The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1914-08-23
TRIBAL MONIES
NOW REACHING
CH|CKASAWS
JUDGE W. II. WOODS, PROBATE
ATTORNEY, is HERE CONFER.
RING WITH J. B. MOORE-PRE.
CAUTIONS BEING TAKEN.

Judge w. ii. Woods Of Purcell
' Okla, who resigned the county Judge
ship in McClain county to accept q
probate attorneyship for the Chicka
saw nation, was here yesterday con
ferring with J. b. Moore, who is also
a probate attorney for the same ma
tion. Under the rules of the com
missioner of Indian affairs, the Chick
asaw payment now in process of be-
ing made was to be under the super.
vision of Dana H. Kelsey of Musko.
gee, and Reford Bond, tribal attorney
for the Chickasaws. Mr.. Bond is de-
tanned in Washington on matters per-
tanning to the tribe and J. b. Moore
of this city is i'll, and Judge Woods
has been detailed by the United
States commissioner to aid in the
supervision of the payment in con-
junction with Mr.. Kelsey. Judge
Woods has just returned from Mus
kogee, where he spent several days
with Mr. Kelsey in outlining plans
for the payment. The exact number
| of Chickasaws who will receive the
500 payment is 6,304 and the amount
disbursed will be S63O,4OO. OF this
amount there are under process of
payment now $500 claims, checks are
| being sent by registered mail, and it
Is the intention of the department Of
iicials to have the payment completed
| by the first of September. Checks
to living claimants are being sent
out first, and checks to heirs of de.
ceased enrolled Indians will be sent
last, These payments will be sent d-
rect to the heirs and not to admin
istrators and it is incumbent upon
heirs to prove their heirship.
Judge Woods will leave Purcell
Monday to make a trip to each of
the eleven counties in the Chickasaw
nation to act in conjunction with the
county judges to see that the proper
person receives the money that be-
longs to minor Indians. In instances
where there is no legal guardian for
minors, payment is made TO the par
ents as the natural guardian or to
the person in whose custody the mi
nor is, and upon whom he depends !
for his support and proper proof
of custodianship must be made to
the department This payment is |
being made to Indians by blood and |
Chickasaw freedmen are not sharing |
in the distribution of the funds. One |
of the rules governing the payment |
is that the money paid out shall not
be subject to lien for attorneys fees
or other debts contracted prior to
the act authorizing the payment
Merchants and traders are not al
lowed in the offices where payments
are being made to restricted Indians
and every precaution is being taken
to insure that the money is placed
in the hands of the proper person.
PAYMENTS to restricted Indians are re-
quired to come thrcrSh :he field
clerks or other departmental repre-
sentatives. In cases where minors
are married. payments may be made
direct to them in the discretion of
the officers in charge of the payment.
Another rule states that powers OF
attorney or orders given by Indians
will not be recognized.
At the same time the Chckasaws
are receiving their payment, the
Cherokees are receiving their final
payment of S12 each. There are 49,
600 members of the Cherokee tribe
receiving the payments and among
them are Senator Owen and w. W.
Hastings. That payment is being
made under the supervision of Super
Kelsey and Houston b. Tee
hee, a full-blood Indian of Table
quah. who is also a member of the
state legislature and tribal attorney
for the Cherokees.
The rules require that each Indian ;
shall send in an application which
states his postoffce address and 9th
er needful information. One full
blood, in returning his application,
wrote a letter to the department, in
which he said: Need money. Like
Among the prominent Chickasaws
whose checks have already been
made out are Governor Cruce and .
Murray.
Judge Woods stated yesterday that S
he probate attorneys have the ear
nest cooperation of each of the coun-
~ judges in the eleven counties in
,luded in the Chickasaw nation.
Governor Johnston who was recent
y in Ardmore. stated that he was
greatly pleased with the men who
nave been appointed as ATTORNEYS