Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1909-07-16

cent. TO say nothing OF the millions
they were after. They were told the
books showed they had nothing COM
ing and. government records being
infallible. there was no ground for
argument. SO 1t was. year after
year. as the Indians made their pill
grimages to Washington.
About ten years ago the aspect OF
things changed somewhat when Rob
ert L. Owen. an attorney OF Musko-
gee. ]. T.. was given charge of the
claim. He was a member of the
Cherokee nation through his moth
er's side, while his father was Rob
ert l.. Owen. vlrginian and presi-
dent OF the Tennessee railroad. At
torney Owen was highly educated. he
had wit and judgment besides. and
he proceeded to make things move
The first thing to do was to get per-
mission from congress to proceed
against the government In the court
OF claims and prove that the Fnstlng
dollars Of the ancient Cherokee fund
really lay In the vaults or the treas
ury. He got 1t and afterwards re-
peated the achievement, two hearings
In court being necessary to prove mp
the claims OF the Indians. In the
seven years campaign he conducted
Mr.. Owen induced congress 20 pass
three bills and two resolutions nee
essary In his work. Anybody feeling
that Il Is not much Of Job to get
that much action out OF the greatest
legislative body In the world has
never undertaken any little old task
like moving the Rocky mountains.
Owens Anal contest was to move
the case into the United States SUI
preme court aud he succeeded In that
In 1895 as he had in all that went
before. The record he submitted to
the court consisted OF 2.700 printed
pages. He argued the case against
the skilled lawyers In the govern
ment service and he won a judgment
that the original fund. swelled By the
accumulated interest 10 S., zoe. 900,
belonged to the living cherokees.
The court awarded him a fee OF
5000 which approximates ne
record for stipends for legal services
even In the supreme court.
The decision placed upon govern
ment ofiicials the stupendous task
OF ascertaining who was entitled to
the money. Of seeing to II that none
having rights were overlooked and
that impostors did not get a place
al the counter. A person having one
siAty-fourth part OF Cherokee blood
was a legal member OF the Cherokee
nation and the search. through in
volYed family ties. threatened TO be
almost endless. The list OF hose
entitled TO a share in the fund has
now been completed. however and
contains $4,000 names. It Was made
up from the army Of $1,000 appii-
eants.
The man who won the big light
dnd was rewarded with the princely
fee now represents Oklahoma in the
United States senate.
All Kinds OF Bags.
There are more kinds Of bugs" al
Fort Myer these balmy days during
the Wright aeroplane trials than
have ever before been assembled In
one collection. The insects aren't OF
the common garden yariety-they
are Of the genus crank and the most
buzzlng. persistent and foolish az
gregation yet aggregated.
Wilbur and orville do not belong
to this classification. Far from II.
They shut themselves up in the aero
plane tent behind a dozen husky sol
der sentries simply to get away from
the bugs. Every day there are q
couple Of dozen OF these cranks on
hand sitting as near the scene as the
soldier boys will permit and handing
out free advice 10 everybody who vii
listen. Each OF them knows hos tC
correct the minor defects in tbs
Wright aeroplane-all OF them VII
tell you confidentialiy that their idel
Of flying Is vastly superior to the
clumsy. hit and miss efforts Of tia
Dayton boys. Vastly different.
One OF the bugs shows up At The
press tent on the Fort Ayer parade
grounds daily and illustrates b.
means OF a small piece Of twiste'
iron rod and a tin. prOpelIer-shape'
missile the principle Of the helicop
ter. Apparently be has helicopten
on the brain. He talks heileopter
walks heileopteF and thinks heiieop
ter. His little portable illustration o
the helieopter vas = ehiid's playthinI
IN byronR dayR. bat. az the bug vii