The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1908-03-05
Washington, D. c., March 8, 1908


Special to The Caucasian.
The Congressional Record contains
a statement that it is charged that
Judge Adams Indian Citizenship
Court in Indian Territory was bribed.
That court was created to determine
which members Of the Choctaw and
Chickasaw tribes of Indians were en-
titled to share in a distribution of
many millions Of dollars of money
and other valuable property belong
ing to these tribes
The chiefs of these tribes employed
n firm of attorneys to try to have
stricken from the rolls as many mem
bers of the tribes as possible, so the
amount that would 90 to each person
sharing in the distribution would be
increased. The attorneys were to
have their fee increased in proper
tion to the number kept off the rolls
The Secretary Of the Interior pro-
tested against the size of the fee
promised, and also against the in
crease of the fee according to the
number kept off the rolls on the
ground that it created a strong in
centive to do injustice The result
was that the act creating the court
provided that the court should fix the
fees of the attorneys.
Soon after the court met it is al
legged that close and intimate relations
that seemed to exist between these
attorneys and Judge Adams began to
attract attention and the fear began
to spread that the rights Of the In
dians involved would get but little
consideration. The court by its de-
cision struck from the rolls a verv
large number of Indians who had al
wavs been enrolled and recognized as
members of the tribes and who always
had shared in their common funds
and property.
This radical decision deprived
thousands Of people, who had always.
been recognized both by the Indian
tribes and also by the government as
members thereof. of over twenty mil
lions Of dollars worth of property.
The court followed this action with a
decree awarding a fee out of the
funds of the Indians to the attorneys
of seven hundred and fifty thousand
dollars. The Secretary of the Interior
at once protested against the action
of the court and decided to make an
effort to try to prevent the payment
of such a fee for such an object, but
it was found that under the law Great
ing the court, nothing could be done
but execute the law and leave it to
Congress in the future to right the
wrong.
Legislation is now pending in Con-
gress to set aside the action Of the
court and to restore to those Indians
the property of which they were thus
deprived. Congressman Stephens, Of
Texas, making a speech in support
of this legislation, put into the Rec
ord statement Of facts severely ar
raigning the action of the court. On
page 1894 of the Record appears the
following:
FfIt is alleged that the members of
that court were bribed and received
as consideration for their decision
a part of the fee paid these attor-
neys."
This sensational statement came as
as a great surprise to some, but not
to those who have kept informed as
to the situation.
This writer has been told by every
person VINO mas Talked WIFI HIIH
about this matter from Indian Ter
ritory or Oklahoma, that it was the
general sentiment among the people
down there that the courts action
was unjust and contrary to the evi-
dsnce, and the opinions thus express
ed foreshadow what has at last
reached the halls Of Congress and has
attracted national attention and com.
.ment.
Following the speech Of Congress.