The Mena weekly star., 1911-09-14
RED MEN MAY
 RECOVER LANDS
Proceedings Started at Idabel, Ok, Which Will Probably Result in Criminal Prosecution
 Fraud Charges.

Idabel, Ok, Sept. 8.--After years
 of discussion and dissension over the reports that thousands of acres
 of valuable lands properly belong
 ing to members of the Choctaw
 tribe of Indians had been turned over to the people for little or no consideration, the matter is now being threshed out by representa- lives of the government, the In- dians and the present owners of the land in question, and at the same time the grand jury is investigating into the matter of returning indict- ImenLs should any evidence of fraud or attempt at fraud be disclosed. This county (McCurtain) in par ticular is interested, being located in the very heart of the Choctaw country. Excitement is more in- tense now than 1t ever has been here, over this or any other prop losition, and practically every resi- dent is interested in the several questions to be decided.
 Charges that the Indians had been Idefrauded out of the title to many thousands of acres of very valuable lands have been made for some years past, but until recently it was not possible to obtain any action on the part of the national govern ment, the natural guardian of the rights of the Indians. Some days ago, however, after the government officials at Washington had consid- eerd a lot of evidence submitted from this section, 1t was announced that the entire question would be investigated by an arbitration com- mittee made up of Dana II. Kelsey, Indian agent at Muskogee. repre- senting the department of the in- terior; Dr. J. II. Stolper, represent | ing the state commissioner of chari- ties and corrections, and T. c.
 Humphries of Hugo, representing the present holders of minor Indian lands.
 This body is now in session here, having completed organization, and is preparing to start it's work of looking into the facts and conditions surrounding every sale or lease of Indian lands. This board is en- powered to enforce the return to the Indians of all lands wrongfully obtained from them, or for which Inadequate consideration was ex- Ichanged.
 The same board, unless it is agreed that a second board shall be Appointed for that specific purpose, will take up the question of the timber leases held by a number of lumber concerns on lands belonging to Indians, in which it is alleged that the lease is unfav0rable to the Indians and for an entirely inade- quate consideration compared with the value of the timber on the land.
 This investigation into the affairs Iof minors in McCurtain county al-- ready has resulted in the resigna- ton of the county judge and it may be followed by other sensations in official circles. The contention of
 the state officials who have been
 Investigating, and of the department of the interior, is that thousands of
 Indians, either minors or incompe- Itents, have been induced to deed
 away their land for practically lnothing, or not understanding that
 they were making deed at all, the
 minors, of course, transferring with
 the consent of guardian and the lapproval of the court.
 1t is claimed that there was a
 conspiracy on the part of five men
 in this county to obtain possession lof all the minor land in the county
 After the state and department of Interior sleuths had spent months Investigating, and had obtained Iwhat is claimed to be absolute Iproof in hundreds of cases, the principal holders of such lands
 that they should arbitrate, and thus save thousands of lawsuits. They
 agree to turn over the records to
 this board of arbitration and let it
 pass on each case, and wherever il
 is found a deed has been fraudu- llently obtained or the consideration
 was inadequate, to turn the land
 back to the Indian owner. This,
 however, does not bar subsequent Icrlminal proceedings.
 | The land men have signed an Iagreement to abide by the decis-
 ion of this board in clearing title to minor Indian lands. When the
 land was bought for little or nc consideration it will either be deed- led back to the Indian or a proper lamount made good. Lands valued
 at S32,000 have already been deed-
 ed back to the Indians. A similar lcommittee will inquire into alleged
 grafting of the pine timber lands in
 the same county.
 l D. c. McCurtain of McAlester, of
 the tribal attorneys of Choctaw h. . dians, has been appointed assistant lattorney general for the purpose lof appearing before the special lgrand jury which convenes in Ida
 bel, in the interest of the Choctaw lorDhan minnns.
 The evidence was recently pre-
 sented to the department of the
 interior at Washington. Mir. Me- Curtains appointment was request cd of Attorney General West hy : District Judge Hardy of MadiIl and