Omaha daily bee., 1903-01-17
LANDSHARESROB The INDIAN
Methods Pursued with the POttawattamies
and Nemahas in Kansas.
WHAT An INVESTIGATION REVEALED
Peculiarly Friendly Business Rela-
tiOns Between the Agent and
Local BANKERS and Real
Estate Dealers.
CFrom a star correspondentl

the instance Of the Indian Rights associa-
tion s. Nj. Brosius has been investigating
conditions at 1.-THE Pottawattamie and
Nemaha agency in Kansas and has made the
following report of the case:
More than three months ago charges
were filed with the Indian department
against the agent that have not been in
vestigated, although OF a sufficiently serious
nature to demand that they should have
been given immediate attention.
REV F, E. Gates, missionary located
among these Indians for several years,
charges that the affairs of the agency are
not managed in the best interests Of the
Indians. The special cause Of the COM
plant grows out Of the abuses Of the trad
ing system and the sale Of lands Of de-
ceased allottees, which has been authorized
by congress. 1t is charged that there Is
an apparent combination to secure the In
dian lands at from S125O to SIS per acre,
while similar lands off the reservation
command from $40, TO $40 per acre.
.. A Close Corporation.
at is claimed that the Indian agent, W.
r. Honnell. is president Of bank in Hor-
ton, Kan, near the reservation, and one
r. e. Hovey cashier; that Il. T. Letson
owns shares OF the bank stock as well as
being a land speculator and all around In
dian trader. The private office Of the
bank Is headquarters OF the combine re-
ferred to in carrying out their plans. and
by reason Of having access to the Indian
tribal rolls they secure great advantage
over their competitors, who have not the
same privilege, II is claimed that Cashier
Hovey and Letson are present at the an
nuity payments made by the agent to the
Indians, and son account of having type
written lists of the annuities, prepared
by the agent in advance they almost have
a monopoly, and cash checks and collect
their claims for money loaned at high rates
as well as for other debts due from the
Indians. These collectors have a desk on
the only available route for the Indian to
pass after receiving his check for annuity
due, who is checked in his course SUM-
cienuy long for these collectors to secure
their claims, while honest tradesmen who
have furnished the Indian with groceries
ard clothing for his family must stand
back and secure what they can Of the re-
mainder. t4..
The complainant states that II is the
general belief in the community that Agent
Honnell, together with Hovey and Leteon
formed q company. for the purpose of pur-
chasing the lands Of the deceased alottees;
that Letson Immediately set to work to
secure the deeds from the heirs to these
lands. and that they resorted to repre>
hensible means to accomplish their pur-
poses. l61" Ev.
Certain members Of the tribes state
under oath that Agent Honnell told them
to sign the deed and they did so because
he was their agent andJ believed they should
do as he desiFsd.- They state that they had
HraW. a lrW L. a.
same land when importuned by Letson,
who had approached them several times
with an interpreter toNnduce them TO do so.
AmdAvit GS an Indian Woman.
"In view of the fact that Agent Honnell
was appointed by the government to pro.
tect the interests of these wards, the fol-
lowing recital under oath will be read with
interest:
State of Kansas, County Of Jackson. S.:
Op-Tuck-Wah, OF lawful age, being duly
Kiokapoo ailotteeE and is the wife of Albert
Ross; that she is the mother of Edna Ross,
Edna Ross ded on the 18th dat day tae of JG said
A D. 1902; that +. r. Letson obtained in
some way the signature of Albert Ross,
the west half of the northwest quarter of
section "a, In township 4, range 16 Brown
county county sta state Of Kansas, Which Is the land
the said Letson kept after me every time
went to Horton TO sign the said deed to the
| said land, and that at all times refu sed
| TO sell the land, as my husband Is a drink
| Ing man, and that we should need the said
land for our support My husband signed
| the deed when he was drunk. While l was
| in Horton at the date the deed was signed
I was In the National Bank OF Horton, and
I,Mr. Letson called me into Mr.. Honnell' 8
| office, the agent, and locked the door and
kept me there for several hours trying to
get me to sell him the land; that did
cause l could not stay there all the time,
and he would not let me go until l had
/ wish to further state that on the 9th
| day of July, 1902 Sunday. w. r. Hon
mel and e.. T. yLetson came TO my home
that was allotted to my daughter, Edna
Ross CPa-nas-so). We were then holding
husband out and wanted to buy above de-
scribed land. Albert told them that he
thought they might wait until the girl was
buried; l did not want to sell Edna,s lan1,
| there for that purpose while the child still
| lay in the house made me feel like crying.
Mr.. Letson and an Interpreter came back
| the next morning and talked a long time
| with my husband at house near ours,
| but did not say anything to me, as they
| knew did not want to sell the land, as
lsignedJ oP-TUCK-wAE.
Her mark X.
Attested to by two witnesses.
Crooked Land Deals.
'It is charged that while the agency rec
| ords are evidently available to Letson, II is
dificult for other persons, including the
resident farmers surrounding the reserva-
| tion to secure such information as will
enable them TO intelligently bid upon any
| A.. 4I.R