The Odanah star. [volume] (Odanah, Ashland Co., Wis.) 1912-1916, 1912-07-12
INDIVIDUAL TRUST FUND ACCOUNTS.

this privilege.
INDIVIDUAL TRUST FUND ACCOUNTS.
Probably the most important work thus
far done, however, has been in the preSen-
tation of certain matters involving the rights
of individuals in respect to their trust funds
accruing under their timber contracts, and
the method of handling those funds by the
Superintendent. This is a very large and
complicated subject, and shall not under
take to treat it fully.
In the presentation of these matters, |
very quickly made it appear to the Indian
Office that there was something radically
wrong in the handling of them at the Agen-
cy. Superintendent Campbell was called
to Washington in December, last, ostenSib-
ly for the purpose of being given opportun-
ity to answer the matters which | had TO
tain politicians, including Senator Clapp and
return without being required to answer
these matters at all; no opportunity was
given me to present them, and apparently
no attempt was made by the Indian Office
to hold him properly responsible for them.
Subsequently, Mr.. L. P. Worrall, of the
Indian Office, was appointed a Supervisor
and sent to Ashland, apparently for the
purpose of examining these accounts and
fixing them up in some way. What the
total effect of his work is l cannot yet state,
as have not yet been given opportunity to
examine it; but in the particular individual
cases which have examined, do not hesi-
tate to state that his work has not protected
the real interests of the Indians, but has on
the contrary tended to protect Superintend-
ent CamrlSsll fronrs the, consequences CT his
own misconduct towards them.
Superintendent Campbell's misconduct
has, however, been clearly shown up by me
in number of cases, and the public records
now show cearly that his retention in the
public service IS utterly ;ndefensiblc and i'm
proper. | snail in the end secure his sep
aration fsom the service; but thus far the
Indian Office has been able to hold on to
him, and is apparently still doing everything
possible to protect him, regardless of his
known misconduct.
Formerly, whenever an Indian was grant
ed authority to make any expenditures from
hlS trust funds, he was required, at the
same time that he signed the check, to en-
dorSe. it in blank and return it to the Super
lntendent. The Superintendent then placed
it in bank to his own credit, and subSe
quently disburSed it--presumably for the
benefit of the Indian and for the purposes
authorized, but actually without any ac-
counting by him which would show wheth-
er he did spend the money properly and for
the benefit of the Indian, or not. At fhe
time | began my work the Superintendent
had in his possession between forty and fif-
ty thousand dollars of this money, not yet
any account to the Government, and for
which the Indians were receiving no benefit.
In the particular cases which / represented,
was able to require the money to be re-
turned to the Indian to whom it belonged;
and understand that following this the In
dian Office has required the rest of it to be
returned to the Indian also, and has ordered
the practice to be discontinued.
l have urged upon the Treasury Depart
ment that Superintendent Campbell should
be charged back with all the money which
he has handled in this way, without proper
ly accounting for it, and that he should be
now required to make full and proper ac
count for it. This matter is now under
consideration by the Comptroller of the
Treasury, and | have every reason to be-
lieve that the action suggested will be taken.
for there can not be any question whatever
that this is the only proper way to meet the
situation which exists in this matter.
Formerly, the Superintendent, under the
guise of returning to the Lumber Co. cad
vanceS" made under timber contracts, made
settlement of store accounts of alIotteeS
having timber money to their credit. This
practice was fully explained in my letter
published in The Odanah Star of May 10.
No general action has yet been taken by
the Indian Ofhce in regard to this, although
the practice is utterly improper and against
the regulations and law, as well as wrong
and unjust. Attention having been called
to the practice, however, and the facts re-
garding it having been established, it will be
easily prevented whenever the Band is per-
mitted to have its own attorney, authorized
to follow the matter up properly and system
atiCally on behalf of the whole band. In
the several individual cases which | have
handled have been able to require that the
money which was improperly paid over to
the lumber company in this way be return
ed to the Indian
The question of interest on money of
which the Indians have been deprived by
the Superintendent has also been the subject
of hard fight, which is still undecided.
There is no question whatever of the right
OF the Indians to have this interest, and in
the individual cases which | am handling |
have no doubt of securing it in the end.
But OF course all others are equally entitled
to ther interest also, and the proper way to
work out the whole situation is through
YOUR dulV authorized tribunal attorney acting