The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1911-10-05
THIS DECISION WAS REACHED
DURING A CONFERENCE OF
COMM ssioNER AND AGENTS.
insufficient ALLOTMENT FUND
Afr Payment Of Present Claims
There Would be Less Than Million
Dollars to Distribute-Other PEI
Capita Payments.

Washington. Oct. I-The Chero'
KEGS of eastern Oklahoma. Al 900 in
nu\lber, will not share in the $40
pc" capita payment authorized by the
last session of congress. because at
ter holding back out OF the accumu.
lared Cherokee fund The sum of ST.
100000 which is tied up by 4 iudg
ment of the court OF claims in favor
0t some 1000 Cherokee freedmen,
there would be less than a million
dollars left to be distributed.
This decision was reached today
ut a conference between Superintend-
ent Kelsey of the Union Agency at
Muskogee, Acting Secretary of the
Interior Adams and Indian Commits
sioner Valentine. In an official state
ment tonight. explaining the decision
of the department in this matter,
Acting Secretary Adams says:
So far as the Cherol,ees are con-
celned it is impossible for the de-
partment AT present to make the $50
per capita payment recently author
lied by congress, or, in fact, any dis
| tribution of tribal funds TO the indi.
vidu2l members of tie Cherokee ma
tion in eastern Oklahoma.
Fund for AIlotments
at IS estimated that it will require
over sl,OOOO0O to eoualize the al.
lotments of the so-called newborn
and other Cherokees already en-
rolled. The court of claims
has recently rendered Judgment in
favor of perhaps about 1000 freedmen
claimants of what is known as the
Moses Whitmire case now on appeal
to the supreme court. If this case Is
not reversed, it will require approx
mately S1,30O,OOO to pay these claim
ants money in lieu of allotments. As
the Cherokees have to their credit in
the treasury at this time only approx
mately $2,225,0 900 it will be readily
seen that to reserve sufficient for the
newborn and freedmen would require
all of this money; and in the face of
the litigation involving both of these
claimants, particularly the favorable
Judgment in favor of the freedmen,
the department considers it absolutely
Incumbent upon it to reserve sufficient
tribal funds therefor.
IF the Whitmire freedman claims
should eventually be denied the mon
ey now reserved for them would in
ali probability be subject 10 distribu-
tion to the individual Cherokees
The resolution of congress author.
Ives the secretary of the interior 20
withhold per capita payments and uss
same for the benefit of the Indians Of
the restricted class, and in all PROB
ability the regulations he will pre-
scribe will carry out the intention Of
congress and provide a method Of
supervising the payments, particular Y
TO the full bloods."
Other Per Capita Payments.
It was further decided at the con
ference that active steps would be
Immediately taken TO make the fall
distribution authorized by the consres.
sional resolution of Aug. 90 of $50 per
capita to the Choctaws, Chickasaws
and Seminoles. It has been planned
to make a $40 payment to the Semil-
oles prior TO the passage of the i)int
resolution.
This payment has been delayed re-
cause of complications governing the
laws of descent and distribution, which
was just recently cleared up by 6
decision of the comptroller OF the
treasury The department has dec!d
ed. instead of paying $40 to make the
payment $50 at this time
Superintendent Kelsey expects 70
return to Muskogee in a day or two
and as soon as The rolls can be pre-
pared and accounting details worked
out the different payments will COM
mence. It is expected, however, as
the Seminole payment has alrea -
been delayed. to make it first