Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-08-24
A D EN- I A L M A D E
INTERIOR DEPARTMENT NOT IN.
vKsTIaATINo SENATOR BURTON.

nc lnteriOf department IL not lHNcotiSdt-
ing Senator Ralph Burton of Kansas. nor.
SO far as I know. Is he being investigated
by the ONCE Of the Attorney General OF
the United States" emphatically declared
Judge Thomas Ryan. acting secretary Of
the interior. this morning. when shown q
published statement purporting to have
come from officials Of the two departments
relative to certain acts Of Senator Burton
and his brother. Zachary T. Burton, In
connection with their dealings with the
Chickasaw Indians
The statement referred to charged that
Senator Burton had accepted money as
the legal representative Of the Chickasaw
Indians after his election to the United
States Senate. 1t was charged that there
were twenty-six warrants for various
amounts found among the Chickasaw ar
chives for money paid to Senator Burton or
his brother and that the department ex-
poets to prove that Senator Burton received
$4,000 in four years for pressing Indian
claims before the department.
The particular department that expects
to prove this and the particular department
before which Senator Burton pressed
claims are not given, but 1t is presumed
that the Department Of Justice is meant by
the first named and the Department OF the
Interior by the second. At both these de-
partments this morning all knowledge of an
Investigation OF Senator Burton's actions
was emphatically denied, the statement or
Acting Secretary Ryan being given. Mr..
Charles w. Russell. assistant attorney
general. and Mr.. Charles H. Robb. assist
ant attorney general. both stated that the
first Intelligence they have had of any In
vestigation of Senator Burton came to them
through the publication OF the statement
in question. At both departments a quiet
investigation was begun this morning to
discover the source of the information that
was contained. in the statement Judge
Ryan and Mr.. Russell had conference at
fha Infa r
would discuss Its subject 1t Is understood
that both were endeavoring to find out by
what means the story was given publica-
ton.
What Former Investigation Showed.
Several months ago the Interior Depart
ment, through special agents in Indian Ter
ritory. discovered that certain Of the war
rants Of the Chickasaw nation had been re-
issued after having been paid. and an in
vestigation was Immediately set on foot to
discover the persons guilty Of causing the
reissue. The investigation was carried on
by the Interior Department alone, and
when the facts were learned the matter
was placed in the hands of the United
States district attorney, the local repre-
sentative Of the Department of Justice for
such cases, and grand jury was convened.
The result Of the investigation OF the In
terror Department agents was laid before
the grand jury and indictments followed.
The indictment Of the persons believed to
be implicated in the alleged reissue of the
warrants led to a careful examination of
the Chickasaw nation. 1t appears that
some time before Senator Burton was
elected to the Senate he had made a con-
tract with the Chickasaws to represent
them in legal matters. This contract was
not approved by the Interior Department.
which has adopted a policy to disapprove
such contracts. but 1t was considered bind
ing by the Indians.
According IN tho terms of no coptraot
Senator Burton was to receive the sum Of
5000 per annum for his services. TIE
Chickasaw nation is one OF the so-called
civilized tribes Of Indians, and under the
law has absolute supervision over ceftain
matters of tribal government and the dis
bursement of certain funds and revenues of
the tribe Warrants drawn on the treas
urer OF the nation by the governor thereof
are paid from these funds. The general
government, 1t is said has no authority
over the expenditure of this money and 1t
was not until, the government became
aware of the reissue of certain Of the war
rants against this fund, with what was be-
lieved was intent to defraud. that 1t took
steps to make an Investigation Of this part
OF the financial affairs OF the nation,
The money paid to Senator Burton was
paid entirely from this fund. 1t Is declared.
and the warrants therefore were on file
in the office Of the trea Surer of the nation.
When the investigation Of the reissue of
certain warrants was made 1t was found
that the amount represented by the re-
issue was very large sum. and that the
warrants were not reissued in regular
series OF sequence. but at various times
AS all the warrants were numbered 1t he
came necessary to make a careful exam
nation of every warrant that had been Is
sued, and 1t was in this investigation and
the annexation of the names of the payees
Of all the warrants that those payable to
Senator Burton and his brother were found
They were noted. just as all the other le-
Ultimate warrants were noted. by the Of
af ha r Voa nf of of
found that the warrants naming Senator
Burton as payee were all issued prior to
his election to the Senate and that after
that time, up to the present. the warrants
were all drawn In favor of his brother, Mr..
Zachary T. Burton. to whom the contract
for the legal work for the Chickasaws had
been transferred
1t Is stated that in the report made to the
Department of Justice of the cases against
the persons who have been indicted for
fraud there Is a record that shows the
name of the payee of eveAJ warrant issued
by the Chckasaw's treasurer, including
both the payees of the fraudulent warrants
and those that were legitimate. and that
the name Of Senator Burton and his brother
appear on twenty-six warrants OF the lat
ter class. 1t Is stated that the representa-
tives OF certain Kansas newspapers opposed
politically to Senator Burton found this rec
ord at the Department of Justice recently
Senator Burton. This, 1t Is stated. Is the
history Of the statement that was given
wide publicity this morning. Senator Bur-
ton is declared to have had nothing to do
with the alleged fraudulent warrants in any
shape or form.