The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1903-08-17
STARTED SOMETHING.
Agent Brosius' oHlelsl Report on
Conditions in indian Ter.
ritory -

Indian territory and the connection
OF officials Of the interior department
and the department Of justice with
questionable operation there are fully
forne in a report made by S. N. Bro
sius, special representative Of Indian
Rights association. who was agent to
tho territory short time ago for the
purpose Of making complete investi-
cation into the alleged scandals. The
report involves the names Of the ma
3ority of the Dawes commission as
well as that Of Pllny soper 5nitss
States district attorney for the ncrth-
ern district. and sheps a giarlng light
upon the conditions under which indi-
vi1uais and organized banks and trust
companies have been robblng the In
dian Of their allotments. substantial.
ing in every particular the offenses
charged in these dispatches some time
ago.
The report. It is understood, will be
sent to the president and to Secretary
Hitchcock with this report before him
It is difficult to see how the secretary
can evade the responsibility of re
suming the Investigation which was
interrupted by his order some time
ago. after dlscharging Douglas. It
viii make interesting reading for the
secretary. since the report also in
wolves George j. Wright his special
inspector IN full charge on whose
Recommendation the secretary has
been acting Brdsius says that lands
are secured fro mthe Indians at from
25 TO rs cents an acre and are immed-
lately sublet by sharks and trust com
panies specially organized for that
purpose at from 800 to $3.50 The ex-
tent of the operations may be inferred
from the Tact that one reservation EN-
braces 100000 acres. Of which the
trust companies have seGdred the con
troi. The Dawes commission Is Sc.
verely criticised and the agent shows
that by 10 methods the Indians are
compelled to travel hundreds Of miles
to secure their aliotmeuts and then
ere compelled to wait many weeks for
action lie says that at the rate OF
ez:iy filing St win take thirty years to
eompleto me allotting.
The provisions OF congress to pro
secs the Indians are eyaded III many
uVa~o .nd ,,,o,... tra,t. -, 1.ota -
profit. Trust companies to deal in
indian lands have been organized by
the score and agents and rustlers are
employed TO herd the ignorant Indians
IN parties Of from fve 70 twenty-five
Ali sorts OF tricks are resorted to.
which are set forth in the report
Much the same tactics are employed
BY the oil and gas companies One In
dian woman was bought off for $500
for land which had been IN possession
Of her family for years and which be-
longed. to her and her two children. In
connection with the method employed
by the Dawes commission in handling
lands for the Delawares and Chero-
KEGS, he says: 1T is alleged to favor
interested parties in securing leases Z"
He reviews the organization OF the
trust companies at length and IN trac-
ing the connection Of officials OF the
interior department and department Of
justice. he says tnat The tribal de
velopment company of Tishomingo. /.
T., was authorized March 25. with a
capital stock Of 100000 and had sl2
600 paid In Guy p. Cobb who was
then internal revenue inspector for the
territory. Is the largest stockholder.
Again" Brosius says, "P. Soper is
large stochholder aud vice president
OF the company Mr. soper is United
stateS district attorney for the north
ern district Of Indian territory whose
duty Il is under the law to prosecute
personL having private holding Of
lands and to defend the Indians at all
suits OF law or equity involving their
titles 10 land" Governor Mosely. Of
the Chickasaw nation. is also stock
holder Tho Muskogee Title and Trust
company which does a business in
lands was organized in February Of
this year Tams Bixby chairman Of
the Dawes commission, was stockhold
ar and Vice president OF the concern.
J G. Wright inspector in absolute
charge IN the Indian territory, is one
OF rs directors
The Canadian Valley Trust company
Of MlstoHco, wss organized the day
after the concern just named, TO "buy
rent sep lease and mortgage real es.
tate" and Tams Bixhy IN addition to
being aekholder was president Of
Tho comnany @ w MonAina ohLal