Sierra County advocate. [volume] (Kingston, N.M.) 1884-1960, 1904-02-19
MONEY FOR INDIANS.
Government to Pay for Kansas Land
Granted to Settlers.
Nearly Two MiIlion DsIlars t. Ne NJ
vided Among 1000 RED Men of
tAs six Nations In new
York stAts.

The interior department., thrrr
indian Commissioner Jones, is ms
preparations to pay $i.90s,744 tc fHt
six Nations Indians Of New York aa
awarded to them by congress iL.ta
years ago, as the result of their ia.
mcus Kansas land claim against tht
United States government. The IN.
dians who will receive the money nu,o
Der about 5000 and are included a
onondagas, Oneidas, Cayugas 81
st. Regis, Tuscaroras, Stoc h,ls ss
Muses. and Brothertowns
Each individual will receive arpxex
imately $500, and the money will b,
paid by check to prevent frauds, says
Washington report.
The history OF the Six Nations eiaiu
against the government Is interesting
and shows another attempt Of the
white man to cheat the redskin ont of
what was rightfully his Several lis
torical documents OF almost priceless
value figure In the case
One OF the documents Is a shee pskln
parchment dated 1893, and signed
Knox. Secretary Of War" This paper
was issued during Waxlingtons ad-
ministration. The paper Is addressed
ITO the Sachems. Chiefs and Warriors
OF the Six Nations" and IL a request
from the government for the Indians
to hold convention and Sign treaty
with the newly established common
wealth wrested from Great Britain.
As result Of this the treaty with the
New York Indians OF 1874 was signed,
which brought peace to the western
boundaries OF the infant republic.
The second document is dated "War
Department. May II, i79s," and 10
signed Joseph w. Henry. Secretary
Of War" IL Ia = statement from Uncle
Sam, showing that the sum Of sio0 600
had been received on deposit from the
Six Nations at the United States treas
ury. Both of these papers are orig
mails and very valuable. The 100000
referred TO IL the sum received by the
Indians from Robert Morris. the Phila-
delphia capitalist, for 100000 acres
Of the richest land In New York state.
In 1897, when Morris bought the land,
he paid for II 1t the rate Of two cents
an acre.
The Kansas claim originated in 1888,
although nothing was heard Of IL 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 snne year tho
Indians traded the land In Wisconsin
to the government for 1924, 900 acres
OF land IN Kansns.
A project to settle on this land also
fell through and the Indians did not
ro to Knnsas. In 1860. when the por-
ton OF Kansas where the land lay was
opened for settlement, white men took
up the Indians land and in 1879 con-
gress passed law to sell the Indians'
land in Kansas to white settlers, In
spite OF the fact that 40 years before
they bnd given this land to the Indiana,
After 20 years OF constant efforts con-
gress in 1900 passed the law authorix-
ing the payment Of nearly S2,000.000
for the land in dispute.
The Six Nations. now numbering
sbout 5000, still retain $4,000 acres in
fhe richest part OF New York state
They are wealthy and industrious, and
have In the United states treasury =
arge sum Of money. The 500. 900 oh
lained from Robert Morris in 1907 ID
still untouched and TO that has been
added by various sales Of land sums
which have made the total nearly $780,
700. on which the Indians annually
1raw interest.