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Show XTI REPORT OF COMMIRSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. district of Arkansas, or the northern district of Texas, according to the locus where the crime was committed. The wurts at Wichita and Fort Scott, Eans., haveexclusive original jurisdiction over all that part of the Territory lying north of the Canadian River and cast of Texas and the one hundredth meridian, not set apart to and occupied by the Cherokee, Oreek, and Seminole Indian tribes ; the court at Graham, Tex., has like jurisdiction over that part of the Territory not so annexed to the dis-trict of Kansas, and not set apart to and occupied by the Cherokee, Creek, Choctaw, Chickasaw, and Seminole Indian tribes; whilst the wurt at Fort Smith, Ark., retains the jurisdiction over all that part of the Territory occupied by the flve civilized tribes. Speaking of this matter the United States Indian agent for the five civilized tribes, in his annual report herewith, page 156, remarks: Crimesare gradually deoreaaing under the veryauperior management of the United States district conrt for the western district of Arkansaa which has criminal jurisdio-tion over this agency, the sotive co-operation of the valuable and emoient Indian police faroe, and theimproving menagement of the lndiancourts. The Indisnoaorts, as arnle,are not well conducted, but ace gmwing more reapeotable under the strong e~luoatiotionf~olr ces st \vork. The orimss committed are not extmorb'1nary in number when it isrememheredthat tbia eauntry, by virtue of itssparse settlement and abbsenoe of State law, makes an exaellent hiding place for refugees from justice. There has been located st this point (Musnsoogee) a United State8 aommissioner, Hon. John Q. Tafts, formerly Indian agent, who has been of much service in the administration of the criminal law. The chief defeat in the administ+on of law at Fort Smith has been the great die- 1 tances necessary for witnesses to travel who live in the remoter parts of this district. I t is as much a punisbmeut on the witness as it is od the accused, almost, for owing to the pressure of bnsinesa before the oonrt he has pmhsbly to make three or four trips, 150 miles eeoh way, acmes the country, and thus ga some 900 or 1.200 miles on horseback to tell what he knows about a horse thief. This is very expensiva, and I people raoold rather let crimea go unreported than endure the loss incident to prose-oution. It would he an immense aming in mileage for its thousands of witnesses, kc., and other costa to the United States Govemment,if the court were moved to Mnscagee or Fort Gibson. It certainly would aeonre a better administration of jus-tice, and relieve the Territory people of a heavy expense in attending thia oourt. Similar representations as to the remoteness of wurts of jurisdiction have from time to time been made by other agents located at different points in the Territory; and whilst the condition of things has been somewhat ameliorated by the act of 1883 above referred to, which dis-tributed the jurisdiction over the Territory between three courts instead of one, as theretofore, I have little doubt that many flagrant cases of crime now go unpunished owiug to the difficulty and expeuse of atteud-ance on the courts as now located. The time-honored maxim, "There is no wrong without a remedy," seems to have no application to the Indian Territory, and some remedy for this unsatisfactory and I may add alarming situation should he wisely considered and promptly applied by Oon~(ress. The in~mediate necessity for the establishment of a United St a t c ~di strict court within the heart of the territory of the five civilized nations, at some conven-ient point accessible by railroad-say Muskogee or Fort Gibson-no |