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Show (30M1161SSIONER INDIAN APrILIRS. 43 I am glad to say that during the past year conditions have greatly improved in Oklahoma. In my last annual report I stated that every step was being contested in the courts, and this fact is further borne out by the work during the past year. Actions were brought to com-pel the railroads endeavoring to cooperate with us to accept liquor for shipment into certain portions of the State; a restraining order was asked for and a suit for damages filed against the United States marshal, the chief special oficer, and deputies. Many cases were filed and appealed involving other phases of the traffic, hoping to bring about unfavorable decisions. Probably the most important case involving the liquor suppres-sion work in Oklahoma is now pending in the Federal court. An indictment was returned involving 30 defendants on a charge of con-spiracy to violate the laws of the United States with reference to the shipment of liquor into the eastern district, of Oklahoma. Should the Government be successful in this case it is believed that the back-bone of the " bootlegging trust" will have been broken. I can not refrain from making special mention of the aggressive and efficient prosecution of violators of the liquor laws by the United States attorneys and marshals of Oklahoma. Most of our work in Minnesota has been under the provisions of the laws of the State, because of the decision of the Supreme Court in matter of Heff (197 U. S., 488), and the fact that the majority of the Indians are citizens. The famous Bemidji liquor case was decided by the Supreme Court of the United States on June 8 favorable to the contention of the Government, but on June 22 the appellees were grantea60 days to file a petition for a rehearing which has effected a temporary stay of the enforcement of the judgment of the court. This is an important decision, and if finally sustained will certainly result in great improvement of conditions. We have been actively engaged in suppressing the traffic in intoxi-cants in South Dakota to protect the Sioux Indians and good results have followed. Our work was materially aided by the decision of the Supreme Court in the case of United States v. Sam Perrin, the court upholding the validity of the liquor provision in the act of August 15, 1894, which ratified the agreement with the Yankton Indians. Operations among the Pueblos in New Mexico assumed an active state by reason of the decision of the Supreme Court of the United States on October 20, 1913 (231 U. S., 28), reversing the jud,gnent of the United States District Court in the case of United States v. Sandoval (198 Fed., 539), with directions to overrule the demurrer to the indictment and to proceed with the disposition of the case in regular course. The court outlined the powers of Congress in deal-ing with a dependent people, confirming prior decisions on this sub-ject, and holding that although these Indians have a fee-simple title 63558-1"d |
