Show I AM A DEriOCRYT rOCR Why Francis Does Not Believe McKinley Mc-Kinley Needs Him Badly 1 St Louis Mo Jan Secretary Francis Fran-cis of the interior department who has been here several days left for Washington Washing-ton tonight Mr Francis discredits the story that his friends are urging his name for consideration by Presidentelect I McKInley for a cabinet portfolio and states that such a tender is an Improbability Improba-bility on account of his being a Democrat Demo-crat Secretary Francis said The claims of the Cherokee freedmen amounting to something over 900000 will be paid off within the next two weeks These claims arise out of the sale of the Cherokee strip The Cherokees nad about 4500 freedmen whom they did not admit as citizens of the tribe After the purchase of the strip these citizens sued in the I court of claims for a share The court I decided in their favor and a committee was appointed by my predecessor to make up the roll upon which the payment pay-ment was to be made This committee commtee reported recently ana 1 approved the roll last week Each of the freedmen will receive about 200 |