The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-05-31
INDIANS
WILL GET
THEIR MONEY
Government Fast Wiping Out
Creek Debt
100000 FOR DAMAGES
To Loyal Greeks During Civil
War

Guthrie, o. T, May 9O.-The United
States government is fast wiping out the
financial debt incurred by her faithful
Indian subjects during the war Of the
rebellion. Within the past week there
was assembled in special session at Ok
mulgee. ]. T, the Creek Indian legisla-
ture-the mouse of kings and the house Of
warriors-for the purpose of finally ac-
cepting the award by the United States
of $4,000 for damages received by loyal
Creeks during the Civil war.
The original claim, contended for by the
Creeks, aggregated $685., $3.50. The
amount of award for the payment, for
which al appropriation was made by the
last congress, is only 100000. The senate
by an amendment to the indian appropTi-
alton bin added the sum Of s1,200,0g for
the nayment OF this claim, but the house
refused 10 concur in this amendment In
conference the two houses adjusted the
difference by a compromise by which the
sum of $4,000 was appropriated as pay
nnent in full for the loyal Creek claim
After this action was taken by the con-
Eress. the governor of the Creeks, General
Pleasant Porter. called a convention OF
AL the leading men of the nation TO con-
slider the ACCESSIBILITY Of accepting the
$3.50 00O appropriation. The meeting was
participated in by members Of the Creek
legislature. town chiefs, and representa-
tives of the interior department. A reso-
luton was introduced. accepting the
award. and there were but four votes OPP
posad. There then remained but the
final ratification Of the acceptance by
the legislature, and for that purpose Gov
ernor Porter called the body in extra
session the past week.
At the outbreak of the Civil war the
Indians OF the five civilized tribes-Choc-
Jaws. Chickasaws. Seminoles, Creeks and
Cherokees-were divided in their loyalty
and allegiance. The Seminoles were spht
into two factions, about two hundred OF
them finally joining the union forces.
After the war they were paid in part for
the losses of property and the last ses-
sion of congress awarded them $4,000 In
final settlement of their claims.
The Creeks. who were loyal to the
Union. were compelled to fight their way
out Of the country. They took refuge IN
Kansas. There two full regiments of
them were organized and they fought
throughout the war, doing valiant service
as soldiers and scouts for the federal
forces After the war congress approprl-
ated 100000 for the payment of refugee
Greeks who had their property destroy ed
durine, the war. The Greeks still claimed
about 100000 in losses. A board OF
Officers was appointed to review the claim
and after a thorough investigation rec
ommended an award Of s1.S0o,00o. Year
after year congress failed to make an ap-
preparation to meet the award, and II mas
been pending long time. As has been
noted. the sum of s69o,ooo was finally
awarded.
when the war cloud broke over the
south land the Choctaws and Chickasaws
cast their lot with the Confederacy as
allies. The Cherokees, like the Semi
nolcs and Creeks. were divided, a large
number remaining loyal TO the North
The Choctaws sent Robert y. Jones,
trfbesman. to the Confederate congress.
II is believed that the Choctaws We're
wholly true to the South and did not fur
nish a single full-blooded warrior to the
North A few whites. who had married
Choctaw wives, did join the Union army
but the fuIl-blood Choctaws contributed
TO the southern forces two fun regi-
ments of 1900 and 1,se0 men respectively
The Chickasaws furnished the South with
one battalion of 12O0 men, while the
Creeks gave the south two regiments or
]. 500 men. all told. The Seminoles gave
the South one battalion Of 300 men and
the Cherokees two small regiments
When General Kirby Smith surrendered
the Mississippi department the
Choctaws returned home and went to
work.
In 1866 the Indians entered into new
treaty with the United States by which
they liberated their slaves. Lincoln's
emancipation proclamation did not refer
to the negroes held in bondage by IN
dams. The freed slaves were made clti-
zens Of the tribe. receiving forty acres OF
land each. During the war the Choctaws
and Chickasaws suffered little from loss
of property, while the Seninoles, Creeks
and Cherokees were heavy losers. Each
of the five tribes keeps up its division OF
the United Confederate Veterans and
many OF the old Indian warriors attend
the annual reunions throughout the south.