The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-08-18
BIG cHIEF TO CONGRESSMEN.
Head of the Chlckasaws Tells Why Trfbe
Paid MIiiisns 20 Lawyers.

b SULPHUR. Okla. Aug. iI.-'Nevcr dur
ing my ten years service as governor
Of the Chickasaw Nation have ! depoeitec
IN any hank or hanks S5S.noo. and | defy
any hank or hanks so to show said
Douglas n. Johnston shortly after the
Burke committee resumed it, grill Of the
chief Of the Chickawaws this morning
IL developed in the chiefs testimony
that he. a. chief executive of the trih",
and with the approval Of the Chckasaw
Legislature. which the COMMITTEES i'm
plies in its questioning that the Governor
since his election has controlled has
employed J X. Burton and u. I. Burton
at 5000 each year; also J. q. LEWIS.
A. {. CrIce and William n Murray.
Mr. Murray n the Alfalfa Bill Murray
Of Oklahoma constitutional convention
fame Bill Murrays fee was SSO. He
was employed To- Determine wher" ia"
jurisdiction % the United States legins
and ends a. To the ChiCkasaw tribe
After making summary ~ the many
attorneys employed hy the trib" ana
totalling the blg annual fees paid each
Congressman Miller firel point blank the
following question ~ the chief All th"-"
general attorneys were employed prac-
tically at the sam. time Now did Il ever
occur g you that the cnw might run drv''
The chief resting his hands ON the
table and leaning far over coward the
Congressman. showed himself anRered az
the imputation ia. question carried
But he answered calmly and considerably
a. Il addressing one of weak mentality.
saying Now will you accept my version
II these TRANSACTIONS
-l.s.- replied the Congressman as II
awsd by the chief
The bug chief. settling calmly back in
hIs chair. rrCitod thai the ChlckasaN
no fault IL their own, had b"en
forced To- prosecute many suits against
I he United states ~ tn" collection OF
claims justly du" his pao,le and many
suits against "tiIsns Of the United states,
over 3DO IA number. Who had uuIustly
got upon the rolls 81 his trib" through
u rungful Interpretation Of tn" law hN
the nIted states court that Only bv IN"
e sn"cial attorneys ON
e." were his people able {"
%; Inugp'~slOna legislation creating
tn. CitIIenshiI court hv which the ill'-
gallv enrolled were stricken from IN"
rulls saving the tril" IN that IN" instance
nvsr siS.Hp.sH worth Uf ul'll lands, |
hat they had been forced Ia "uplov sp"- !
r'al attorneys 10 yet legislation hy which !
hey we're l.rrnltt"d 10 sue th" Government I
Or tn. claims which should haV" bAen |
aid without suit. that IN" Government |
InJustly allotted the tmckasa~ freed |
men, hat IN tn" suit hy tn tribal attor- /
lsys for the recovery Of IN" value ~ tn" /
ands that the Government had taken
rom tn" Indians and given tn" negro
n" United States had defended IA" me-
yro-s, that TO win tho-e suits many oi
hem involving lntricat. Questions OF
aw. II was necessary in hts opinion and
"a the opinion ~ the tril-, 10 employ mon
Il great legal ability and men capahl"
Il securing the Congressman l"Ci sli'ion
wanted by the tril-. which legislation
vas n-C---ary To correct tn" lnJu-tic"r
II the Government To his people. and
or the collection 81 claims which tn"
Government l. and has ever hH"n slow
20 pay
~ heanng upon tn. chiefs d~fenr"
Congressman amphell read and had
ncorpoTat, a IN the minutes a statement
4 attorneys fees uaii by IN" various
rIh-- Of IN. United States for IN" col
.ctIons 81 claims against TN" Govern
nen' tn" fees totalliuE 81 $40 3n1 -.
which IN" American Indian has PAID
% lawyers the last twenty years
lhv roSs-"NanInatlun Ut IN" chief
nd other Witness d"y"lpu"i nothing
,