New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-09-29
INDIANS CHARGE FRAUD.
Ask 81 900, 900 DAMAGES.
Da1ces Commission and Secretary
Hitchcock focused By Dela7cares.

Washington. Sept. 2S-walter s. Logan. az
torney for the Delaware Indians. filed a petit
ton in the Court of Claims to-day on behalf
Of the Delawares against the United States.
asking that damages of S1.O00O0O be awarded
because Of the expenses 70 which the Indians
have been subjected in defending title 70 their
lands. In this petition they make some sensa-
tional statements. One Of their accusations is
TO the effect that members of the Dawes Com
mission are interested in oil leases and COM
panies holding leases made on their lands by
CherOkees claiming title The petition alleges
that. Notwithstanding the lands have been prop
eTly segregated, the Dawes Commission. dis
regarding their official duties as agents Of the
United States toward your petitioners. have
conspired and cOnfederated. and are conspiring
and confederating together. and together with
the said companies. 70 cheat and defraud your
petitioners, so as 70 gain possession Of their
lands for themselves or for their said COM
panies. under pretence Of aUotting said lands.
iH their official capacity as said Dawes Commits
sion, TO divers persons who are willing 10 enter
into contracts Of lease and sale with representa-
tives Of said trust and land companies in which
the members Of said Dawes Commission are in
teTested. and said Dawes Commission and the
members thereof have thus wrongfully allowed.
and after the making Of said segregation. as
hereinbefore referred TO, continue TO allow filings
TO be made upon parts of the lands OF your
petitioners. so segregated as aforesaid. and over
which said commission has ceased legally to
have any further Jurisdiction or control but
are wrongfuIly assuming the same. and said
Dawes Commission and the members thereof
have thus wrongfully. after said segregation
was made allowed more than two hundred per-
sons. not Delawares. TO make selections for
homes upon parts OF the said Delaware lands,
so segregated as aforesaid. and have allowed
such persons to file applications for alIotments
thereon. and have sought, by recommendations
contained in their report Of April 20, 1908. to
the Secretary Of the Interior. 10 cause steps 90
be taken to prevent the Supreme Court Of the
United States from rendering such judgment in
in your petitioners the title To said $4,000
acres. so segregated as aforesaid"
The Secretary Of the Interior is charged with
unlawful acts to defraud the Indians. such as
that Of encouraging white men who have mar
lands
Justice Anderson Of the Supreme Court Of the
District Of Columbia, rendered an opinion to-
day in the injunction proceedings Of the Della
ware Indians against Secretary Hitchcock and
the Dawes Commission, dissOlving TIE tempo
rary injunction heretofore granted. The case
involved the right OF the Secretary TO pass on
the 1JT 600 acres Of land in the Cherokee Ma
The Indians alleged that the Secretary is with
out authority 70 approve disapprOve the seq
TegaJiJn. il had been approved by the Ind
fans interested, ana asked that he be en1Oined
against -aking such action pending the adjudi-
cation Of the same question by the Court Of
Claims Soon efter the case was fled the court
granted a temporary Injunction, but Judge An
derson to-day dissolved it.