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Show XXIV REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. Lapwai suits. In the matter of the eject,ment-snits of W. G. Langford us. EmployBs of the Nez PercB Indian Reservation at Lanwai. Idaho, certain exDenses of rent, costs, and fees were unavoidably incurred bj'said empldy6s in their defense at the trial of these cases. This exnense was necessarilv incurred, owing to the distance from the agency of'rhe proper United ~ t n r e (sl istrict aiior11(.~H, J well as the dit-fieultg of comluun~ral iow~i~th him or the De l~a r tul r~o~llrtl, lo 1 1 1r~s i-gencies of the case, which exigencies have been promptly and fully re-pnrted to this office. From these facts and the circumstances of the parties who were mulcted with the costs, who are hardly able to bear the same. and in view of the fact that br this course of action thev were euablrd to 110111 the ageuey-l,uildi~~gisn,t i thrrel~ya yert their <l;stroc-tion by the I n ~ l i a ~w~lslo, wo ~ ~ ludr ~d~~ul,tedhlayr e burned thew rnther than allow them to I,RSS into Mr. I.:i~~~t'orI~)ol'sns rssIon, C O ~ P Cs~hSouRld be urged to appropiiate the sum of $750-a; amount necessary to fully reimburse the parties named. Ottawa land. By the determination by recent survey of the boundary-line between the Peoria and Ottawa Indian reservations. in the Iudian Territorv"., i t hus been a~(~rrraiut.cthI at a strip of cou111rye ontaininp2:30 acres of l;ind, hitherto nse~ln ncl held b ~ t.h e Peorins aa n part of their reaer\.ation, lies within the limits of the Ottawa reservation; At the suggestion of the Ottawa Indians, this tract of laud has been purchased and paid for by the Peorias, and it is now recommended that legislation necessary to perfect the purchase of said land he had by Congress at its next session. Legislation is imperatively demanded for the suppression of the sale of liquor to Indians. Since the enactment of the Revised Statutes, the courts have decided that there is no provision of law by which persous selling liquor to an Indian off a reservation can be convicted or punished. I therefore strongly recommend that a law be enacted by Congress making it a penal offense to sell liquor to an Indian anywhere. Revised Statutes. To enable the Department to extend its authority more fully over the various Indian tribes. in its administration of law for their welfare. oro- ~ ~~ tectiou, gorernmcnt, i n d peace, recon~u~e~~daiat imonad e that ~onk;,esn be askrd to repeal the whole of section 2146 of tlln i<ovised Starllres, which withholds from the Cuited States anr inrisdiction in cases of crime committed by one Iudian against the perion' or property of anodher Indian. This is essential for the proper execution of law and the maintenance of order ou Indian reservations. One.half of this tribe of Indians hare left their reservation and are now living with the Osages, and are anxious to sell theirlands, compris-ing 56,685 acres, ant1 consolidate with the said tribe. Maug of those |