ATKINSON, Special Indian Commissioner to Edward P. Smith , Commissioner of Indian Affairs, Washington, D. C, March 27, 1875

Mr. Atkinson to Mr. Smith.

Sir: As previously reported by me, under date of 23d instant, there are some one hundred and thirty of the Kickapoos who have decided to go to their reservation, and they will start in a few days.

In outfitting these I will have exhausted the full amount allowed per capita, and at that, have been compelled to cut down their outfit much below what they have asked for, and which they really require for their trip. The amount of course includes all supplies furnished during their collection, and subsistence since then.

In my report of 23d instant, I stated that there were about one hundred of this tribe, at Mapimi in the State of Durango, who have sent me word that they desired to go to the Indian Territory, but owing to their destitute condition they are unable to reach here without material aid, which I cannot furnish on account of the limitation to $90 per capita, as it would cost about $60 per capita to get them here, and unless they can reach here with very little assistance, I cannot move them. There are about seventy of the tribe at Santa Rosa, who will, as I am informed, be governed by the action of those at Mapimi, in relation to removing to the Indian Territory, as they belong to the same band. Cheno, the old chief of the band referred to and who was the principal opponent of removal in 1873, is dead, and his successor is, according to their statement, desirous of leaving Mexico, believing that he can thereby better the condition of his people. If, after those of the tribe with whom I have concluded a treaty have left Mexico, and having exhausted the whole $90 per capita for “those moved,” I then continued negotiations with the other band, and after expending $500, or $1,000 in their collection for council, they failed to go, for some cause, either through Mexican influence or that the limitation precludes the possibility of my complying with their demands, could I not, under a reasonable construction of the law, be protected in the necessary disbursements for such purposes? An early reply to this interrogatory is respectfully solicited.

Some days since a lot of flour was purchased here, and delivered to the Indians, many of whom after eating some of it were taken very sick and several of them came very near dying.

The flour was undoubtedly poisoned with the expectation that the Indians would attribute the act to me and thereby defeat their removal. Fortunately the Indians knew that the purchase was made through the Mexican commissioner, and of the chief alcalde, who stored it in one of his buildings, and delivered as they required it, consequently the effect was the opposite of what they expected. The opposition of the people is more decided and determined than ever before to defeat my success.

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Since my last report, the Mexican commissioner, I. Del Moral, threatened that if I did not pay for some horses, that certain parties claimed were wrongfully in possession of the Indians, and had been for two to four years, he would use force to compel the Indians to surrender them or other horses in lieu of same. The chief was present and informed the commissioner that the horses claimed were not in his band, that he had compelled his men to surrender all horses not owned by them, and that an exhibition of force would frighten the Indians and defeat their removal as they were rather wild. This explanation had no other effect than to cause a reiteration of the threat, whereupon the chief, fearing the result of such action, requested me to settle the matter in some way and not allow troops to go to the Indian camp. I therefore paid for the horses under protest.

Very respectfully, &c.,