The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1908-03-09
CURIOUS INCIDENTS
NEEDS EXPLANATION
Especially The Dismissal Of
Indictments Against Ger
Tain Lawyers

Special 10 Daily Leader
Washington, ID. G. March g.--lf
there was any crookedness IN the pre-
pafation Of the anal citizenship rol.s
Of the choctaw aud Chickasaw Ma
ticns congress wants to know Il no
matter what the light may reveal
The charges against two OF the exc
cutive departments OF the government
as contained IN the cOngr sssi0nal rec
ord has aroused the present congress
ont OF rs ielhagariic state aud the
belief Is current that q congressional
Investigation IS inevitable
Two resolutions have already been
introduced IN the senate on the sub.
iect aud promise 10 be a forerunnec
10 more decisive action by that body
They are directed at the department
OF interior which win be asked for in
formation concerning the charge that
ghe secretary Of interior has had IN
Ms possession information and evl-
dence to show that the ChOctaw and
Chlckasaw citizenship court witch
passed on the citizenship status OF she
people OF those two nations were
hriDed and that no action was taken
with a view OF Furnishing the guilty
people The department Of justice
win he called upon 20 answer the
charges that extraordinary courtesy
was extended To a well known firm OF
sDkiahonla lawyers that had bean in
dicted for taking monies from the
Choctaw and Chckasaw tribal fund on
deposit az the sub.treasury az ST
Louis ana to which they were not en-.
Titled It Is claimed that under in
ftluc1lon Of Attorney General Bona
paffe the defendants were not only
not brought to trial but the indict-
ments were ordered dismissed The
Indictments IN question were dismiss
aed in November q few days before
Oklahoma was admitted into the
Union not however, until w. j. John
son had beon removed rs United
States attorney for the Eastern dis
iriet, Johnson had always contended
that the indictments should stand and
that the men should be brought 10 ui-
a. The department OF Justice how
ever did not see things that way and
Johnson was summarlly removed from
Office because he refused 10 carry out
the departm nt'a Instructions aud dis
miss tho indictments.
The controversy affects 10000 pee
PIE moro or less who claim 10 have
been deprived out OF their rights from
participation IN the tribal property 1i
the two nations on account OF mixed
blood On the other hand II is said
that thousands OF names are on the
rolls who have no right there. This
condition Of Affairs was called 10 the
attention OF congress and resulted in
the creation OF the Choctaw and Chick.
asha citizenship court and the employ.
ment OF Mansfield McMurray and Cor
nlsh to rnn down an fraudulent claims
These lawyers AZ once instituted pro
ceedinga against the 1000 or more peo
PIE whose rights Il was aeen iii TO cor
test with thi result that only about
90 remained on the rolls. The choc
taw and Chickashaw citizenship court
IN which these cases Tere determine
was ia existence rs months and be
fore giving up rs judicial ghost award
"a TO Mansfield. McMuTay aud Cor
nish ? per cent. OF the Value Of each
claim they succeeded in proving as
ifandulent as a fee This fee amount
"a 70 awards 81 1926. 800 and Secre
fary Hitchcock then IA charge OF the