The Corvallis times. (Corvallis, Or.) 1888-1909, 1903-08-22
LAND FRAUDS,
FEDERAL OFFICE HOLDERS
IN INDIAN TERRITORY
ARE ROBBING THE
FRI INDIANS.

Prise a Scandal That Puts
Even the Postoffice Frauds
to the Blush.
| Washington, Aug. 16.-There
was filed with Attorney General
Knox ,oday document which tells
q tale of fraud and deception prac-
ticed upon Indian wards of the gov
ernment that puts to the blush the
worst of the postoffice scandals. It
is the meanest of all the scandals
Eunder which the administration is
sta ggering, because it involves the
wholesale robbery of ignorant In.
dians, unabl to protect themselves
against the wiIes and schemes Of
the more cultured Federal office
/, holders. placed over them, by the
United States government, whose
wards the Indians are. Itinvolves
the theft Of millions of acres Of
land and the ma king Of millions Of
money out of the half savage wards
of the people.
The document OF a report pre-
pared by. S.. M. Brosius, Washing
ton Agent Indian Rights Associa-
tion, whose Investigations of the
land steals in Oklahoma and In
dian Territory resulted in the dis
coveries now communicated to the
rnev-general.
The report of Mr.. Brosius con-
|staips matter which must be taken
bcognizance Of by the president in
his message to congress.
| Mr.. Brosius in the report which
Knox has says:"A study of the con-
ditions now existing among the Five
Civilized Tribes in Indian Terrific
ry impresses one that there is need
| Of change Of manaaement in. the
| interests of the Indiana
| Mr.. Brosius thus describes the
plan of the land companies: The
| plan of the few companies and 9TH
fers securing the, lands was to take
a lease of the lands of the Indian
owner, which included a contract Of
sale at the termination of the lease,
without additional consideration.
. The prices at which the lands
| were secured varied from Is cents
Ito Is cents per acre, these lands in
turn being sublet to the farmer at
from 81 to $3.50 per acre, which
shows the opportunity for immense
profit covering the Greek reserva-
ton alone. which com prises 3 900,
eooo acres"
Mr.. Brosius asserts that in the
Cherokee reservation hundreds of
thousands of. acres are. held 10 ex-
cess of the amount allotted to each
| Indian; I hat when an Indian wants
an allotment be must travel some
times $50 miles to see the Dawes
| commission, and often goes back
with all his money gone, without
being alle to, fse. his application.
The excess appears to fnd its way
into the possession Of land compan-
les. ss sss4, ~. i Is, 5
The trust compa nice. : Mr.. Bro
sius says, s.have been organized by
the score, and cover every, field Of
the Five Tribes opened to invest
ment." s... ::j{s,.s..fY
The companies employ field a.
gents, who are called 'srustlers,' =
whose business it is to impose on
ignora Mt Indian owners. Mr.. Bro.
sius alleges that there is scramble
for oil landssand that the "air is
rife. with scandal in connection
herewith Mr.. Brosius says he
recently reported to the Indian of
6ce case IN which an Indian Wo-
man with two minor children part
ed with certain oil lands for 5000,
while the person who turned the
trick got $50, 900 from an oil COM
pany as his share of the profits.
Here is the official text of the
complaint Of Special Agent s. NJ.
Brosius of the Indian Rights Asso-
citation. which complaint was laid
August 18th before Attorney Gem
eral Knox by Philip G. Garrett of
the association, showing how the
Indians are at the mercy of the
land companies, and what United
States officials are members Of the
com panies::'
The ignorant Indians without
means-and this class embraces
perhaps one-third Of the population
Of the Five Tribes-is practically
at the mercy Of the trust compan-
les and other dealers in lands, since
they have no means Of travelling
long distances where that is neces-
sary and providing for their expen.- !
ses during the long delays, at the
land Office as before shown.
The interests Of the trust COM