OCR Text |
Show office of Indian Mairs, and Mr. Charles J. Groseclose, Assistant Attorney-General's atlice, to examine the books and accounts of these traders relative to their pending claims against Indians of the Osage tribe. The transactions investigated ran back as far as 1888, and covered more than $2,000,000. On May 27,1902, that board made a report to thesecretary showing that 2,625 claims were presented by 26 traders and others, aggregating $646,214.40, of which $139,669.43 was interest, leaving the face of the claims $506,544.97. Their work is reported in detail in House Doc. 643, first session Fifty-seventh Congress, and may be summarized as follows: Number of claims presented. .. ..;. .................... 2,625 Number of claims excluded. .......................... 1M) Number of claims settled ............................. 2,525 h a u n t of tramactions involved in all elsjms ~reaented. $~2.. 089.. 242.74 Claimed, as per c b s presented ...................... 646,214.40 Allowed.. ........................................... 429,59632 Deducted ........................... :. ......... 216,618.08 Deductions as follows: Interest ............................. $139,669.43 Discount.. ........................... 64,401.41 Excluded ............................ 12.547.24 216,618.08 Percentage of deduction on aggregate amoant of transao- tions involved, omit& - excluded claim. ............ 9.82 Pereentqc of dductiun of intereel on m e . ............ 6.72 Ibn:c.ntage of deduction of diecount on name.. ......... 3.10 ~e r c ent akof deduction on m a t e a mount of balances claimed, omitting excluded claims. .................. 32.20 Percentage of deduction of interest on same. ........... 22.04 Percentage of deduction of discount on same ........... 10.16 Number of Indianaindebted to trade s ................. 584 Average number of claims against each Indian, omitting excluded claims.. .................................. 4.32 Greatest number of claims against one Indian .......... 16 Least number of claims against one Indian ............ 1 Grwtest amount due by one Indian .................... $4,894.45 Least amount due by one Indian ...................... $0.26 Greatest amount due by one Indian to one trader. ...... $4,640.37 Least mount due by one Indian to one trader ......... 83. 04 Number of claims extinguished by deductions. ......... 26 Amount of claims extinguished by deductions .......... $2,543.46 Average individual indebtedness .................. . $735.61 The act of March 3, 1901, further provided: When the amounts due shall have been determined and adjusted, the Secretary of the Interior is hereby authorized to pay, by a disbursing officer selected by the Sec-retary for that purpose, to the Gmge Indians per capita the amount which hsa been collected as rent of pasture lands, and any accumulated interest other than their regular annuities which haa not heretofore been paid to them. |