The weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Craig County, Okla.) 1905-1913, 1909-03-26
INDIANS CITIZENS;
LAND DEEDS VALID
Attorneys for Defendants in Aliena-
tion Suits Claim Governments
Right Of Guardianship Is Ended

Muskogee. Okla, Mar 2S-For the
Cherokces. the United States against
James p Allen ct al
For the Creeks, the United States
against II c Malot ct al.
For the -Chickasaws the
United States against Charles f. Nc
Pherren ct al
Fer the seminoles the United States
againat George c. Crump ct al
Such are the test cases upon which
IN the federal court before Judge
Campbell. attorneys for the federal
government and the defendants In the
10000 alienation land suits to quiet
title 10 lands In the domain of the Five
Civilized Tribes are arguing the legal
issues involved ia the controversy up
on the demurrers advanced by the de
fendants to the governments allega.
tlons in the suits
These suits involve in area approx
imately one million acres and IN value
represent at the normal valuation Of
$50 per acre. some Sl0000.000
In order TO facilitate the settlement
Of the questions involved in the con-
troyersy and 10 free the federal court
for the eastern district OF an almost
ntermlnable docket OF litigation re-
quring years TO decide singly the
four cases mentioned above have been
selected as typical Of the govern.
meuts material contentious in each
Of the Five Civilized Nations, and up
on the precedent established IN. the de-
clsions ON these four cases will be
decided the other cases, involved in
the wholesale litigation
Under the terms Of this agreement
o. L. Rider Of Vinita presented the
arguments for the defendants resid-
ing In the Cherokee nation J c stone
Of Muskogee for the Greek nation and
s b. Bledsoe OF Ardmore will present
the arguments on the demurr in the
test case for the Chick-Chock defend
ants and J b Blakely for the semin-
ole defendants
Upon their conclusion tomorrow
Assistant Attorney General Chas w.
Russell Of Washington for the govern
ment will present the arguments
against the demurrers and following
his presentation OF the case from the
government aspect Attorney Stuart Of
McAlester and Senator Robert l.. Ow-
en-. himself largely interested in the
issue of the litigation. will close for
the defendants.
Not less than 400 people-most OF
them lawyers-thronged the federal
court room yesterday morning when
the opening arguments for the defend
ants were begun Il is perhaps the
largest array Of distinguished legal tai
ent ever assembled in one court in the
entire history Of the state or the for.
mer territory
Attorney Rider. for the Cherokee
nation defendants, ii openirg the arg
iiments for the demurrers argued that
the federal government has resigned
its interest m the lands and no .Jst
iall right Of control over the Indians.
who are now, he said bona dde citl.
zens Of tho United states and as such.
contracts entered into by them are
valid and cannot be assailed by the
federal government
Elaborating his claim Rider cited
la number OF cases, the material feat
lures Of which present aspects analag.
ous 70 The present controversy. and
cited the treaties OF the Cherokee
tribe 20 show that the tribal organic.
alton has long since been granted
complete control Of the affairs Of its
members
Continuing he claimed that the act
Of 1901 made an members of the Cher.
olsee tribes nov allottees citizens
lol United states. thereby vesting
IN them the rights OF barter aud sale
enjoyed by such citizens. On this
ground he entered strenuous argu.
ments that the tribe no longer has
need Of a guardian and that IN conse-
quence the government now has no
right 70 enter court as such
Following Riders argument. Attor.
ney Stone presented the claims Of the
defendants, residents Of the Greek ma.
tion
Following In general the line Of argu-
ment previously produced by Rider
he argued the validity Of all transfers
from members Of the Greek tribe on
the theory that as citizens OF the Tn.
tied States they we're free from the
guardianship OF the federal govern.
Aent
To-day Attorneys Bledsoe and Blake
lly will conclude the initial arguments
for the defendants and will be follow
"a BY Judge Russell and assistants for
the government