Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1910-08-16
GRABBED LAND
Of INDIAN
MINORS
SYSTEMATIC ORGANIZATION
REVEALED AT INQUIRY
Witness Tells Committee of
Case Where Expenses Of.
Sale Were S2,075 More
Than Property Brought.

IBy Morning Journal Sneciaf Isasea Wirel
sulphur, Okla, Aug. 15.-Details oi
a scheme by which land owners" or
gsnized Systematically to enrich
themselves at the expense of minor
Indians were related at the congress
sional investigation into Indian land
affairs today.
In one instance it was asserted the
cost Of disposing OF the property OF
one eighteen year old Indian was s2,-
O75 more than the property brought
and the condition which premitted
this and similar deals was declared
to be "a disgrace to Oklahoma"
Hearing that the scheme prevailed
generally. Representative Phillip p.
Campbell of Kansas member of the
Investigating committee. had put on
the stand James Marlborough. q Chick
asaw Indian by intermarriage.
do you call this sort of thing graft
ing or Just plain stealing? ?" asked Mr.,
Campbell, after the witness had re-
lated the circumstances.
We'll. the people down our way
think II is scandal that the laws per-
nit such a thing and we think it is
time that congress take notice Of it.
The probate court at Durant allowed
the guardian to sell for $1,000 a tract
of 140 acres of what is known as al
lottcd land owned by an 1S-year-old
child.
The guardian then put in a claim
on the proceeds. The claim included
$50 for acting as guardian. 1850 for
lproving the land. $500 for bar
$50 for posts. $3.50 for fences, SOS for
witness fees and money for other pur-
II was found when the deal
was closed that the child owed his
former guardian $2.0f5 and now the
guardiaIl Is tifreatening to have prop
erty Of tho child sold in order to get
The $2.075.
Il know Of another case in which
325 ncrcs were sold for an Indian
child and when all the claims were
paid the child got $3.50. In another
instance. $1,000 was obtained for 200
acres, but the child got only s120. In
other words the children of deceased
Indians in this state where are located
one-third of all the Indians in the
United states arc Systematically being
robbed Of the estates allotted them by
the government. The property is sold
at prices dictated by the land robbers.
The children are being robbed at both
ends. 1T one end by their guardians
and at the other by the purchasers
do you mean to say that such |
things are countenanced by the pro-
bate courts?'
xrt
of the judges. Thousands !
nf acres Of property thus are taken
from the Indians and their own into |
the hands Of white people. The IN
dians are getting poorer and the land |
srabbcrs richer
Most of today's testimony was given |
by witnesses for the defense. ]. +.
whose 10000 contracts al /
lowing him a ten per cent attorneys |
fee for the sale of $30.0O0,0 600 worth |
Of Indian land caused the present in |
vestigation sought to show that a |
large percentage of the signers were
still in favor of his terms. A dozen |
chickasaw Indians testified they were
willing to 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 he had contracts
with 100 freedmen or negroes who
'laim Indian blood or claim to be de-
icendants of former slaves of Indians.
These freedmen assert they were
kept off the citizenship
rolls, on the basis of his contract
Mr. Crews said he would be allowed
% per cent attorneys fee. A citizen
ship right is estimated to be worth
5000. The 700 claimants. If success
ul IN litigation IL was said. would ac-
luire claiin on the government Of
'bout sS.500.O0 The attorneys fee
involved would be s1,225.00O, it was
Mr. Crews said he had also contracts
With about 100 negroes who desire to
axe advantage of a right to purchase
wenty acres of land at an appraised
in addition to the twenty
lcres of land given them as freedmen.
-ndcr the contract. Crews is to fur
iish the cash to purchase and is to
eceive in return one-haIf OF the land.
In another sct of contracts he said.
bout 1,200 Choctaw Indians in Mis-
lssippi want 20 get enrolment here
~ twenty-five per cent basis.