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Show .REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. XXV whom the citizens, though deprecating the movement, were glad to get lid of at any price. Payne with his secretary, one W. H. Osbnru, traveled with the Arkansas City pa.rt.y, and at a meeting held there t,he night before at,arting he is said to hare, roundly abused the Government and the Army. Fromtbe same official sources I learn that every urer~~bwerh o joins the Olilaboma colony pays $2.50 for a; crrtificate of membership therein, of which DO cer~tasr e retaiued hy the secretary arid the relnainder goes into Payne's pockets. The form of certificate is as foilows: [Cspt. D. L. Pagne, president; Eon. J. M. Steele, treasurer; W. H. Osburn, eacretary.1 OFVICE OI. PAWE'S OHLAAOMA COLON^, Wichita, Earns., -- -, I=-. Thia oertifies that -- -, having paid the fee of two dollsrcrs, is s, member of Payne's Oklahoma Colony, is entitled to all the benefits and protection of said colony and an eqnd voice in a11 matters pertaining to and the formation of its looal govern-ment. In testimony whereof the official signatnres of the president and secretary sre hemto subaeribed, and the seal of the colony attached. -- President. -- seweta,.y. I also learn tLat Payne issues "land certificatesn to persons who do not desire to go down t,hemseIves by which he guarantees them 160 acres of la,ud in the GlOklahoma Colony" in consideration of $25, which it is also stated he appropriates to his own use. I have no copy of this last mentionecl certificate; but, even if there are no other cont~rollingiu-fluences at worlr, it is marlifestly a profitable speculation for Payne him-self, who is not likely to desist from starting these expeditious so long as he can find persons credulous enongh to part with their mouey on such wort,hless assurances, or so long as the law ill relation to tres-passers on India~rl auds remains in its present unsatisfactory cou(1ition. From a letter dated June 26 last, addressed to the Department by the honorable Secretary of War, I am a3mlvised that Payne has now ap-plied to the United States circuit court at Topeka, Kans., for an irijuuu-tion restraining military interference with his entrance into and oacu-pation of the Oklahoma district of the Indian Territory, thus bringing up for judicial decisiou the whole question aflecting the status of sail1 district; and that, the matter has been referred by the War Depart-ment to the Attorney-General to take such measures as may be deen~ed uecessary to protect the interests of the United States in the premises. I respectfully recom~uend that the attention of Congress be specially drawn to these aggressire movements on the Indian Territory lands as illustrating the urgent necessity for speedy and effective legislation, in regard to trespassers. |