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Show lxgviii FIFTY-SEVENTH ANNUAL EEPOET OF INDIAN DEPREDATION OLAIMS. The seventeenth section of the act of June 30,1834 (4 Stat., 731), "to regulate trade and intercourse with the Indian tribes and to preserve p e w on the frontiers," provides as follows: That if any Indim or Indians, helongingio any tribe in amity with the United Ststes,shdl, within the Indian eountry, take or deshy the pioperty of soy person lawfully within such country, or shall paas from the Indian aountry iota any State or Territory inhabited by citisens of the United Statetes, and there take, steal, or destroy, any horse, horses, or other property, belonging to any citizen or inhabitant of the United States, such citisen br inhabitant, his representative, attorney, or agent, may make appliaation to the proper soperintendent, agent, or subagent, who, upon being furnished with the necessary documents and proofs, shall, under the direation of the Resident, make application to the nation or t,rihn to whioh said Indian or Indiana phaU belong, for satisfaation ; and if such nation or trihe shall negleot or refnss to make satisf~ctioni, n a reasonabln time, not exceeding twelve months, i t shall he the duty of sooh superintendent, agent, or subagent, to make return of his doinge to the Commissioner of Indian Affaire, Gnat such further steps may be taken as shall he proper, in the opinion of the President, to obtain satisfaotido for the injury; and, in the maantime, in respect to the property so taken, stolen or destroyed, the Uoited States guaranty, to the party so injured, an eventnd indemnification : Provided, That, if anobinjuredparty, his repreaentstivi, attorney, or agent, shal1,in any way, violate any of the provisions of this act, by seeking or attempting to obtain private satis-faation or revenge, he shall forfeit all claim upon the United States for such indemni-fication: And provided, also, That, onless such claim shall he presented within three years after the commission of the injury, the name shall he barred. And if thenation or tribe to whioh such Indian may belong, receivean annuity from the United States, such claim shall, st the next payment of the annuity, he deducted therefrom, and pilid to the party injured; and, if no annuity is payable to such nation or tribe, then the smonnt of the olsim shall he paid from the Treasury of the United States: Pro-uided, That nothing herein contained shall prevent the legal apprehension and pun- ' ishment of any Indian having so offended. Under the provisions of this law and nuder various treaty provisions a large nnmber,of claimants, both citizens and Indians, have for years been appealing in vain to the Government for pecuniary redress of per-sonal injuries, and for compensation for property taken and destroyed. Prior to July 26,1866, when section 2097 of Revised Statutes was enacted, prohibiting the application of Indian funds otherwise than as expressly provided by law, a few of these clailns were paid out of treaty funds by Indian agents and by special legislation; and since that time, under said act, and section 2098 Revised Statutes, a few more claims have been paid by special appropriations; still leaving more than five thousand petitiouers anxiqusly awaiting some adequate and definite legislation for their relief. The act of March 3, 1885 (23 Stat., 376), as amend& by act of May 15,1886 (24 Stat., 44), making appropriations for the investigation of Indian depredation claims, is limited in its proviuious, and under it, as construed by the Department, the following classes of claims only are entitled to investigation, to wit: Such claims in behalf of oitieens of the United States as may be aherga&le against any tribe of Indians by ressan bf any treaty between such tribes and the |