OCR Text |
Show COMMISSIONEE OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. lxxix United Staten, including clsima of this oharaoter barred by statute, provided such olaime were panding in the Department March 3, 1885; and claims that were not osrred March 3,1885, a r i~nc luded within the claims to be investigated, although filed sfter the passage of either the act of 1885 or 1886. This 1eaves.unprovided for (1) all claims not chargeable against In-dians by reason of treaty obligations; (2) claims in favor of Indians against Indians; (3) claims of Indians against white citizens; (4) all olaims barred by statute, which have been filed since the passage of the act of March 3,1885. Under said act of March 3,1885, as amended by act of May 15,1886, the work of investigating these claims has been prosecuted during the year with such a force as the limited appropriation of $20,000 would allow, and such progress has been made in their disposition as was possible under the conditions. Among the largenumber of cases pend-ing only a very few have been prepared in compliance with Department rules,oreven in such a manner as to admit of fair and intelligent: action. Generally, the petitions present conolusions instead of facts and circnm-etauces, whilst the affidavits in support thereof are ex parte, brief, and eontain the mere opinions of the affiants, deduced from hearsay or other-wise, thus creating the necessity of calling the attention of claimants to these defects, and then of instructing and dire,cting them how to make the necessary amendments. But notwithstanding the many difficulties presented, 340 claims, in-rolving about $1,025,332, have been examined during the fiscal year ending June 30,1888, by special agents, an? have been investigated and acted on by this office. Eight hundred and fifty new applications have been filed by citizens, claiming indemnities in the aggregate sum of $2,070,055, on account of alleged Indian depredation8 committed between the years 1863 and 1886. The investigations that have been made by the office an$ reported to Congress since the passage of the act of May 16,1886, will be found to eontain full statements of all the facts and circumstances presented in the resyective claims ; such as the places of residence of claimants and witnesses; when, where, how, and by what tribes the depredations were committed; the amount and character of the property lost, and its market value; also a resume of former action taken upon the sev-oral cases, and of the reports made thereon by Indian agents and special agents, together with such findings and recommendations as are be. lieved by-this office, upon a, careful consideration of the testimony, to be just and fair. Upon none of the claims investigated and reported to Congress has any action been taken, except that the House has referred them to a npeeial committee which was organized during the last session and given exclusive jurisdiction of this class of claims. A bill (H. R. 8990) passed the House during the last session, and is mow pending in the Senate, providing for the establishment of a court |