The Vinita weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1905, 1904-02-18
Sctssoreo ano Otherwise
ATTORNEY GENERAL KNox's REPORT.

ATTORNEY GENERAL kNOA'S REPORT.
In giving out his statement regarding the department
of Justice inspector resports Attorney General Knox pre-.
faced II with considerable information which is not new
to our people That it took House resolution to bring
forth the evidence sought to be regretted but il
brought IT, as the South McAleser court people have
so learned to their sorrow The communication from
which the following is an extract was report to the
president, and states;
"Fhe charges prepared by Mr. Brosius were taken up
by the newspapers and great stir created about the
heads of the district attorneys assistant district attor-
neys and marshas whose behavior called into ques-
tion The impression sought to be created that the
Indians robbed right and left Of their lands by land
companies and that several officials were prominent
among the promoters and stockholders of said companies
The Inspector who Investigated these assertions state
that several of the companies organized for banking and
dealing In lands exist In Indian Territory and IL seems
clear that the practices of Of these companies are
at least unfair the ignorant Indians with whom they
deal 1t also clear that some of the officials of this
department above referred had given occasion for the
suspicion that they connected with land companies
1t was not enough however to find that some Of the
companies taking advantage of the Indians, but
that the officials connected with such companies had
knowledge of such details Of the business During the
progress of the investigation Deputy Marshal j. G. Roy
and Constable H. L. Rogers of the Norhelo district
were removed from office and Deputy Clerk r. D. owen
was requested to resign
Taking Mr. Sopers statement to be true in my udg-
ment, he ought not to have lent his name to and have
become personally interested as he admits he did in the
organization and conduct of the Tlshomlngo Tribal De-
yelopment Company the obvious purpose of which he
must have know 20 be TO make money Of Indian lands
by leasing from the Indians at low rate and subeting
at higher lie ought to have known that II 25 per
cent profit expected limitation was placed upon
the profit
As vice president and legal adviser Of the company he
be presumed to have nowutat the supposed reason
able rent to the Indians calculated not upon tie
real value Of the land but upon general schedule Of ar
btary valuation made for convenience by the Dawes
Commission showing less than one-dfth Of the value Of
the lands Again, Mr. Sopers conduct when this matter
first inquired into by the newspapers and when as
he says, investigation by the Interior Department
anticipated, is not IN his favor However the con
necton IF this questionable business with his office
duties in another district vague and remote, aud
therefore confne myself saying that the Investigations
developed no facts contradictory the principal ones
admitted by him think Mr. Soper IS clearly censur
able for urging public upon tie Dawes Commits
sion 10 accomplish questionable end for a client Mr.
Ross In view Of these facts am not prepared to recon-
mend the removal Of Mr. Soper from onice, nor can
recommend any action adverse to Assistant District At
toruey Huckeberry