Mr. WOODWARD. I do not know as I understand your question. Mr. ELSTON. It is a matter of opinion. I am just asking for your opinion. I do not care to press it. It is not a matter of any con sequence. Mr. TILLMAN. Are those guardians required to give bond in order to safeguard the funds? Mr. WOODWARD. Yes; either trust company or surety company. Mr. ELSTON. The reason I ask that question is this: Of course, it is apparent that the estates of deceased Osages are probably on the average as valuable as deceased members of the Five Civilized Tribes, and there must be the same danger of exploitation in one case as in the other demanding, of course, in the Osage interest just as much protection in the way of probate attorneys as in the case of the Five Civilized Tribes, and I was just wondering why one system should be applied freely to the Five Civilized Tribes to the extent of $816,000 a year or something like that, and not apply it to the Osages. Mr. WRIGHT. The Five Tribes-it is a treaty matter. Mr. ELSTON. That is a new matter. I did not know that it is a treaty matter. Mr. HASTINGS. I just want to say right here that the Cherokees have not a dollar on earth that you can pay them out. Mr. ELSTON. I thought it was just a matter of comment so as to get it into the record. STATEMENT OF MR. J. GEORGE WRIGHT, SUPERINTENDENT, OSAGE AGENCY-Resumed. Mr. WRIGHT. I desire for the information of the committee to file a financial statement of receipts and disbursements of the Osage agency from July 1, 1919, to March 31, 1920, showing the aggregate amount of tribal moneys received, the royalties, bonuses, and other individual moneys; also a statement of disbursements showing the per capita payments distributed to Indians, the oil and gas royalties and bonus money, exclusive of individual moneys; also the aggregate expenditure for the maintenance of the agency and school each year from 1910 to March 31, 1920; also statement of funds expended for each purpose for the past four years; also a statement of receipts. from July 1, 1918, to June 30, 1919, of all tribal and individual money received at the Osage agency. (Starts to read statement.) The CHAIRMAN. It will save time just to put that in the record. Mr. WRIGHT. Concerning payment of moneys to full-blood restricted Indians, I submit a statement showing indebtedness of several full-blood Indians. Concerning payments of moneys to restricted full-blood adult Indians of oil and gas royalties, etc., without restriction or supervision as required under existing law, I desire to state that an amendment to the Indian appropriation act for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1916, was adopted by the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs and adopted in conference, which appropriation bill, however, failed to be enacted into law; and in a report of said committee to the Senate (calendar No. 303, Rept. 1022, 63d Cong., 3d sess.) it was stated that It is evident that if the Osage Indians are to receive even approximately the benefits which they might have from these payments some discretion should be lodged in the department with respect to which of the Indians shall be given the unrestricted use of their money. The purpose of the amendment is to permit the department to withhold payment and to use the funds for the benefit of the individuals where it is shown that the money has heretofore been misused or squandered. The amounts paid to Indians per capita for the year ending June 30, 1916, aggregated approximately $575 each, and which last fiscal year amounted to about $4,000 each, and from July 1, 1919, to June 30, 1920, will be about $8,000 each. In the hearings before the Senate Indian Committee on the Indian appropriation act for 1919 a similar recommendation was made by the department, and a justification therefor was submitted on page 238 of said hearing. It was indicated on page 240 that on March 15, 1917, the deposits in banks of Osage County and indebtedness of Indians were as follows: Ninety-nine Indians' aggregated deposits, $41,379.60. I submit a schedule of deposits and indebtedness by banks in Osage County on May 1, 1920, as follows: Number of Indians having money on deposit, 91-aggregating $96,207.62. Number of Indians owing said banks, as shown by individual statements from banks submitted herewith, 237 Indians, owing banks $237,655.64. I also inclose a statement showing the number of shares of oil and gas royalties paid to adult Osage Indians June 30, 1919, indicating the number of shares received by each through inheritance. I inclose original letter, dated October 4, 1919, from Sam W. Tulk, constable, or field enforcement officer of this agency, giving details and results of 13 automobile accidents caused by Osage Indians being intoxicated at time of accident. Also an original letter from D. F. Castle, special officer, dated October 11, 1919, showing a list of 14 Osage Indians whose deaths were caused directly or indirectly by their addiction to the liquor habit. I also submit an original letter, dated January 9, 1920, from James P. Lawyer, Government farmer at Hominy, submitting a statement of about 33 full-blood Indians with reference to their incompetency to manage their affairs or intelligently handle their annual incomes. I also submit statements of indebtedness of a number of full-blood Indians at the present time, as shown by statements submitted by various merchants and others, among which are a few who have requested this office to assist them in settlement of their accounts, namely: One man and wife whose income from 1918, 1919, to March 15, 1920, aggregated $28,845, their indebtedness being $19,221.21. In July, 1915, the then existing debts of these same parties amounted to $3,050.24, which was settled at their requests through this office for $2,384.56. Another full-blood man and wife recently requested this office to settle their indebtedness, aggregating $20,544.05. Their joint income for 1918, 1919, to March 15, 1920, paid them without restriction, aggregated $35,586. EXHIBIT A. Financial statement of receipts and disbursements from July 1, 1910, to Mar. 31, 1920. Receipts (tribal moneys from oil and gas royalties and bonus. July 1, 1919, to Mar. 31, 1920_ July 1, 1910, to June 30, 1911. July 1, 1912, to June 30, 1913. $479, 906. 65 664, 717. 34 821, 420.37 1,912, 734. 65 560, 735, 23 3. 186, 968. 62 5, 202, 697.49 9, 533, 033. 20 11, 000, 596. 19 13, 603. 053. 81 306. 184. 73 581, 193. 32 721, 225. 89 1. 785, 486. 63 494, 447. 22 973, 303. 18 5. 841, 740. 21 7,689, 815. 29 9, 672, 939. 46 13, 356, 623. 32 July 1, 1910, to June 30, 1911. 1 For traveling expenses Osage Council to Washington in connection with oil and gas matters, field expenses in connection with oil and gas developments under authority of an opinion of the Comptroller of Treasury, also including $4,916.78 expense reappraising lands in Osage County for taxes, under act of Congress approved March 2, 1917. Of this amount $352.33 indebtedness incurred during fiscal year 1918 and paid during fiscal year 1919, also $32.61 expenses incurred and paid by Indian Office for telegrams and traveling expenses. Balance of $60,000 authorized and indebtedness incurred during fiscal year 1919, and paid during fiscal year 1920. Of this amount $2,765.89 expenses incurred during fiscal year 1918, and paid during fiscal year 1919, also $25.33 paid by Indian Office for traveling expense and telegrams. EXHIBIT B. Financial statement of the Osage Indian Agency for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1919. RECEIPTS. Balance on hand beginning fiscal year. Received from Treasurer United States on requisition for per capita payments, salaries, and expenses of conducting agency $1,683, 337.30 9, 162, 298.97 $5, 447, 752. 44 and school_ Collections for tribe: Bonus sale of oil leases. Oil royalties Gas royalties. Rentals on oil leases in lieu of drilling. Interest on official account, June 30, 1918_ Collections and credits to accounts of individual 4, 581, 733. 33 9, 025, 69 1, 216. 73 11, 000, 595. 19 Transfers from annuity and bonus pay rolls 2, 312, 128. 29 Grazing and agricultural leases_ Trespassing on individual Indian lands. Trust-fund warrants from United States Treasury Right-of-way damages Well locations and tank-site rentals_. Sale of land and interest on deferred payment Refund overpayment from individual Indian accounts. Refund from county treasurer, erroneous collection land taxes_. Voluntary deposits Transfers from other agencies. Transfer of interest to individual accounts__ Interest on individual Indian bank accounts, Miscellaneous collections and transfers: Sale of oil-lease blanks and blue prints_--_. Sale of tribal property and products. Collection advertising fees (land sales) Transfer from individual Indian moneys to per capita payments__. Transfers from interest to special deposits__ Transfers between individual Indian accounts Transfers from individual Indian moneys Transfers from special deposits to sundry 291, 556. 22 52, 844. 74 2, 397.00 19, 069. 88 50,886. 65 {403. 68 5,554, 64 107, 225. 28 8,740. 42 12, 085. 36 88, 619. 67 6, 802.11 2,963, 121.58 953.00 258, 943.96 15, 607. 49 22.77 10, 957. 84 11, 477. 89 41.77 139.66 47, 885. 67 334, 109 T Grand total__ 25, 143, 462 74 DISBURSEMENTS, DEPOSITS, AND TRANSFERS. Deposited with Treasurer of the United States__ Quarterly per capita annuity payments to individual Indians, oil and gas royalties, and interest on trust funds, United States Treasury Per capita payments bonus sale of oil leases_ Payments from individual accounts.- Salaries and expenses maintaining Osage Agency, 1919. Field expenses in connection with supervision and investigation Disbursements from appropriation, Osage Office Building. Payment of accounts incurred prior to June 30, 1918, from agency funds, 1918 Payment of accounts incurred prior to June 30, 1918, from school Payment for salaries, increased compensation_ Payments of accounts incurred prior to June 30, 1918, in connec tion with oil and gas matters.- Transfers per capita payments to individual Indian accounts. Transferred to individual Indian accounts from special deposits_ Transferred from individual Indian accounts to per capita pay- Transferred from interest to individual Indian accounts. Total Balance on hand June 30, 1919_ Grand total $8, 957, 865. 82 4,063, 173. 70 3, 297, 637. 47 2,081, 381. 18 48, 519. 15 37, 746. 76 29,524. 74 825.75 362. 33 1.910.49 6, 614. 70 42, 455. 08 2, 765. 89 2, 312, 128. 29 118, 642. 86 88,619.67 22.77 11, 477.89 10, 957. 84 12, 085. 36 655.94 41.77 139.66 21, 125. 555. 11 4, 017, 907. 63 25, 143, 462. 74 The CHAIRMAN. It will save time and be just as competent, officially, to put that in the record without reading it, and the other ones too. Mr. WRIGHT. There is one statement I wish to read, if I may. Mr. WRIGHT. I also submit Exhibit C, a similar statement of receipts of moneys on hand from July 1, 1919, to March 31, 1920, aggregating $35,963,317.98, together with disbursements, deposits, and transfers during such period of $29,652,459.01, with a balance on hand March 31, 1920, of $6,310,858.97. The total expense for administration of Osage Agency and school each year from July 1, 1919, to July 1, 1920, aggregated $110,520.81, being an average cost of amounts of money so handled of about one-fifth of 1 per cent. I also submit a statement, Exhibit D, showing the amount of Osage trust funds remaining in the United States Treasury to individual Indians on which 5 per cent interest is paid, and which aggregates $3,819.76 to each Indian, a total of $4,500,601.69. I also submit a statement, Exhibit E, of moneys deposited in 222 banks in Oklahoma of Osage funds on March 31, 1920, aggregating $5,095,146.63. The Citizens National Bank of Pawhuska, Okla., carries the checking accounts at 2 per cent interest. Deposits in all other banks are inactive accounts and not checked against except to withdraw deposits. Interest thereon ranges from 4 per cent to 5 per cent. |