MARCH 1959
KLAMATH TRIBUNE
Page 3
)
Forrest Cooper Comments on Bcatty Meeting
The December, 1958, issue of
the Klamath Tribune carried au
article about a meeting held at
Beatty on December 12, 1958, at
which the formation of a non
profit corporation under the pres
idency of Hi Robbins was an
nounced. The part played in the
meeting by Forrest Cooper,
Lakeview attorney, was related
in detail.
Mr. Cooper makes the follow
ing statements, which we quote
from his letter to the Klamath
Tribune dated January 30, 1959:
"1. Vou commence by giving mv
name and by linking me with one
of my clients, namely, the As
sociation of Oregon Counties. 1
think that this was improper be
cause a reader might get the im
pression that the Association of
Oregon Counties was directly or
indirectly involved in my presence
and the purpose for my being
present and was contributing
some degree of help. There was
lio collection between that client
or any other client and my pres
ence at that meeting except the
clients hereinafter mentioned.
"2. You then state, and 1 quote,
The management specialists and
the government tried to sell the
Indians out,' Cooper declared, 'but
both counties (Lake and Klam
ath) refused to be so induced.'
"The writer denies having used
vnn1i tntfil in vmir tWroct mintr
-i -
or having used said words in sub
stance. Since was a stranger to
quite a few of the persons present
I was requested tu assist those
who brought me to the meeting
clarify my connection, if any,
with the principal tribal advocate
of Public Law 587, and my con
nection, if any, with the federal
purchase program o,f the Indian
Bureau and of the management
specialists. I stated that the
writer did not cooperate with the
tribal sponsors of Public Law
.587: that I did not give personal
....... ..1 ... 41... ..I.... lw ttll
M1IMMH L lO MIC UlclII JI lilt 111.111"
i(rfiiwnt nnrtri1ictc ntifl nthfrs tn
promote a federal purchase pro
gram and that my client, The
Association of Oregon Counties
had not done so. although it had
leen requested to do so, thereby
indicating that I had not been
bound, because of any contract of
employment, to support some
thing "that a client desired but I
did not.
"3. The next important matter
that you state with which the
writer takes issue, is, and I quote :
'Cooper's legal fees were set at
$20 per hour or $100 per day,
whichever is less.' Messers, Rob
bins, Jackson and Kirk stated to
the meeting that they had cm
ployed me to prepare the articles
of incorporation and the by-laws
and get the organization under
way. Neither they nor anyone else
stated what compensation I was
to receive for having done so or
for services that I might render
in the future. In reading the
articles and by-laws at the meet
ing the writer made no such
statement for no such statement
is contained therein. Xo ex
press contract, w r i 1 1 e n or
verbal exists between the corp
oration or the officers thereof and
the writer relative to the rate of
compensation for past or future
legal services. My services have
been sought from time to time
the past several weeks by the
corporation officers on the basis
of the reasonable value of the
services rendered in the light of
the ability of the corporation to
pay for the same. My services
have been paid for in full to date.
There is no connection between
the quantum of such compensa
tion and the price that you have
so unequivocally stated."
The Editors are sorry if they
have given any misinformation
about the December 12th meet
ing. It is hoped that the above
information clarifies Mr. Coop
er's position.
WITHDRAWING GROUP
(Continued from Page 1)
resent them. The need for reelect
ing a new executive committee
was also discussed at the earlier
March 6 meeting. It was pointed
out at both meetings that the
withdrawees were carrying 77
of the cost of executive commit
tee salaries with only 50 reprr
sentation on the committee.
The present executive commit
tee is split evenly with five with
drawing and five remaining mem
bers. Windsor stated that because
withdrawing members constitute
three-fourths of the tribal mem
bership they sould be able to
swing the vote in a tribal election.
During the meeting questions
were raised about dead trees on
tribal property, forest fires and
fire protection. It was Windsor's
opinion that these questions were
irrelevant because the govern
ment has guaranteed a certain
amount to'tlie withdrawing mem
bers regardless of what happens
to the forest. Windsor added that
there were more important is
sues to consider such as getting a
fair appraisal.
Delford Lang, chairman of the
group, objected to the way the
March 23 hearing on the appraisal
review was conducted. Lang in
formed the group that he sent a
telegram to Sen. Richard Xcu
bergcr asking for a postponement
of the hearing but this request
Results of KTL-1-S9 Fringe Unit Sales Told;
New Bids to be Opened April 28 1959
Final results of sales of units advertised under invitation KTL-1-59
are given below. With two exceptions noted, the buyers were
tribal members.
Opening of bids on units advertised in KTL-2-59 was scheduled for
10:00 a. m., Tuesday, March 31, at the Tribal Land Sales Offfice.
Invitations for bids have also been sent out for KTL-3-59, offering
10 units. Bids on these units will be opened at 10:(X) a. in., ;pril 28,
at the Tribal Land Sales Office.
Unit No. Successful Bidder Amount of Bid
87 Joseph Jackson, Jr $ 8,000.00
88B Kufus P. & Dorothy I. Robinson 150.00
95 Dorothea MeAnulty 19,100.(X)
97 Marvin J. Walker 1,KX).(X)
99 Rachel R. Tupper 8,MX).(X)
101 Coralie Crawford Nelson 1,055.(X)
102 Coralie Crawfr.nl Nelson 2,000.00
106 Joseph Jackson, Jr 17,(XX).0()
107 Joseph Jackson, Jr 6,300.00
. 114A Sylvan Crume 27,750.(X)
1 1 5 A Rachel & Filmorc Tupper and Dorothy
Jonathan Crume. 9I,100.(X)
115B Marvin Walker & Fffie W. Driscoll tt),(XX).(X)
117 Clarence Clinton, Mary Uurgdorf, Zehuarien
Ilaskius, Clcn Haskins, Kvelvn Cheraldo and
Delford Lang .'. 18,588.00
1 17A Same as above 12,72.100
119 Theodore A. Crume 2,075.00
128 Lura Martin 20,(XX).00
130 Joseph Kycek 760.(X)
132 Karl Rambo Jepson 1,(XX).00
222 Rosetta M. Crain 16,000.00
non members.
was denied. According to Lang,
Boyd Jackson was asked to pre
sent a statement on his behalf,
lie wished to make clear, Lang
said, that Jackson should be given
credit for having done this for
the withdrawing members.
. The need for getting the Secre
tary to approve the $10,0(X).(X)
bank loans was brought out
again. It was felt that to secure
approval, it would be necessary
for the withdrawing members to
have someone in Washington
fighting for it. Chairman Lang
stated that the group should con
tinue to seek the full unrestricted
SlO.OfJO.OO loans.
Windsor was asked by Lang to
report on the meeting held at
Sen. Xeuberger's Portland office
in January at which Windsor and
a small group of tribal members
were present. Windsor related the
following highlights of that meet
ing: the Senator refused to sup
port the withdrawees on their re
quest for a ten thousand dollar
loan; Congress was getting tired
of hearing about the problems of
the Klamath Indian Tribe; tribal
BEN LAWVER
(Continued from Page 1)
not have withdrawn either.
As for the special education
program, Ben said, "You'll never
get another chance like this." In
his opinion, this program is far
better than that offered to GI's
and aded, "It doesn't pay to pass
it up if you have the gumption to
go to school."
Ben is proving by his athletic
achievements, popularity, and
good grades at Lewis and Clark
that he had the gumption to go to
school and to make good.
members would be given ade
quate notice of the appraisal
hearing which would be held in
March; and that his subcommit
tee would consider the problems
relating to hunting and fishing
rights.
It was decided that the with
drawees should get together at
7:00 P. M. on April 10 at the
Council hall to plan for the gen
eral council meeting which is ex
pected to be held on April 11 at
10:00 A. M.