The Minneapolis journal., 1906-08-15
TRICkSTERS UNLOAD
INDIAN MORTGAGES
White Earth Land Grabbers Are
Frightened. Declares Com
! missioner Leupp.
Finds Charges Of The Journal
True-Pledges Effort to
Punish Leeches.
BY n. c. Stevens.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 15.-EThe inter-
ests of the Indians will be cared for to
the full extent of the government s re-
sources and facilities. -
Commissioner Leupp of the Indian bu-
reau, relative to the White Earth In
dians. upon his return to Washington
last night. He spent day of personal
investigation at the agency and another
day with Agent Michelet in Mime
apolis.
"The records of every one Of the
mortgages recently executed by mem
bers of the tribe are being examined
and information as to the methods un-
der whieh they wesS pFoe4red Is being
1.-THE result of this activity on our
part is already apparent. One or two
of the men who loaned money to In
dians have thrown up their hands and
returned the deeds to the Indians with
whom they dealt. In other cases the
papers have been turned over to the
United States district attorney with
instructions to make an examination
to see if prosecution will not lie against
the persons who procured execution Of
the mortgages. Other cases are to be
placed before that official as fast as
they are investigated.
Money Spent, Sober Now.
Mr.. Leupp's investigation, altho
short one as to time, led him to indorse
Agent Michelet s report that drunken
ness and 1squandering their money was
eentage nHnsa Of Of mfSed bIoodsHthose Who Who
would have done the same thing under
any circumstances which gave them
control of money in any considerable
amount
'.Those Indians are natural spend
thrifts and would have spent their
money on drink and other follies had
they obtained it thru big interest pay,
ments, or from the sale of an inherited
tract, or in any other way he said.
~ know some of them personally and
am thoroly convinced of the truth of my
statement. They have now squandered
their money and in consequence there is
not SO much excitement in the vicinity
weeks ago.
"Were any one Of the better behaved
and more provident Indians included in
the number who mortgaged their hold
tngsS' Mr.. Leupp was asked.
Good Indians Bilked.
Unfortunately, yes,'' was the re-
ply Il was told that some of the
better class of Indians were induced
to mortgage their holdings thru state
ments that bordered perilously close to
violations of the law. Representations
the loan and the signing of the mort
gage note did not bind them to any
thing-that the transaction was merely
the same lines. There are cases in
which the government will get after
the landgrabbers and seek the annul-
ment of the mortgages. 1t was in
some such cases as these that the hold
ers of mortgages gave up the papers
and got out from under.
Commissioner Leupp Is looking for
ward to more or less trouble regard
ing the determination of whether OF
not some Indians are mixed bloods OF
full bloods- He said that some of the
Indians who were protesting last yeal
against allotments of timber land tc
mixed bloods, claiming that they, as
full hloods, were being cheated out OF
mixed bloods, and therefore entitled tc
the benefit of the new law.
=, Landgrabbers Deceived?
He also admits the probability tina
some of the white landgrabbers have
been victimized into loaning money tt
thefull bloods who claimed to be mixet
bloods. These Indians may be able tt
secare some sort Of proof that some
onE of their female ancestors married
white trapper or trapper trader sew
ersl generations back, testimony which
officials may not rely upon entirely
but which would have to be refuted
Bat Indians in this class, and in fac
al Indians claiming to be mixed bloods
e5out whom there is a shadow of doubt
will be required to furnish proof 0.
the presence of white blood in thei
veins before the Indian bureau will
will it that they are entitled to tn,
benefits Of the act.
Mr.. Leupp foresaw this latter diff