The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-08-16
Sensational Testimony on White
Mans Way of Getting Red
Mans Land.
YOUNG HEIRS OF DECEASED
INDIANS EASY VICTIMS
Statement Is Flatly Made That
Courts Know and COnniye
at Fraud.

SULPHUR, Okla, Aug. 15.-Details
of a scheme by which Gland grabbers -
organized systematically to enrich
themselves at the expense of minor In
dams were related at the congressional
investigation into Indian land affairs
today.
In one instance 1T was asserted that
the cost of disposing OF the property of
one IS-year- old Indian was S20T5 more
than the property brought and the con-
dition which permitted this and similar
deals was declared to be "a disgrace
to Oklahoma. =,
Hearing that the scheme prevailed
generally, Representative Phillip I.
Campbell Of Kansas, a member of the
investigating committee, had put on the
stand James Marlborough, Chickasaw
Indian by intermarriage.
'tDo you call this sort of thing graft
ing or just plain stealing3" asked Mr.
Campbell, after the witness had relat-
ed the circumstances.
Indians Aroused.
'EWell, the people down our way
think 1t is a scandal that the laws per-
init such a thing and we think it is
time that congress takes notice of II.
The probate court at Durant allowed
the guardian to sell for S2S00 a tract
of 140 acres of what is known as al
lotted land owned by an 1l-yearold
child.
'FThe guardian then put in n claim
on the proceeds. The claim included
$3.50 for acting as guardian, sl650 for
. improving the land, $500 for barn, $50
FOR y is, $3.50 for fences, sos for wit
ness yees and more money for other
purposes. 1t was found when the deed
was closed, that the child owed mis- for.
mer guardian $2075 and now the guar"
dian is threatening to have property
Of the child sold in order to get the
f2075.
81 know of another case ia which
325 acres werc sold for an Indian child
aud when all the claims were paid the
child got $3.50. In another instance
$500 was obtained for 200 acres, but
the children Of deceased Indians. in this
state where are located one-third of all
the Indians in tho United States are
systema matically being robbed of the es-
tates allotted them by the govern
ment, The property is sold at prices
dictated by the land robbers. The chill
dren are robbed at both ends-at ono
end by their guardians and at the 9th
cr by the purchasers"
Declares Courts Connive.
"Do you mean to say that such
things are countcnanced by the probate
courts?''
eyes, they go on with the full
knowledge of the Judges. Thousands
Of acres of property thus are taken
from the Indians and thrown into the
hands of Write people. The Indians
are getting poorer and the land grab"
hers richer -
Most of today's testimony was given
by the witnesses for the defense. j. T.
McMurray, whose 10000 contracts al
lowing him a 10 per cent attorneys
fee for the sale Of 10000, 900 worth
of Indian land caused the present in
Vestlgation sought to show that a large
percentage of the signers were still
in favor Of his terms. A dozen Chick.
asaw Indians testified they were willing
10 increase the fee if 1T would result
in the prompt sale of allotted lands
held in trust by the government.
Thomas b. Crews, an attorney Of st.
Louis. testified that ho had contracts
with 100 freedmen or negroes who claim
Indian blood or claim TO be descen-
dants of former slaves of Indians.
These freedmen assert they were wrong
fully kept OF the citizenship rolls On
tho basis of his contract Mr. Crews
said he would be allowed 50 per cent
attorney s fee. A citizenship right is
estimated to be worth $4,000. The 700
claimants, If successful in litigation,
it was said, would acquire n claim on
the government Of about So 800 900. The
attorneys fee involved would $l,e25,-
900, it was estimated
More Fat Contracts.
Mr.. Crews said he had also had con.
tracts with about 100 negroes who de.
sire to take advantage Of a right to
purchase twenty acres of land at an
appraised valuation in addition TO the
twenty acres given them as freedmen.
Under contract, Crews is to furnish the
cash to purchase and is to receive in
return onchalf of the land.
In another set Of contracts. he said.
about 1900 Choctaw Indians in Missis.
sippI want 10 get enrolment here on a
% per cent basis