Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-09-03
NO HOME OR COUNTRY.
Inc seminole Negro Indians Are in q
Queer Predicament.

according to reports received at the Was
department the so-called Seminole negro
INDIANS, sequestrated on Fort Clark miIlS
tary reservation In Texas, have neithet
country, home nor citizenship. The pec,,s
liar situation of these mongrel people has
been under consideration at the War De.
partment for many years, with a view ID
more clearly defining their legal and polite
ical status. but so far nothing has been
done for their relief. There are about $50
of these Indians. They all reside at Fora
Clark, by permission of the War Depart,
ment, and are under the control OF the post
commander. They are reputed to be peaces
able and honest, live in huts and houses
cultivate some ground. raise a little stock
and support themselves by their own labori
twenty of them are enlisted scouts, eigh1
at Fort Clarke and twelve at Fort Rings
gold Tex, and as such, 1t is reported,
render excellent service. Their history IN
brief appears follows:
They were originally with the Seminole
Indians in Florida. About 1s49 their an.
cestors emgrated to Mexico. Corporal Tip-
bits a survivor of these movements, the
Oldest man among them, and who claims TO
have been born in the Indian territory,
says: I'VE remained in Mexico until 1870.
then recrossed into United States at Eagle
Pass Tex. (old Fort Duncan A number OF
us then enlisted as scouts. About forty OF
these scouts, with their families, came TO
Fort Clark in 1876" He claims that some
kind of "a treaty paper" which WAS acci'
dentally burned. promised them MONIES pdch
in the Indian nation Undian territory.
1t seems that by a ruling Of the lnterior
Department they are not benehclarles IN
any respect under the Seminole treaty OF
1866.
Gen. McKibbin. in his annual report for
1900 said regarding these people:
Having forfeited their rights to rests
dence and citizenship in Mexico, and being
neither citizens of the United States nor
recognized by the Seminoles as part of their
people, some action should be taken where's
by the status of these people may be de-
fined 1t is respectfully recommended that
the attention OF Congress be called TO these
people.
Gen Grant stated In his annual report Of
1903 that many, If not all, of the male
adults have been at one time or another
enlisted in the army as scouts. so that al
the present time the entire adult male pops
ulation may be regarded. more or less, az
discharged veterans; In some instances the
grandfather. father and son In "A family
having all served as scouts In the regular
army"s LAS II is. however, they are
an interesting tribe of mongrel Americans
and dependent as they are upon the mercy
and management of the military at Fort
Clark, they are nothing more than wards
of the military department"
I'm the final consideration of the status
of these people with the view to determine
what shall be done with them" said GEM
Grant, Il recommend that the goverp$
ment purchase or secure in the Indian tern
able for the support of these so-caled Semi.
mole negroes, and that they be located
thereon, with full permanent title and soma
immediate help to start them as farmers.p
Gen Lee, the present commander of the
department of Texas. has just made n spec
cal report to the War Department regarding
these Indians in which he Endorses the recon11
mendatons of Gems. Mckibbin and Grant,
that suitable provision be made for therff
Gen. Lee speaks of the Indians as deserve
ing people," and says that they have renS
f,;. Col Ia, Xz
scouts and merit generous treatment" He
concurs in the recommendation that they
may be given a home In the Indian terrtS
tory. IF this should be impracticableh
says he lit Is suggested that they be pert
mitted to remain on the Fort Clark miits
tary reservation as now; and In the event
OF the abandonment of the reservation, q
suitable portion of the same be allotted "a
them for homes In recognition Of theit
past excellent services and their present
usefulness along the border, required Il
is recommended that their enlistment and
re-enlistment scouts be continued witHs
out reduction"