ployed as attorney for the Red Lake Indians until after the mixed-blood council and Attorney Ballinger had attacked the title to their lands, and then Mr. Henderson was employed at the request of the Red Lake Indians, and he was paid out of the Red Lake funds, and not out of the general funds of the Chippewa Indians.

Mr. STEENERSON. I have here a photostatic copy of the amount of money paid to the general council, not only to Mr. Ballinger but to the general council, that was sent me by you. I suppose you recall that?

Mr. MERITT. Yes, sir.

Mr. STEENERSON. That is correct, is it not?

Mr. MERITT. That letter is dated December 20, 1919, and there have been additional funds paid to the council since that time.

Mr. STEENERSON. But so far as it goes, it is correct?

Mr. MERITT. Yes, sir.

Mr. STEENERSON. I will read it a little later. I think that is all, Mr. Henderson.

Mr. LEATHERWOOD. I would like to ask Mr. Steenerson a question, if I may. Do I understand, Mr. Steenerson, it is your position that when the general council is called and convened by various factions of the tribe it is once convened and then dissolved and that is the end of it?

Mr. STEENERSON. Yes; that is my understanding of it. I will go into that a little later.

Mr. LEATHERWOOD. I just wanted to know what your position was. Is that your position?

Mr. STEENERSON. Yes; I do not think this organization here can properly be called a general council.

The CHAIRMAN. Notwithstanding the fact it has been recognized as such by the bureau for several years?

Mr. STEENERSON. That is the misfortune of it. Congress has recognized it. It should not have done so.

The CHAIRMAN. We have to deal with it as it is.

Mr. MCCORMICK. Does not the majority rule apply there the same as in other places?

Mr. STEENERSON. I will go into that later.

STATEMENT OF MR. R. S. COLLINS.

Mr. STEENERSON. You are one of the Assistant Attorneys General?

Mr. COLLINS. I am an attorney up there.

Mr. STEENERSON. Attorney in the Department of Justice?

Mr. COLLINS. Yes, sir.

Mr. STEENERSON. Did you look up the records in regard to the amount of money collected from various individuals under these suits which were brought some years ago?

Mr. COLLINS. Yes.

Mr. STEENERSON. Those that were paid under the Clapp Act? I think those were the cases, some thousand cases. Now, this letter to me was prepared under your directions?

Mr. COLLINS. Yes, sir; prepared by me.

Mr. STEENERSON. And you verified these amounts which were collected from these various individuals named?

Mr. COLLINS. Yes.

Mr. STEENERSON. What do those amounts represent?

Mr. COLLINS. Well, they represent amounts that persons have paid-at least, those two persons there have paid to the Government, who brought claim against it on behalf of the White Earth Indians, amounts they claimed were due from a man who has purchased an allotment from an Indian and paid an inadequate consideration.

Mr. STEENERSON. And these are the sums paid by these individuals because they had paid the Indians an inadequate sum?

Mr. COLLINS. Yes.

Mr. STEENERSON. And you brought suit to recover?

Mr. COLLINS. Yes; in some cases.

Mr. STEENERSON. I would like to read this:

Mr. HALVOR STEENERSON,

House of Representatives.

DECEMBER 20, 1919.

MY DEAR MR. STEENERSON: In compliance with your request of December 2, there are inclosed herewith detailed statements showing appropriations and expenditures on account of the General Council of Chippewa Indians of Minne sota subsequent to July 8, 1913, and including expenses of the council of July 8, 1919, paid to date.

Very truly, yours,

E. B. MERITT, Assistant Commissioner.

Mr. BURTNESS. Is that the lawyer, Beaulieu?
Mr. STEENERSON. No; I think that is his uncle.

The CHAIRMAN. Now, what is your purpose in putting that in the record, or do you want that to go in the record?

Mr. STEENERSON. Yes, sir; I do.

I also want to read some of these items. Here is a statement, a photostatic copy prepared in the Indian Office, showing the amounts paid not only to Ballinger but to the other officers of this so-called general council. I will simply read the summary and attach this.

Statement of expenditures from the sum of $10,000 appropriated by the Indian act for 1919, approved May 25, 1913 (40 Stats. L., 572), for council expenses, etc., of the Chippewa Indians of Minnesota.

Statement of expenditures during fiscal year 1919 from the general fund of the Chippewa Indians of Minnesota, appropriated by the Indian act approved May 25, 1918 (40 Stats. L., 573), on account of Chippewa delegates.

Statement of expenditures from the sum of $1,500 appropriated for 1915 by the act approved Aug. 1, 1914 (38 Stats. L., 591), from the tribal fund of the Chippewa Indians of Minnesota for council and delegation expenses already incurred.

Statement of expenditures from the sum of $1,500 appropriated by the Indian act approved Aug. 1, 1914 (38 Stat. L., 592), from the tribal fund of the Chippewa Indians of Minnesota for council and delegation expenses.

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.

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.

Statement of expenditures from the sum of $6,000 appropriated by the act ap-. proved May 18, 1916, etc.-Continued.