Public Law 74–686

That jurisdiction

Siletz, etc., Indians in Oregon.

Claims of, against United States submitted to Court of Claims.

Right of appeal.

is hereby conferred on the Court of Claims with the right of appeal to the Supreme Court of the United States by either party, as in other cases, to hear, examine, adjudicate, and render final judgment (a) in any and all legal and equitable claims, arising under or growing out of any treaty, agreement, Act of Congress, or Executive order, or for the failure of the United States to pay any money or other property due, which those Indian tribes or bands, or portions thereof, and their descendants, described in the ratified treaties of

Vol. 10, pp. 1018. 1027, 1122, 1125, 1143; Vol. 12, p. 981.

September 10, 1853 (10 Stat. 1018), September 19, 1853 (10 Stat. 1027), November 18, 1854 (10 Stat. 1122), November 25, 1854 (10 Stat. 1125), January 22, 1855 (10 Stat. 1143), and December 21, 1855 (12 Stat. 981), may have against the United States; and (b) any and all legal and equitable claims arising under or growing out of the original Indian title, claim, or rights in, to, or upon the whole

Rights referred to, in unratified treaties.

or any part of the lands and their appurtenances occupied by the Indian tribes and bands described in the unratified treaties published in Senate Executive Document Numbered 25, Fifty-third Congress, first session (pp. 8 to 15), at and long prior to the dates

Tribes excepted.

Vol. 45, p. 1256.

Scope of Act defined.

thereof, except the Coos Bay, Lower Umpqua, and Siuslaw Tribes, it being the intention of this Act to include all the Indian tribes or bands and their descendants, with the exceptions named, residing in the then Territory of Oregon west of the Cascade Range at and long prior to the dates of the said unratified treaties, some of whom, in 1855, or later, were removed by the military authorities of the United States to the Coast Range, the Grande Ronde, and the Siletz Reservations in said Territory.

Sec. 2.

That if any claim or claims be submitted to said courts hereunder they shall settle the rights therein, both legal and equitable, of each and all the parties thereto, notwithstanding the lapse

Set-off permitted.

of time or the statutes of limitation; and any payment which may have been made under any claim or agreement shall not operate as an estoppel but may be pleaded as a set-off, and the United States shall be allowed to plead, and shall receive credit for all sums, including gratuities, paid to or expended for the benefit of the respective tribes or bands of Indians, but no expenditures for the

Vol. 48, p. 984.

benefit of these Indians made out of appropriations authorized by the Act of June 18, 1934 (48 Stat. L. 984), shall be considered as

Joint or separate petitions.

offsets. The claim or claims of each tribe or band may be presented separately or jointly by petition, subject, however, to amendment and consolidation in proper cases. Such action or actions shall make the petitioner or petitioners party plaintiff or plaintiffs and the United States party defendant; and any nation, tribe, or band the court may deem necessary to a final determination of such suit or suits may be joined therein by order of the court.

Evidence.

The petition shall set forth all the facts upon which the claims are based and shall be signed and verified by the attorney or attorneys employed to prosecute such claim or claims and who are under contract with said Indians approved in accordance with existing law. Any and all claims against the United States within the purview of this Act shall be forever barred unless suit be instituted or petition filed as herein provided in the Court of Claims within five years from the date of the approval of this Act.

Official letters, papers, documents, and public records, or certified copies thereof, may be used in evidence, and the departments of the Government shall allow the attorney or attorneys access to such treaties, papers, correspondence, or records as may be needed by said attorney or attorneys.

Sec. 3.

That upon the final determination of such suit, or suits, the Court of Claims shall decree such fees not exceeding 10 per centum of the amounts recovered as it shall find reasonable to be paid the attorney or attorneys employed therein by said Indians or bands of Indians, under contracts negotiated and approved as provided by existing law, together with all necessary and proper expenditures incurred in the preparation and prosecution of the suit or suits.

Sec. 4.

The proceeds of all amounts, if any, recovered for said Indians, less attorneys’ fees and expenses, shall be deposited in the Treasury of the United States to the credit of the Indians decreed by said court to be entitled thereto, and shall draw interest at the rate of 4 per centum per annum from the date of the original judgment or decree and thereafter shall be subject to appropriation by Congress.