They lease lands from tht IN
dams at ridiculously small rates. n
at the expiration of the leases take ad-
vantage of the ignorance of the In
dams by purchasing h lands at. a
price far below their value. There are
other frauds of various characters, ii
is said. The government officials are
officers of the corporations organized.
There is likely to be an investigation
by the interior department and later a
congressional inquiry. In discussing
the subject today Indian Commissioner
Jones said:
1T is impossible for any government
official connected with a land COM
pany dealing in Indian lands to be en-
tirely impartial in his decisions when
he is deciding questions which may af-
feet his own welfare. l do not think
any officials whose names appear as
stockholders or directors in the indian
Territory and companies had any in
tention of acting dishonesty, but I
must say that I think it was in eN-
tremely bad taste for them to allow
themselves to be connected with the
companies.
81 believe the Indian office should at
once undertake a thorough investiga-
ton of the conditions in the Indian
Territory n prepare a report, and
then, if congress considers further in
vestigation desirable, there viii be ma
terial upon which to work. An investi-
CATION will be long and tedious and will
have most extensive ramifcations, but
it should be begun Immediately by q
force of competent men and should
continue until we have reached the
bottom. Twenty million acres of land
are involved and millions OF dollars in
money, TO say nothing of the interests
of some 400, 600 Indians"
The Brosius Report.
These emphatic declarations were
made by Commissioner Jones in con-
nection with the report of Special Agent
BrosiuS OF the indian Rights associa-
ton, who charges some officials have
taken advantage of the Indians in the
matter of leasing and d%isposing of their
lands. This report focuses a number
of prominent men Of having interests
In the land companies II allowing
their names to be used in their literal
ture. The Tribal Development COM
pany of Tishomingo, I. T., was author
lied on Marc %, with a capital stock
of 500, 900 and had sI2,0 600 paid in cap
ital. Guy p. Cobb. who was then in
ternal revenue inspector for the terri
tory, is the largest stockholder. Agent
Brosius says:
Governor Moseley of the Chickasaw
nation is also a stakeholder. J. George
Wright, Indian inspector. in absolute
charge of the Indian Territory, is one
Of the directors OF the Muskogee Title
and Trus company. The International
Bank n Trust company has Thomas
u NnaT1aC ~ ron-aho~ 80 ~ ~-,~
commission, as vice president and di-
rector. Charles A. Davidson, clerk of
the United States court 1t Vinita, is a
director. James A. H~uckleberry, as
sistant United States attorney, is at
torney for the company"
For years charges have been made
that the Indians We're defrauded, and
these charges are to be inquired into.