| OCR Text |
Show recommendation. After some further corresponaence with Captain Beck regarding the status of affairs, on June 5 the Department granted authority for the temporary employment of 50 additional Indian police to aid in the removal of trespassers, such employment to commence July 1. In the meantime the War Department had issued an order for shipment to Captain Beck of 20 Springfield rifies with a supply of ammunition for the equipment of his entire police force. This order was later changed by the War Department? June 14, upon the recom-mendation of this office, directing the shipment of 70 Springfield rifles and a supply of ammunition to Captain Beck for the equipment of his police force. Captain Beck, having thus received authority to increase his police form, and being supplied with arms aud ammunition from the War Department, proceeded to prot'ect the interests of the Indians in accordance with the decision of the United St.ates circuit conrt of appeals, by attempting to evict all the illegal lessees-those who had not entered into lawful leases under the regulations of the Department. Some evictions had been made and the wv.k was proceeding when, on July 18, Captain Beck telegraphed the office that an injunction against himself, the agency employees, and several lessees who bad leased properly had been issued by the district court of the State of Nebraska; and that men from Ponder were in Omaha buying arms and ammuni-tion to arm 100 deputies to arrest his police, and he asked for troops to protect liis police in case an attempt was made to arrest them. He also desired instructions as to whether or not he should obey the order of inj~~nctionT. he office telegraphed him on the same day that it could not advise him to disobey the injunction issued by the State courts, but advised. him to consult with the United States district attorney as to what steps should be taken. A copy of Captain Beck's telegram was sent to the Secretary of War for his information. On July 29, in response to office letter of the 26th, Captain Beck made a report as to the status of affairs. Abont the 1st of August the office received, by reference from the Department for report, a communication from Hon. William V. Allen, Hon. John M. Thurston, Hon. George D. Meiklejohn, Eon. W. E. Andrews, and Hon. J. B. Strode, of the Nebraska Congressional dele-gation, dated July 25,1895, relative to au unofficial investigation made by them of the troubles growing out of the leasing question at the Omaha and Winnebago Agency. They recommended that the sub. lessees of the Flournoy Company be permitted to harvest and remove their present crops, without further molestation on the part of the acting agent, and that ail immediate and searching investigation be made of the affairs of the agency. A full report upon this communi-cation was made to the Department on August 3. |
