Gambar halaman
PDF
ePub

Statement of expenditures from the sum of $10,000 appropriated from the Chippewa tribal funds by the Indian act approved June 30, 1919 (Public, No. 3, p. 13), for 1920 on account of councils, delegations, etc., to Dec. 15, 1919.

Claim or settlement.

To whom paid.

For whom paid.

Purpose.

Amount.

320952.

321352.

321255.

321245.

321626.

321625.

321244.

321417.

321628.

321018.

320749.

320951.

322105.

322708.

322546.

319189.

319188.

319188.

322884.

323148.

331045.

322883.

322885.

322887.

322888.

322543.

323149.

322886.

323501

323500.

320796

321627.

Total..

John G. Morrison, jr.. Theo. B. Beaulieu.. B. L. Fairbanks...

Joe Louis..

Paul H. Beaulieu
John W. Carl..
Alexis Bushman.
Joe Morrison.
Paul H. Beaulieu.
E. L. Rogers..
Webster Ballinger.
Paul H. Beaulieu
Cooper & Cooper.
Webster Ballinger.
...do..
John Arten..
E. L. Rogers.
..do.

A. J. Bisson.

Julius H. Brown..
E. P. Wakefield.
C. W. Morrison.

Mrs. Emma Bisson.
M. A. Visenor.
William Rice..
John W. Carl.
JE. L. Rogers.

[blocks in formation]

1 Pending with Auditor for Interior Department.

Statement of expenditures from the sum of $6,000 appropriated by the act approved May 18, 1916, from the Chippewa tribal fund for council and delegation expenses for the fiscal years 1915, 1916, and 1917.

[blocks in formation]

Statement of expenditures from the sum of $6,000 appropriated by the act approved May 18, 1916, etc.—Continued.

[blocks in formation]

Statement of expenditures from the sum of $6,000 appropriated by the Indian act for 1918, approved Mar. 2, 1917 (39 Stat. L., 979), for council expense, etc., of the Chippewa Indians of Minnesota.

[blocks in formation]

304315.

304312. 304313.

304311.

304314.

304310.

304318.

304317.

303697.

304824.

304819.

304820.

304821.

304822.

304823.

304835.

304836.

304399.

304837.

305245.

305292.

305291.

306864

305359.

298755.

306422.

306420.

304834.

306421

308502.

308506.

308522.

309830.

308519.

305354.

317596.

298362.

298750.

296622

A. Cordee..

Webster Ballinger.. J. L. Goggleye..

Cora Coffey.
John Landry.
Wm. W. Coffey.
David Ruttle.
Wm. O. Coffey.
Wm. Hawes..
Foley's garage.
Brose Hotel..
Hotel Markham.
E. L. Warren.
J. G. Montferrand.
Joe Louis.

John Ojibway..
Louis Uran.
F. H. Paquette..
Julius H. Brown.
Henry La Prairie.
Svea Hotel.

Alexia Bushman.

Wm. A. Brunette..

B. L. Fairbanks.
Joe Diver.

Bemidji Pioneer Publishing Co.

J. G. Morrison, jr..
Gus H. Beaulieu
Agnes C. Campbell..
Cora Coffey.

Kathan J. Head..
John B. McGillis.
James I. Coffey..
Jos. A. Morrison..
Lake Shore Hotel
T. B. Reed....
Joe Louis.

Paul H. Beaulieu.
Geo. Walters.
National Hotel..
.do.

[blocks in formation]
[blocks in formation]

Joe Corbao, George Davis.

Board and lodging, etc.. ....do....

2.10

21.00

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

Mr. ROACH. I want to inquire if these are the same items given us by Mr. Meritt?

Mr. STEENERSON. No; he only gave those sums paid to Mr. Ballinger. Mr. BURTNESS. Have you any idea how they happened to overlook a few dollars in each year's appropriation?

Mr. STEENERSON. I assume there might be some few contingent expenses waiting.

Mr. JEFFERIS. Are these supposed council men getting this money?

Mr. STEENERSON. Yes.

The CHAIRMAN. These are the men running the council?

Mr. STEENERSON. These are the men running the council, and there is the expense of the annual meeting.

Mr. ROACH. I wish to ask a question on these particular figures.

The CHAIRMAN. We will go back to that. Let him finish his statement. Mr. STEENERSON. These figures I have read are here in detail and represent the amount paid out of these appropriations for each year to Mr. Ballinger and to Mr. Fairbanks, who is the president of the general council, and to Mr. Beaulieu, who was also acting as sort of attorney.

Now, I have extracts here from the testimony that is on file here, first on page 1645, volume 2, report of an investigation of the White Earth Band, and so on, with reference to the pages there; instead of taking these volumes over from the Library, I simply had them copied. This simply shows the position of these men who assume to be the guardians of these Indians and what their ́ position was toward the Indians. One gentleman here the other day inquired about the lumber interests and fraud by lumber companies. Here is Mr. Beaulieu's testimony:

EXCERPTS OF TESTIMONY.

Examination of Gus Beaulieu.

Mr. GRAHAM. Have you, Mr. Beaulieu, at any time been in the employ of the Commonwealth Lumber Co.?

Mr. BEAULIEU. Yes, sir.

Mr. GRAHAM. That is a Minnesota organization?

Mr. BEAULIEU. Yes, sir.

Mr. GRAHAM. That company evolved or was changed into the Nichols-Chisholm Lumber Co. ?

Mr. BEAULIEU. Did you ask me if I had been employed by the Commonwealth Lumber Co. ?

Mr. GRAHAM. Yes.

Mr. BEAULIEU. No; I never was employed by the Commonwealth Lumber Co. Mr. GRAHAM. Were you ever employed by the Nichols-Chisholm Lumber Co.? Mr. BEAULIEU. Yes, sir.

Mr. GRAHAM. Are you still so employed?

Mr. BEAULIEU. Well, I don't know as I could say I am really employed now. Mr. GRAHAM. Do you draw a salary or compensation from them for any purpose?

Mr. BEAULIEU. Well, I have been drawing a salary this year; a small salary. Mr. GRAHAM. How much is it?

Mr. BEAULIEU. $100 a month.

Mr. GRAHAM. How far back does your employment with the Nichols-Chisholm Lumber Co., or its members-stockholders-date?

Mr. BEAULIEU. Well, I can't

Mr. GRAHAM. When did it begin, in 1904 or 1903?

Mr. BEAULIEU. I can't recall now just how far back.

Mr. GRAHAM. Well, you were interested in obtaining contracts for them somewhat in advance of the appropriation or passage of the Clapp rider of 1906, were you not?

Mr. BEAULIEU. No, sir.

Mr. GRAHAM. You were not in their employ at the time you were in Washington in 1906?

Mr. BEAULIEU. In 1906?

Mr. GRAHAM. Well, yes; in the winter and spring of 1906.

Mr. BEAULIEU. Well, I had been looking after some matters for them previous

to that time; that is, inherited lands.

Mr. GRAHAM. Yes, exactly; on the reservation.

Mr. BEAULIEU. Yes. (P. 669, vol. 1, report in the matter of the investigation of the White Earth Reservation in the State of Minnesota. H. Rept. No. 1336, 62d Cong., 3d sess., 1913.)

Mr. BEAULIEU. Another thing I wish to say: I understand that the NicholsChisholm Lumber Co. had organized in 1903 or 1904. A short time after it was organized I was employed. (P. 1663, id.)

Examination of Benjamine L. Fairbanks.
Mr. GRAHAM. What is your name?

Mr. FAIRBANKS. Benjamine L. Fairbanks.
Mr, GRAHAM. Do you live at White Earth?
Mr. FAIRBANKS. Yes, sir.

[blocks in formation]

Mr. GRAHAM. Well, are you interested in any real estate on the reservation? Mr. FAIRBANKS. Yes, sir.

Mr. GRAHAM. How much do you own?

Mr. FAIRBANKS. About 20,000 acres, I guess, anyhow.

Mr. GRAHAM. That was allotted land at one time?

Mr. FAIRBANKS. Yes. (P. 1645, vol. 2, report in the matter of the investigation of the White Earth Reservation, in the State of Minnesota. H. Rept. No. 1336, 62d Cong., 3d sess.)

Now I call attention to the fact that these men had been buying Indian allotments under the Clapp Act. That was an act that removed all restricions on mixed bloods, so that if a man was ever so incompetent-he might not know enough to charge more than a few dollars for 80 acres of pine land worth $13 or $15 a thousand, and they were absolutely incompetent, a great many of them, and as you perhaps all recall there was the worst scandal ever known in the history of Indian affairs, and these lumber companies. employed-now, Mr. Fairbanks claimed to be a mixed blood; I suppose he had some Indian blood in him, but a good many years ago I do not know just when he was entirely emancipated; he had been allotted land which made him a citizen, and in fact all these Indians are citizens of the United States, but because of the property rights they have in these funds in the United States they claim to be tribal Indians, and they organized this general council of tribal Indians, whereas 90 per cent of all Indians are citizens of the United States, and it has been the aim of this Government for years to wipe out the tribal organization, but lo and behold they come here, as you will see when you examine those articles of incorporation, it is a self-perpetuated organization. A majority are wealthy; a great many of them are well-to-do people and well educated and competent to attend to any business matter, and they controlled out of 100 delegates the majority, and, as you will see by these expenses here, when they have a council they pay the expenses of those Indians from White Earth or any other reservation who come and attend out of the funds appropriated for this general council. One council meeting was held at Bemidji, which is quite a distance, and the amount paid for expenses of delegates was quite large.

Mr. MCCORMICK. Does this amount come out of the general tribal fund? Mr. STEENERSON. Certainly. So we have this Mr. Morrison, who is a trader at Red Lake, but a citizen of the United States, the president of the council; Mr. Fairbanks was also an officer of the council.

The CHAIRMAN. Mr. Fairbanks is now dead.

Mr. STEENERSON. Yes; I think he died recently. The officers have been the same, so far as I know, from the very start, and notwithstanding the fact these full bloods have been down here to Congress and appealing to the department to pay their expenses, they come down here to protest against this.

Mr. LEATHERWOOD. Mr. Steenerson, may I ask you a question, if you don't mind?

Mr. STEENERSON. Surely.

Mr. LEATHERWOOD. What is there before this committee to show the individuals you have named were trafficking in the allotted lands?

Mr. STEENERSON. This is the evidence; no question about that. The lands were bought for less than they are worth. Here is the Assistant Attorney General who looked up the records. There were eleven hundred law suits brought to recover lands that were bought for less than they should have been bought for, and Mr. Beaulieu was one of them, and Mr. Fairbanks's 20,000 acres. He paid this money to settle the suits the United States brought against him for defrauding the Indians.

« SebelumnyaLanjutkan »