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Show REPORT OF THE COMMIYSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. 95 But this conclusion did not dispose of the case. The answers and defenses set up in the case raised issues of fact important to the defendants and to the publicwhich needed to beinvestigated and their truth or falsity established. Moreover, there was aquautity of timber lying on the ground deteriorating, and thus threatening irreparable loss toits rightful owner; and in addition to this, certain moneys had been paid on account of the Boyd contract, for the security of which some provision needed to be made pending this litigation. It was therefore ordered that this cause be referrecl to R. M. Doug-las, standlug master, and that he inquire into all the facts connected with the contract in issue, the circumstances 1111der which it was made, the adequacy of the consideration therefor, the existence of any fraud or unfair dealing therein, and iuto any other facts pertaining to the issues involved concerning which any party to this cause might offer testimony, and that he report the same with all convenient speed to the court. I t was also ordered that the Dickson-Mason Lumber Com-pany be authorized to manufacture all the timber already cut and now lying cut on the Indian lands and to dispose of the same, upon giving satisfactory bond in the penal sum of $3,000, conditioned on a full, true, and lawful accounting, etc. ; this part of the order to be vithout prej-udice to any question made in the case. It was also ordered that George H. Smathers have leave to file a full statement of all funds and moneys held by him, as certain trust funds, aild the mode of invest-ment thereof. IOWAS OD KANSAS AND NEBRASKA. When allotments mere made on the Iowa Reservatioll in 1894 it was found that there was not quite land enough to supply all the Indians entitled thereto. The Indian appropriation act for the current fiscal year (25 Stats., p. 902) authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to nego-tiate with the Otoes and Xissourias with a view to purchasing. from them a sufficient quantity of their surplus lands to accommodate the said members of the Iowa tribe; or, to allot to the said Iowa Indians lands that have been or may hereafter be ce,ded to the United States by the Comanche, Kiowa, and Apache, or t.he Wichita, tribes of Indians, the lands thus acquired for and allotted to the Iowa Indians to bepaid for by that tribe. The attention of the Department was invited to this provision of law by office letter of April 27,1895, in which it was stated that thc Indians to be provided for numbered about 20, that about 1,600 acres would be required at a probable cost of $2,000, 'nd that in the opinion of this office it would be better to locate them with the Otoex and BIissoorias. It was also suggested that it would doubtless be found advisable to designate an officer of the Gover~lmentp, robably an Indian inspector, to conduct the necessary negotiations, because the act carries with it no appropriation for its execution. |
