The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1908-03-05
MILLIONS IN A FEES.
CONFESS to Search Stories of With
holding of Rights and Delays in
Trials of Indicted Persons.

Two of the big government depart
mentS are 10 be required 10 step forth
into the glare OF the senate search
light and be examined in regard to
alleged sins OF omission and COM
mission in connection with the ad-
ministration of the affairs OF certain
Of the Indians who belong to the five
civilized tribes in Oklahoma.
The department of the interior will
be asked TO inform the senate what
foundation there is in the charges
that the secretary OF the interior has
had in his possession for Ihree months
positive proof of the bribery of GER
tain members OF a court which passed
upon Choctaw Chickasaw citizenship
claims without starting an investiga-
ton for the purpose OF bringing the
guilty persons 10 the bar of justice.
The department of justice will be
asked to make answer to charges that
extraordinary courtesy has been ex-
tended TO certain indicted persons
who were charged with having taken
moneys from the Choctaw-Chicka-
saw fund t. which they were NOT en-
titled and that under instructions OF
the attorney general the defendants
never were brought to trial.
All these charges were spread at
length in the Congressional Record
OF several days ago by Congressman
Stephens of Texas who presented
them to the house i'll the form OF a
brief by attorneys for persons seek
in enrolment as Choctaw and Chick
asaw tribesmen in order TO participate
n the benefits OF certain government
al DEGREES whereby lands were dis
tributed 10 these tribes in severalty.
Senator Tillman has taken the
charges up and embodied them in
resolutions, one OF which he has al
ready introduced in the senate and
which WILL come up for consideration
and a possible vote in the senate.
This resolution relates to the depart
ment OF the interior.
"he other resolution, which calls
for an explanation from the depart
ment OF justice. will probably be in
PRODUCED by Senator TiIlman and lie
over for debate on the day following.
The following is Senator Tdllman's
interior department resolution on
which he will call for a vote and
which the resolution relating to the
department of justice will closely re-
semble.
Whereas, There appears in the
Congressional record of Feb. IL, 1905,
on age 1894, in relation to the Choc-
taw-Chickasaw citizenship court. the
following statement: at rs alleged
that the members OF the ocurt were
brjbed and received as a consedera-
ltion for their decisions a part of the
fee paid these attorneys. Counsel fo-
claimants are reliably informed that
the secretary OF the Interior now has
in his possession positive proof of
the bribery of certain members OF
thai court, the said proof setting forth
the amoun paid TO certain members
OF the court, the tcme and place the
payments were made. and the manner
Of paymen-s.'
This evidence has been in the pos
session Of the secretary OF the inter
Tor for more than three months, and
yet no investigation, so far as counsel
fo- the claimants have been able 10
ascertain, has been inaugurated. and
no proceedings have been instituted
calculated to bring these guilty per-
sons before the bar OF justice. al
,hough the time in which they can be
c%riminally prosecuted is rapidly ex-
piring; therefore,
Resolved by the senate. That the
secretary OF the interior DE and is
hereby directed to inform the senate
what foundation there is for such
charges and to transmit TO the SIN
ate all correspondence. afhdavits, evi-
dence, papers, and information per-
tanning or appertaining thereto"