The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1907-06-18
M'KNIGHT OPENS OEagIN
FICE IN
s1ne 1S.-Louis r..
d States district attor-

yslne lS.-Louis r..
Dsti- ID States district attor-
ton Iawton>1ened his office in the
Rem McKniybuilding Just west of the
torp>o agency and thereby hangs
hs appointment as attorney for the
government at this place was secuted
] DN Colonel James f. r. Randlett. the
ldea being to protect the Indians
interests as far as possible. After.
wards, the Cheyenne and Arapsto
indians were added to his care. and
! Wlthln the past few years. Mr.. Nc
| hnlsht has bee1 assigned 10 various
datles throug'Aopt the territory. Lately
ne mas been charged with a vast
amount of work in examining adminis-
'ra'ioh and guardianship matters.
John Blackman. Indian agent re
qdlres the licensed Indian traders TO
Keep thelr Invoices OF bills filed at |
ne agency together with the price |
ilsts showing the amount Of profit on
each and every sale 20 Indians The |
traders nave an arrangement whereby
ehch know how much an Indian is in.
dehted to all the others.
When the semi-annual payment
comes, the collectors present all The
accounts and a settlement is made I'm
basis fair to all, the remainder on
ing 70 the red men Outside. a certain
lne the merchants who credit he
indians wait to capture their man and
get what is coming to them Every
transaction is open to the United
states Indian agent and the nrmer.
oas inspecting officials who visit the
agency. Every trader is under
$4,000 bond.
On the Usage reservation. where bhe
per capita Payment is s175 TO s2eO
per year Il Is necessary to create fhe
post OF Indian Trsder supervisor an
onicial who acts as a go-betwecn for
the Indians and the traders.
II Is now proposed to add TO Mr.
Mcknights duties as legal represen.
tative the task of supervlsine tbatr
trading relations. Hereafter there win
be dead lines and the traders tent
placed within them. conveniently near
ections d
Mr- Mcknight is full of homes that y
~ can conduct the Business in a way =
~ ~ lsinoVe the cause OF friction His :
I'm Is 70 allow every merchant in the =
oNns 70 gre bond and receive license I,
20 trade under the supervision of :,
ne agency, receiving in return the pro -
ata hhe collections at the paymen, g
ne lending Of money to the Indians y
u more than ~ per cent will be ~
onsht as strenuously as ever.
In MS annual report 10 the interior y
department. Indian Agent Randlett n -
peaking Of the Illegal percent of inter. :,
81 secured from the Indians. saws IN =,
art llhe practice OF nsurious rates ~.
interest from them is not confined
thedespised professional gamblers
u. IS nest generally found 10 be ~ ~
habit OF senior officials of national al
5 Wei 3s state banks. nlastratlo, =
! TIE widespread practices appear in -
le case OF q bank az Gotebo. Kiowa ~ ~
luhiN Okla. against whom srit
as recently instituted I'm the KioUa -
-hi'y CO Ht for trespassine upon -
ie indian reserve Tor The purpnse of 1
'ilecron of usurious interest TIE Hc
ssa was tried before a Jury The qe
'fdence showed that this bank ami. bl'
al mad collected usurious Interest oi
ON tne Indians ranging from $50 ia liu ~
~ per cent. The jury retrrned 10 sul
e court room. gfter being out less eis
an thiry minutes, with a rnanimons i,
'rdlct against the trespasseF of y
,ity and prescribing a fine OF S.. Sn'
as
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