Testimony taken by the Committee on Indian Affairs - 1885
Testimony taken by the Committee on Indian Affairs
1885


S. TUTTLE.

Washington, D. C., January 9, 1885.
S. TUTTLE sworn and examined.
By the Chairman:
Question. What is your full name?—Answer. S. Tuttle.
Q. Where do you reside?—A. At Caldwell, Kans.
Q. How long have you resided there?—A. A little over two years.
Q. What has been your business?—A. I have been engaged in the cattle business.
Q. For how long a time?—A. For a little over two years.
Q. What business were you engaged in before that?—A. I went to Caldwell from the Pan-Handle of Texas; but I have been engaged in the cattle business for about fourteen years. I have only been engaged in it at Caldwell two years.
Q. Are you interested in any of the leases of the land on the Cherokee Strip?—A. Not at present; but I have been.
Q. When?—A. At the commencement of the association.
Q. Did you have a lease of your own?—A. Myself and partner had a lease.
Q. What is your partner’s name?—A. Z. Tuttle.
Q. Then you and your brother had a lease?—A. He is not my brother.
Q. You had a lease from the original company?—A. Yes, sir.
Q. When did you part with it?—A. I think it was last September.
Q. Did both of you sell out?—A. No, sir; I sold out to him.
Q. He is the sole owner now?—A. Yes, sir.
Q. Do you know of anybody else who has an interest?—A. No, sir.
Q. So far as you know he is the sole owner?—A. Yes, sir.
Q. Do you know anything about the manner in which this lease was obtained from the Cherokees?—A. Yes, sir.
Q. Were you present at the Cherokee council when the lease was made?—A. No, sir; I was in Caldwell.
Q. What was your knowledge of it?—A. Simply that we organized an association to obtain the lease.
Q. Who represented the association down among the Cherokees?—A. Major Drumm and Mr. Eldred.

By Mr. Harrison:

Q. Did you say Drumm and Eldred?—A. Yes, sir.

By the Chairman:

Q. Was there any one else?—A. There may have been other parties there.
Q. Who else was there in the interest of the association?—A. I could not mention any names. I do not know that any other parties were there in the interest of the association. There were other parties there, but I think they went entirely on their own account.
Q. Were they interested in the association or were they against it ?—A. They were interested in it.
Q. Who do you think was there?—A. I do not know their names.
Q. What has led you to think that other parties were there?—A. It is only hearsay.
Q. What did you hear that led you to think that other parties were there?—A. Why, simple report.
Q. What was that simple report? We would like to get hold of it.

By Mr. Harrison:

Q. Who was reported to be down there?—A. Only my recollection is that some other parties were there.

By the Chairman:

Q. Who did you understand were down there?—A. I do not remember.
Q. Can’t you give us the name of a single one who was there?—A. No, sir, I cannot.
Q. Were there several there?—A. Oh, I could not say.
Q. Could you not give a single name?—A. No, sir.
Q. Could you not give one name?—A. No, sir.
Q. Do you know of anything being paid to anybody to go down there?—A. No, sir.
Q. Was anything paid down there?—A. I do not know.;
Q. The report did not reach you that anything was paid?—A. No, sir.
Q. You never heard that anything was paid?— A. No, sir.
Q. Do you know who acted in behalf of the Indians?—A. I suppose the Indian council did.
Q. But was not some one the mouth-piece of the council in making this agreement?—A. I think it was done in session.
Q. Did these people appear before the council while in session?—A. I do not know, sir; I was not there.
Q. You don’t know anything about the manner in which the lease was effected?—A. No, sir.
Q. What have you paid into the association?—A. I could not tell the exact amount, but about 2½ cents an acre.
Q. Have you ever paid anything except the rental?—A. No, sir.
Q. How many acres are in your lease?—A. One hundred and eighteen thousand seven hundred acres.
Q. How much stock?—A. About four or five thousand head.
Q. How do you get your stock to the market?—A. We drive them by the open trail to shipping points.

By Mr. Gorman:

Q. You sold out to your partner?—A. Yes, sir.
Q. Did he form a stock company?—A. I think not. We were the only parties interested, and I sold out to him.
Q. No stock company was formed?—A. Not that I know of.


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