Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1908-10-08
SAYS HASKELL
ROBBED INDIANS
Charged With Direct Participation In
Alleged Fraudulent TOVn-Site 0per-
atiOnS In Oklahoma.

Washington, Oct. 3.-W. L. Sturde-
want, of the firm of Sturdevant & Stur-
devant, attorneys, of St Louis, who is
prosecuting the townsite suits in Okla
homa, in which Governor Haskell is q
defendant, has written President Roose-
gelt letter regarding them.
Mr.. Studevant says that Governor Has
kell is charged with direct participation
in frauds through which the Indians
were deprived of their property, and
that his attorneys have played for delay
in the trial of the cases. The letter. as
given out at the White House today, is
as follows:
Dear Mr.. President:
81 notice in Governor Haskell's letter
of date September 80, published in to-
days papers, the following statement:
Yes, believe am defendant as
to certain government town-site lots in
one of nearly II, 900 suits that you have
had brought against as many different
honorable and high-minded' citizens of
this state during this presidential cam
paign year, and you will not undertake
to deny that petty politics for the pur-
pose of RepubIcanizing about 20, 900 In
dian voters was your sole motive for hav-
ing those suits brought; and charge you
with knowing that there has been no de-
lay In these cases, except that occasion
ed by the courts deliberations. taken BY
himself as time he deemed necessary to
consider whether or not there is any
merit in the petition filed by your attor-
ney.'
The above statement regarding the
townsite suits is so imperfect that 1t is
entirely misleading. AL these suits In
which Governor Haskell Is defendant,
except one, were filed in 1907, prior to
the admission of Oklahoma as q state.
HE is charged with direct partici-
patton in tbs frauds through which the
Indians were deprived Of their property,
and the bills seek to hold him personally
liable for the injury thus inflicted. he
has not answered to the merits in sin
gle case, but all pleas filed by his attor-
neys are purely technical and, necessa-
rily, dilatory in effect.
"Mr. Mott, attorney for the Creek Ma
tion, and myself have many times urged
q hearing on the merits Of these cases,
and I have personally proposed several
times to his attorneys Of record that
they file answers in the cases In order
that hearing might be had upon the
merits and the case disposed Of.
'TThese suggestions have never met an
affirmative response, and the result is
that the cases have taken the regular
course on heavy docket. We have an
nounced several times, In open court
and otherwise, that we are ready for an
immediate hearing in any and all suits
filed. This has been done with q view
of obtaining a speedy adjustment of
the controversies, and in order to give
any person charged with a primary IL
ability an opportunity to acquit himself
of such charge, if possible, without
delay.
''This course could have been pursued
without any violation Of ultimate rights,
as jurisdiction over the parties and sub
ject matter cannot be waived in the fed
eral courts. but for reasons probably
sufficient unto them, the defendants
have not approved it.
81 have the honor to remain, with
great respect,
"Very truly yours,
''W. L. STURpEvANT.