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Show 1 LWS UE IN' J LEGAL TANGLE liBOKELOES Ogdenites, who wept last night and will weep again tonight over the cruel wrongs and woes of the Indians in the photo-play, "Ramona," at the Orph-eum Orph-eum theatre, herein are given something some-thing equally tragic to wonder at and mourn over, right here at home the woes of the Washakie branch of the Shoshone tribe, several dozen of whom, men, women and papooses, jiuve uuuu in ujiueii aevurai uu.va, camped on the river, imploring legal aid in defending their rights to their patented lands in and around Tremon-ton Tremon-ton and Garland. Their reservation lies north of Garland. Thoy are all Mormons and Bishop Ward is the patriarchal head of their stake amd his father before him was theipbishop. He speaks their language better than they do and is their trusted adviser in their present troubles. Many Lawsuits Imminent. For several days Senator Joseph C. Chez and David L. Stlne, his law-partner, law-partner, have been counseling with the visiting tribesmen. The men, women and papooses thronged the senator's sen-ator's offices, sat upon the floor and mado themselves comfortable while their spokesmen held the long powwow pow-wow with their kind-hearted pale-face friends. Chez and Stlne were retained to fight the court battles for several of the leading families. Nearly thirty years ago the government govern-ment allotted to the Washakie tribe certain lands on condition that if the lands were occupied by the Indians continuously through 25 years, the Great White Father would grant them a perpetual deed, or patent. Large numbers of the redskins llv-"ed llv-"ed on the lands during tho 25 years. Within the last year, or year and a half, Uncle Sam Issued patents to the original entrymen. These patents, or deeds, were recorded at Brlgham City, Box Elder county, and the county iin-mediately iin-mediately placed the lands on the tax lists and assessed them. Discoveries Follow. After tho tax notices were sent out it was discovered that many of the original entrymen had died during the 25-year probationary period and in many cases the lands had been deeded by heirs and had passed through sev eral hands without any probate proceedings pro-ceedings whatever. Meanwhito the Indians had been married and divorced according to tribal tri-bal customs, 'hot according to the laws of the state, and now there aro various vari-ous claimants to these valuable lands, some claiming inheritance as widows, somo as children, and in some Instances In-stances more than one squaw Is claiming claim-ing as widow. Lands Now Valuable. The value of the lands ranges from $100 an acre up. One tract, for example, ex-ample, is saleable today for ?16,000. j but a white man somehow purchased it for 2,000. In several such cases white men have obtained deeds for an Inadequate consideration from tho chlldron of the departed entrymen ' These white men are now trying to j hold tho lands, although there never was any probate proceedings and the , lands never passed legally. An attempt is being mado this week to probate ten or twelve different estates. es-tates. In each case, perhaps, District Judge Justin D. Call will appoint an administrator, who will file suits immediately im-mediately to determine the rights of tho various claimants. The litigation will occupy Judge Call's court for at least tho next month. Subsequently a great deal of litigation litiga-tion will be inevitable. Four BrJghnm City lawyers have been rotainod, including Judgo Ben Call, Henry Seagor, and W. J. Lowe, also a number of prominent Nevada attorneys of Elko and Reno. The flrst case was called yesterday at Brlgham City. Tho total valuo of tho lands to be litigated runs into she flguros. Champions of Indians. Attorney David L. Stino said today that Senator Chez and himself would do their utmost to establish tho just rights of tho Indians and prevont tho loss of their property through technicalities. techni-calities. "Wo feol," he said, "that wo aro on the side of right and humanity and will go the limit for theso peoplo. Thoy aro monoy-makers, frugal and law abiding, and deserve the friendship friend-ship of the people." Asfor the polygamouo relations of some of the Indian olaimants, growing M out of their tribal customs, Mr. Stlne H and othor attorneys stato with conn- H dence that the courts will hold them IH guiltless and will furthermore uphold IH their rights on the broad ground of H equity and square-dealing. H |