Annual Report of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs - 1896

Page 76

74 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. In pursuance of these decrees, a census of the Delaware Indians as of May 3,1894, has been made, and upon such census the members of the Delaware tribeiucorporated in the Cherokee Nation have bee11 paid the money awarded them in the foregoing decree. A census is now being made of the.Shawnee Indians, as of May 3, 1894, in accordance with the decree of the Court of Claims, by Special Indian Agent James G. Dickson, under instructions from this office. When said roll is completed and approved, steps will be taken to dis-burse the money awarded the Shawnees. As provided in the decree of February 3,1896, in the case of the freedmen, the Secretary of the Interior appointed three commissioners, viz, William Clifton, of Darien, Ca; W. P. Thompson, of Indian Ter-ritory, nominated by the Cherokees, and R. H. Kern, of St. Louis, Mo., nominated by the freedmen, to proceed to the Cherokee Nation and hear the testimony and ascertain who are entdtled to share in the dis-tribution of the said $903,365. Instructions approved by the Secretary of the Interior February 20,1896, were issued to this commission, who entered upon their duty Apri123, 1896. They havereport.ed their work as completed and are preparing the evidence to be submittea with their report for the consideration and review of the Department. Until the report is received and schedule of names is approved no portion of the $903,365 can be disbursed to the freedmen. In the petition of the several claimants, which was the subject of the joint decree of January 27, 1896, it appears that the Delawares claimed to number 876 persons, and the Shawnees to number 830 per-sons, and the freedmen asked for a new ceusus to be taken and moved to enlarge the decree from $903,365 to $1,300,000. The Court of Claims overruled the several applications. It is kriown that out of this Outle* money the Cherokee authorities paid to its own members by blood the sum of $295.35 per capita. The following statements show what would be required to pay the Dela-wares, Shawnees, and freedmen at the same rate: To pay the 876 Delawares $295.35 per capita would take.. .. $258,726.61 The sum allowed by the Conrt of Cleims is. . .............. -20-5,26 5,00 Differenos .......................................... 53,461.61 -- To p%yt he 830 Shawnees $295.35 per anpita ~ o u l tda ke.. .. $245,140.54 The sum allowed by the Court of Claims ia ................ 168,601.51 Difference .......................................... 76,536.00 To pay the 3,524 freedmen (number an Wnllace approved roll) $295.35 per capita wonld take. .................... $1,040,813.40 Ths wm nlluwed by tlie Court of Claims is.. ............ 903,365. OD Difference ........................................ 137,448.40 -- The Cherokee council, by act approved March 30,1896, appropriated these additional sums to be paid tho Delawares and Shawnees to make their per capita payment equal to that paid $he Cherokees by blood.