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Show 130 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. changed its bed, and that on account of an opinion by the Assistant Attorney-General and correspondence with the Department on the subject, the lands, which are shown to have formerly been south of the Red River, but are now north, were omitted from the sorvey of the Indian Territory. This presents a rather serious condition, inasmuch as it is quite certain that if the river will in one case change its bed by taking a short cut aoross instead of going aronnd a bend, so as to throw land north of the river that was formerly south, it would also in like manner change its bed throwing to the south land that was formerly north; but as the Geological Survey had no authority to make any investigations in Texas there was no data to determine whether in the changes of the river the State of Texas or the Choctaw Nation is the loser. Mr. Fitoh suggests that a commission he appointed for the pur-pose of establishing the boundary between Texas and the Indian Territory, and it seems to this office that this is very desirable. INDEMNITY FOR LYNCHING OF SEMINOLES, INDIAN TERI$ITORY. In the last annual repor: a full account was given of the torturing and burning of Seminole Indians at the stake, by a mob of white men from Oklahoma, in revenge for the killing of one Mrs. Leard, a white woman living in the Seminole Nation. It was also noted that Congress had appropriated (in act approved July 1,1898) a sum not exceeding $20,000 as indemnity to be paid other members of the Seminole Nation who had been injured by the mob. January 4,1899, the Department transmitted to this office a report dated December 20,1898, from J. Gwrge Wright, United Btates Indian inspector, giving the names of the Seminoles entitled to '$indemnity for injnries or aggressions" wmmitted upon them, and also the amount to which each one was, in his opinion, entitled by reason of personal injury, loss of a relative, or destruction of property. January 19,1899, after consultation with Inspector Wright, the office submitted to the Department a statement of the injuries sustained by each of the twenty. four persons found to be entitled to remuneration, with recommenda-tion made as to the amount that should he paid in each case,as follows: 1. Thomas MoGeisoy: (a) For smonnt of property destroyed ...... $1,113.25 (6) For the burning to death of his eon Lin- coln .................................. 5, 000. 00 $6,113.25 2. Mrs. Sukey Sampson: (a) For amaunt of property dentroyed ...... 82.50 (b) For the burning to demh of her son Pal-mer ................................... 5,000.00 5,082.50 3. John Wsshington: (a) For severe personal injoriea ............. 500.00 (6) For property. bst ....................... 53.00 533.00 |