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Show REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF INDIAN AFBAIRS. 99 Senate as to what steps had been taken to ascertain the facts in the w e and to punish the alleged offenders, information and copies of wr-respondence were given, which will be found in Senate Doos. Nos. 98 1 and 99 (parts 1a nd 2), Fiftyfifth Congress, second session. In the latter part of January last Hon. John T. Brown, principal chief of the SeminoleNation, officially advised the Department of theoutrages , perpetrated upon members of the nation, and requested, "in view of article 18 of the treaty with the Greeks and Seminoles dated August 7, I 1856, whereby the Seminole Nation was promised protection and guar- 1 anteed indenmity for all injuries resulting from invasion or aggression," that a suitable person be appointed to ascertain and report the facts aa 1 to the burning of the two young men and the inhuman torture of other ~eminol0In dians, and also to ascertain and report npon the amount and ( value of the property destroyed or stolen by the mob, to the end that 1 indemnity might be made by the United States for iqjuries sustained. Article 18 of the Seminole treaty proclaimed August 29, 1866 (11 Stats., p. 704), provides as follows: The United Sbtes shall protect the Creeka and Seminoles from domeatic strife, from hostile invasion, and from sggreseion by other Indians and white persons not subject to their jurisdiction and lews; md for all injuries resolting from such i n v s siou orsggrwion full indemnity ishereby gumanteed to the party or partieninjured out of the Treae.org of the United States, npon the same principle and aooording to the same rulea opon which white persona are entitled to indemnity for injuries or aggressions upon them committed by Indians." In accordance with Department instrnctions of January 24,1898, Dew W. Wisdom, United States Indian agent of the Union Agency, Indian Territory, was directed by this office, January 27, to make the investi-gation, and was instructed as follows: In aceordanoe with the above instmctiona, you will at once make the desired investigation in the premises. Of course, you will take sufficient time in thia work to make it thorough and complete; and, 80 far as possible, a11 the evidence obtained ahould ba supported by proper ltnd sufficient proof in the form of affidavits, eto. It in preanmed in this case that many claims will he made for danusges, and great care should therefore he taken in investigating the same, to the end that none hut those juatly entitled thereto shall he reported to this Department. The method of procedure in making this investigation will be left largely to your own judgment and disoretion; hut it is desired that all parties to this unfortnnatts affair ahould he given a, full hearing, ssd should be allowed to submit such evidenoe in relatien thereto as they may have or wiah to offer. The agent's reply of March 29,1898, was transmitted to the Depart-ment in office letter of April 4 last. In this report the agent stated in effeot that Thomas S. McGeisy and Mrs. Sukey Sampson were the only parties who suffered any loss of property or damage to property at the bands of saidmob, and that thefollowingparties, Peter Ossanna, Kenda Palmer, Billy Goker, Chippie Doker, Cobley (or Dopley) Wolf, George P. Harjo, Samuel P. Harjo, .Dnffy P. Harjo, Johnson McKaye, Sever Parnoka, John Washington, George Eernells, Thomas Thompson, Johnny Palmer, Sam Ela, Sepa Palmer, Shawnee Barnett, and Billy |
