The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1912-08-05
CREEK PAYMENTS
ARE HELD Up
FORMER INDIAN AGENT SAYS NO
XCUSE-MONEY SHOULD BE
TURNED OVER.

Mangum, Okla. Aug. 4.--ln state
ment made public here issued by
Martin }. Bentley, former Indian
agent at Shawnee and now in Wash
ington. it is asserted that there is
no valid excuses why the $3,jOO,OOO
belonging to the Creek Indians is
not paid by the department of the
interior and was not paid more than
four years ago when 1t was first al
lowed The money is due to about
$1,000 members of the tribe.
The statement in part is as follows:
Il do not hesitate to frankly say that
the Creek delegation and the national
attorney. who have now for five years
come to this city. remaining for long
periods. having their expenses paid
and large salaries amounting to more
THAI ten thousand dollars a year and
not paid out of tribal funds, but eat
ing up and dissipating the funds OF
their less fortunate brethren and alb
solutely standing in the way and
either by their incompetency or pur-
pose of perpetuating themselves, have
prevented anything being done rather
than promote the thing they are be-
ing rait to do. TIE old Chief Moty
Tiger, of course. could not do any
thing here. Mott has pulled the WOO!
over his eyes. and one to watch them
in Washington would be reminded OF
the mule following an old gray mare.
MI. Mott at the hearings before
the secretary of the interior When
forced TO show his hand at hearings
arranged through no influence OF his,
has talked to suit the secretary and
proceeded along line seeking to in
gratiate himself with the department
officials rather than to defend and
present what he knows to be the viii
and The wish of the Creek Deople. He
recently stated to the secretary Of
the interior at a hearing and in my
presence, that if he could have his
way about it, every dollar due the
Greek people would remain in the
treasury and draw four per cent in
terest rather than be paidto the Creek
people because he was certain thsy
would spend it.
No Attorney Necessary.
IF the department was competent
occasion for a national attorney But
if it is incompetent and cannot or will
not protect the interests OF the Creek |
people lhen the attorney representing
the individual Creek citizens TO whom
this money is due and whose affairs
require the services of an attorney,
should positively be in no way sub
servfent to the department of the
interior.
Heaven knows the laundering.
shameful manner i'll which the de-
partment has conducted the affairs
Of the Creek people. They have been
cursed enough with political fedora
pap 1t is true few have fattened
and bloated on it, but always at the
expense of the many. The depart
ment with Mr.. Motifs assistance pre-
pared and submitted three different
bills, or amendments. TO the Indian
committee of the senate, for the
equalization of Creek allotments, each
providing that first the payment
should be made at an expense of ten
thousand dollars: that the funds of
restricted Indians should be restrict
ed and doled out to the persons tO
whom 1t was due by one of the dis
trict agents. The agreement did not |
provide for any such thing as this,
and congress refused to pass such |
legislation because 1t was unjust and |
impractical, and would have been |
worse than no legislation.