OCR Text |
Show (2 dead). Mr. Houston submitted with his report a LLmemorial'd' ated June 6, 1896, from the Osage national council, signed by about two-thirds of the entire tribe, known and designated as full-blood Indians, in which they protested against restricting the examination to those enrolled since 1880, and stated that such limit precludes "the possi-bility of arriving at any settlement that will be final or satisfactory to all parties at interest." They therefore requested as a matter of justice that all persons upon the list presented by them be investigated. Mr. Scott's individual report, dated Jnly 16, 1896, appeared to have been prepared some time prior to hi8 colleague's. He reported as fol-lows upon the 232 names investigated: 80 rights as Osages proved by evidence and recommended sustained by Mr. Houston were similarly recommended; 147 (recommended stricken off by Mr. Houston) were disposed of as follows: 68 rights to citizenship proved by evidence and recommended sustained on roll (one dead); 74 rights to citizenship not proved by evidence and recommended stricken off (one dead); 5 not reported on, children of white men married to Indians after law of 1588. December 29,1897, this office returned the voluminons testimony and evidenoe in the ca ses to the Department, with the fecommendation that but 92 of the 232 persons investigated be stricken from the Osage rolls, the balance, 140, to be retained upon the rolls. The cases were then referred to the assistant attorneygeneral, who rendered an opinion April 6,1898, which upon motions of some of the attorneys was modified and a new opinion given. June 15,1898, he found hut 25 persons to be unjustly and illegally upon the Osage rolls, the remainder, 207, to be entitled to be retained thereon. In view of this final decision, the United States Indian agent of the Osage Agency was instructed July 12, 1898, in reference to continning those con-testees on the Osage annuity rolls who were found entitled thereto, and striking off those who were found not so entitled. BOUNDARY OF ELAMATH RESERVATION, OREQ. Favorable action was not taken by Congress at its last session upon the recommendation of this office and the Department that the Ela-math Indians be compeusated in the sum of $532,270 found to be due them by the commission appointed under the act of Jane 10, 1896 (29 Stats., 321), on acconnt of the erroneous survey of the boundaries of their reservation. Provision was made, however, for the "resurvey of the exterior boundaries of the Klamath Reservati n (so called) in the State of Oregon, in accordance with the provisions of the first articleof the treaty "of October 14,1864. Moreover, the Secretary of the Interior was directed to '(negotiate through an inspector with said Elamath Indians for the relinquishment of all their right and interest in and to any part of said reservation, and to negotiate with them as respects any and all matters growing out of their occupation of said reservation |