The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1920-10-10
MILLER BROS.
URGE DEFENSE
George l.. Miller Makes
Statement Of His
Position
ARE FRIENDS OF INDIAN
Indictments Issued On Tech
nical Fault but Indiana
Are Not Complaining

Special TO the world
PONCA cry. oct. O--Thc lndlct-
mcnt of IN, Mllcr brothcrH owners
of the lOl ranch hero, in th" t'd-
oral court ut Okluhumu cry ana the
prosecution of tho ease against ih'm'
together with several utncr ionca
rity business men. is based, II lH
understood here. uu % former th'"iN
Of the roy,tumrni that an lndian
should have 't' patent To- ms hhd
In ma hand before hc dlspuHrF ot
the land whereas the Mill'is con
tend they have perfect i,rtl r&h'
20 buy aud from an indian at.'i
patent has boon issued although hnl
actually delivered 90 him iu hand
The dofonduuW arc indicted ON
charges that state % conspiracy toI
dcfrpud alleging they induced rom
ca Indians 60 make false appIita-
ions for patents and fc'H I" their
lands. and before patents ana fees
were issued, induced the Indians toI
sign deeds. The MILLER brothers to-
day. for the nrpi time. made q state
mcnt regarding the case through
George L. Miller one OF the trio.
He saya
1--WE have lived on the ponca In
dim rcaoryntion and among the
Poncn Indians for about 20 years.
We first commenced to buy land
from these Indians about 10 years
ago: we have bought many thuu-
sand acres ~ land aud we have nj
ways paid "A fair and fcaSonahle
consideration, The Indiana have re-
ceiycd. at all times, every dollar mat
we promised them ana the tuli con
sidcration rccitcd In the deeds. About
rs per cent of our land has been
purchased through the agency OF
the government having been posted
and sold upon scaled bids to the
highest bidder About 20 per cent
OF our land has been purchased from
Indians who have received their pat
ents from the government and tho
land restrictions were removed from
the land. We bought that land by
private treaty the same as purchhs-
ing It from n white man,
What the Records show.
1--WE have compiled record show
ing tho lands purchasod through the
government at sealed bids and also
another record showing the lands
purchased direct from the Indians
after they had received their pat
ents. This comparison shows that
we have paid approximately " more
per acre for the land that we pur-
chased direct from the Indians than
for that which we bought through
the government Mt sealed BIDS. we
have never at any time, defraudcd
nny Indian and the Indians have
always had the utmost confidence
In us, and that confidence has never
been abused.
This prosecution is based on n
former theory OF the government
that the Indians should have the
patents In their hands before they
disposed OF their land and that we
have no right to purchase the land
after the issuance OF patents In
Washington. u. c., until after such
time Ms the Indians have actually
received the patents In their hands
from the superintendent.
"Our contention is that we have
a perfect legal right TO buy lands
from these Indians after their pat
ents have been issued, even though,
In some instances. the patents have
not been actually delivered into their
hands by the local agent or superin-
tcndent, and when this technically
has been settled by the higher cour
this prosecution will fail.
Has Been Indians Friend.
"Thc federal courts have, In sew
erai instances. held that our contcn
tion In right We have no fear tina
these decisions OF the several fed
sral district courts VIII be upheld
During our many years OF ncgoua
tiuns and business with the India
office 1t has always been our polio
and intention TO comply strictly wit
the rules and regulations and To fol
low tho law as laid down by tn
courts. and upon the advice or ou
attorneys.
"Instead OF thousands OF acres
being involved I'm this ContruVcrsN
there are only n few hundred acre
of our land 80 involved; it fact, onl
very small per cent OF the Ian
which we own. We maintain tha
no Indian reservation In the Unite
States has over shown the develop
ment that the PonCa Indian rcserya
tion has had,
81 have grown up with the lr
dians. They have come TO me wit
their troubles, and when they wer
In need. distress and despair. ! haV
furnished food when the were starN
ing, clothing when they were cole
physicians IN their last illness an
ccffins when they died | have bee
called TO their bcdsidcs when the
were diving and intrustcd with thei
personal effects and the care q
their children, and To my person'
knowledge the Indians are still m
friends and not behind this suit an
are satisfied with all the transaC
tons we have had with thom.'
The Miuers' 1Ol ranch control
10000 acres, of which they ow
10000, and they have built up or
Of the best known show places /
the United States. specializing /
recent years in agriculture. hort
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purebred livestock.