OCR Text |
Show these judgments in the same manner as provided in said act of Angust 23,1894. The records of this ofiace show that up to August 13,1895, judgments were paid in accordance with said acts to the amount of $2is,gls.la. The objection still exists to the manner in which appropriations are made for the payment of these claims, viz, looking to their ultimate payment from Indian funds. This subjeet mas fully discussed in my last annual report,, wherein I said that-the aforesaid act of Marth 3,1891, so far as it relates to payment of claims, should either be repealed in toto or be amended so as to place upon the United States the sole responsibility and ultimate liability for the payment of judgments rendered on account of Indian depredations. Admitting that it may have been entirely just and proper to have indemnified persons for losses at the time the depredatious were com-mitted, according to the laws then in force, yet this mas done in bnt few cases. Many of these claims originated at so remote a period that the present generation of Indians can not possibly have any knowledge of the depredatious committed, and certaillly should not he held per-sonally responsible therefor. If the Indians were cognizant of the efiect of the lam as it now stands, I am satisfied that it would be almost useless for the Government to attempt to negotiate with them for the sale of any lands which they now hold. and it could hardlv be called less than a breach of good faith for tile ~ n i t e dS t.~tesU I ueiorinte with Iutli:~~f!o?r; tile s;~l~nt';llrSirI I ~ P I ~ I J lands. : I I I I ~a fterwards, witl~out1 heir kut~wledgoa nd eollsent, a p l~n~l~r i - ate the purchasemoney for the payment of claitiis against their ancestors. With possibly one or two exceptions the annuity and trust funds of all Indian tribes are required for their necessary support, education, and future protection, and the payment of these claims, however just they may be, would simply subject the Indians to conditions of such dependence as would in the end necessitate additional appropriations out of the United States Treasury for their support. DISTURBANCES IN i'JACESONS HOLE " COUNTRY WYOMING. Since my last annual report relative to complaints by whitesin regard to Indians off their reservations huntiug and wantonly killing" game, serious trouble has occurred between the Bannock Indians and the whites in what is known as the " Jacksons Hole" country, Wyoming. A full report of this entire affair was made to the Department August 17,1896, the substance of which is as follows, some of it being quoted from my report of last year: For more than a year past complaints have been made to this office that Inc7ians of the Shoshone Reservation, Wyo., were wantonly slaugh-tering elk and deer that had been driven down from the Rocky Moun-tains by the deep snows and severe weather. The agent of the Shoshone Agency was at once instructed to report the facts to this office, and to take such action as would entirely stop any wanton killing of game by those Indians in the future. He replied that, to his knowledge, no elk or deer had been aimlessly slaughtered by the Indians belonging to that |