The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1913-01-18
0SAGE INDIANS
Make SERIOUS
CHARGES TO-DAY
Claim Secretary Fisher of the
Interior Department is
Trying to Coerce Them.
UNCLE SAM OIL co.
MAKES SAME CLAIM
Declare He Used His Once to Force
Indians to Make Leases Suitable to
Htni-Allegations are Denied by
Secretary Fisher.
UNCLE SAM OIL co. -.
MAKES SAME CLAIM

washington, Jan. 18.-Seven depoU.
ed members Of the Usage Indian
council. recently removed by secre-
tary Fisher because, the secretary
charged 1t had been shown that undue
influence had been used among the
Indians to prevent the contamination
OF valuable oil land leases. have filed
complaint with the house Indian az
fairs' committee. charging that the
secretary's action was taken to coerce
the Indians into executing the kind
and character Of Oil and gas leases he
desires and to persons he desires
When the secretary removed the
councillors he declared the most ad.
bid for oil lands the tribe
had ever received had been rejected
by the council in favor Of a less IA.
vorable one. and when the interior
that one oil company had Influenced
the council from executing another
lease.
The charges that Secretary Fisher
attempted to coerce the Usage Indians
into leasing lands to the Standard
OIL company were followed by coun-
ter charge by the secretary that the
Uncle Sam Oil company attempted to
acquire fields under circumstances
which were threatening proceedings
by the attorney general. Meantime
the seven Osages, members of the
tribal council, who were removed on
January by Secretary Fisher, be-
cause, he said, 1t was found they had
been "unduly influenced" by the Uncle
Sam company, went to the district SUI
preme court and got QUIT a manda>
mus. calling on the secretary to show
cause next Tuesday why they should
not be reinstated. Certain leases to
the Uncle Sam company have been
thrown out by the secretary. and a
bill is now pending in the, house to
compel the secretary to validate them.
Wilson Makes Charge.
Uncle Sam company, in a brief, de-
''The Standard Oil company is en-
deavoring to block the efforts Of
the Uncle Sam company to secure this
lease because the Uncle Sam company
could then become a competitor Of
the Standard Oil subsidiaries in the
field"
"But the Uncle Sam company" he
has been harassed by ev-
cry device known to the oil trust and
has met with the constant, persistent
and unreasonable opposition Of the in
terior department.
The secretary Of the interior, for
the purpose Of intimidating and coerc-
ing the Usage Indians into electing a
new council, which will obey his in
structions. has published statements
that many OF the Indians
would be arrested or indicted upon
some charge because they were in ia
vor Of the leases of the Uncle Sam Oil
company. The Uncle Sam company
fought hard against the Vaccinations
of the oil trust. The oil trust has had
the advantage of having the assist
ance Of the former president cabinet
officers. the postoffice department, the
interior department., some federal
Judges, federal district attorney and
many other lesser federal officers, but
they have fought the fight to esttab-
ltsh their company. It was genuine
Independent oil company and an act
ual bona fide competitor of the trust. {"
Fisher Replies.
Secretary Fisher replied to the
charges. saying:
Negotiations Cor the so-called
leases have been reported to the de-
partment Of Justice and an investiga-