The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1903-09-15
MONEY FOR INDIANS.
Government to Pay for Kansas Land
Granted to Settlers.
Nearly Two Million Dollars 60 he Di-
vided Among 5000 Red Men of
the SIX Nations dn New
York state.

The interior department, through
Indian Commissioner Jones, is making
preparations to pay $1,o9s,744 to the
Six Nations Indians of New York state,
awarded to them by congress three
years ago, as the result of their ia
nous Kansas land claim against the
United States government. The In
dams who will receive the money num-
Der about 6,000 and are included in the
Onondagas, Onedas, Cayugas, Senecas,
st. Regis, Tuscaroras, Stockbridges,
Muses. and Brothertowns tribes.
Each individual win receive approx
imately 5000, and the money will be
paid by check to prevent frauds, says
a Washington report.
The history of the Six Nations claim
against the government is interesting
and shows another attempt of the
white man to cheat the redskin out of
what was rightfully his. Several his
torical documents of almost priceless
value figure in the case.
One of the documents is sheepskin
parchment, dated 1893, and signed
Knox, Secretary Of War" This paper
was issued during Washington's adj
ministration. The paper is addressed
ITO the Sachems. Chiefs and Warriors
Of the Six Nations" and is request
from the government for the Indians
to hold convention and sign a treaty
with the newly established common
wealth wrested from Great Britain
As result of this the treaty with the
New York Indians of 1894 was signed,
which brought peace TO the western
boundaries Of the infant republic.
The second document is dated WAR
Department, May II, 179s," and is
signed Joseph w. Henry, Secretary
of War" 1t is statement from Uncle
Sam. showing that the sum Of 100000
had been received on deposit from the
Six Nations at the United States treas
ury. Both of these papers are orig
inals and very valuable. The 100000
referred TO is the sum received by the
Indians from Robert Morris. the Phila-
delphla capitalist, for 100000 acres
of the richest land in New York state.
In 1897, when Morris bought the land,
he paid for it at the rate of two cents
an acre.
The Kansas claim originated in 1898.
althou~h nothing was heard of it at
that time. In that year the New York
Indians decided to move west and pur-
chased 100000 acres of land in Wiscon-
sin. For some reason they did not
make the trip and the same year the
Indians traded the land in Wisconsin
10 the government for 1,s24,0 600 acres
of land IN Kansas
A project to settle on this land also
fell through. and the Indians did not
20 to Kansas. In 1860. when the por-
tion of Kansas where the land lay was
opened for settlement, white men took
up the Indians land and in 1873 con-
Rress passed law to sell the Indians
land in Kansas to white settlers, in
spite Of the fact that 40 years before
they had given this land to the Indians.
After 90 years of constant efforts con-
gress In 1900 passed the law authoriz-
ing the payment of nearly 100000
for the land in dispute.
The Six Nations, now numbering
about 5000, still retain $4,000 acres in
the richest part of New York state.
They are wealthy and Industrious, and
have in the United States treasury
large sum of money, The 100000 OBJ
tanned from Robert Morris in 1897 Is
still untouched and TO that has been
added by various sales of land sums
which have made the total nearly $780,
900, on which the Indians annually
draw interest.