The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1909-06-02
WANTED MORE MONEY
FOR SURPLUS LAND
Was Originally a Part Of The
hez peTCe ROSoT-
WALTON


Special 10 Daily Leader
Perry, Okla, June 2-The Tonkawa
Indians, whose original reservation
and allotments are located about
twenty miles north Of Perry, have lost
their claim against the Government
through decision by the Congress
which dsallowcd their claim for more
money on surplus land which was or
iglually a part of the Neg Perce res
aryation.
The decision Is lengthy and goes
into the recltals OF history OF The
tribe from the time the Government
iock charge of them In 1867, when
they were placed .at Fort Griffin,
Tex, IN order TO protect them from
their ancient enemies, the Conan
chea, up to their removal TO the res
ergaaon north OF this city IN 1885
The old Nez Perce reservation EN-.
braeed @ tract OF land twelve miles
square. or more than 10000 acres,
and In 1892 the seventy.two remain.
ing TOnkawas were allotted ana CIV
en- 1i,009 acres OF this reservation IN
sieltl oi 5000 acres IN the Quapaw
lands which Il is understood they had
agreed TO accept.
0wlng 10 the utter deslltutlon o!
the Indians, the Government deposlt
cd IN lhe treasury sum Of money
equal TO 81 l.2c per acre OF the re-
mellIng $4,000 acres, not that the
inai9ns had legal right to It, but
Il was tased on their actual needs
The Tonkawas were paid the interest
on this fund aud finally they were
allowed 70 draw all Of the principal
In September. 1898, when the Cher
olkee strip was opened to settlement
| L was the intention Of the Govern
menl 10 charge the settlers $3.50 per
acre for the Indians lands, but the
sentiment for free homes" on the
part OF those wanting homes prevail
ed aud Il free homes bill finally was
passed ny Congress, thus Knocking
the lndlgns out Of receiving any pay
io their lands as expected.
Notwithstanding this setback, the
Indians found lawyers who were will.
Ing To take the matter up and prose.
cute Il claim against the Government
aud It Is this decision that has beea
reported adverse TO them that the
Congress has iual made. The suit
Was nlai for the difference between
a7 l.2e and $3.50 on this $4,000 acre
Of land which the Government claims
il had no intention Of giving them.
The suit has been up before the m
terIar department and Congress sew
esll times. aud only recently Il waa
decided BY the Government authorl'
ties that II never had any .nientlon
If giving the T0nkawas any more OF
Il the Nez perce reservation than they
4 needed. Thus they lose hope Of gain
H ing the large sum Of money they ex-
4 pected would surely be paid over 20
them by the Great White Father
or the original allottments mum
herring seyenty.rwo, more than one
fourth OF the number has been sold
and the Tonkawas lavish expenditure
af money has reduced them to almost
the starvation point. Their condition
Al this time Is reported to be pltiable
lin that they are a shiltless and no
work knd OF people, depending on
the charity of the white man for Nv
Ing. The tribe hss dwlndled until
there are less than fifty OF them re
naming Members Of the once stronp
tribe may be seen daily on the streets
OF Tonkawa garbed In rags aud tattet
ed garments given them by the whites
| II Is said that . full.hlood T0nkawt
was never known TO do days work
for himself or any one else.