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Tampa Bay Florida December 12. 1850 BW Dell Esq, Newnansville Dear Sir, I have recd yr. letter of Dec. 3d in relation to your negro boy [[underline]] [[Jimey?]] [[/underline]] now in possession of the Seminolees. Should the Indians remove to the West under the peaceable terms now offered to them I shall not hesitate, if still the Agent, to carry out the agreement heretofore made with you or return the boy to you, but the movement is uncertain. Should this removal be effected by force, or should the boy be taken during hostilities by the US troops, he will, of course, be returned to you. In the meantime I know of no mode in which you can procure certain & prompt compensation except by an appeal to Congress. Should you deem this last course advisable, I will furnish any evidence in my power, of yr claim. From a letter referred to me by [[?]], I was induced to believe that you may have claims of some other repose, but as you mentioned while here none (in possession of the Indians) except [[underline]] Jimey [[/underline]], I should like to know the facts of the case, as it is my duty & desire to afford every aid in recovering lost property where I can, [[strikethrough]] and [[/strikethrough]] or proper evidence where restoration is beyond my authority Very resptfly yr ob ser John C Casey Special Indian Agent Tampa Bay Florida December 17. 1850 Hon. GW Conrad} Secty of War} Sir, I am afraid that my reports in relation to the boy supposed to have been abducted by the Indians from Mr. Tumner's in August last have not been understood. My letter of Oct. 6 and 30th were intended to convey the impression that the outsiders and outlaw Indians under [[underline]] Echo Emathla Chopko [[/underline]], might have committed the outrage; but that I was satisfied that the [[underline]] chiefs & Indians within the Boundary [[/underline]] were ignorant as well as innocent of it,if such were the fact. [[end page]] [[start page]] Also that I had no positive evidence yet of the guilt of the band of outlaws. The paragraph in your "animal report in which it is stated that the Agent was convinced" that the Indian had no agency in the matter" induces me to make this statment. I am still prosecuting the investigation, and as the "outsider Indian" are now moving within the Indian limit, I trust the fate of the boy will soon be known if these Indians had any thing to do with it I have the honor to be Yr obed serv John C. Casey, Capt. & Spec. Ind. Agt. Tampa Bay Florida Dec 17. 1850 Brig. Genl Thos. Childs Comdg in Florida, Sir, I have the honor to acknowledge your letter of this date & accompanying papers. The Chief of the "Outside Indians", [[underline]] E.E. Chopko [[/underline]] was at Fort Myers on Nov. 26. when he stated that all his people would be within the boundary by the end of this month and that he was then living near Ft. Gardiner on the Kissimmee (due E. from Ft. Fraser). I would therefore respectfully request that scouts south of the Ft. Mellon road & off, to the N. or S. of the road to Ind. River may be suspended till Janry 1. 1851, unless some special reasonn should occur to require them. vry respectfully Yr Obed servt J.C. Casey, Capt & Sp. Ind. Agt. (Brief) Tampa Bay December 20. 1850 Lt. Walbridge agt,Ft Myers- I shall be at Ft Myers 29th @ 3. Look out for the saddle but do not arrest [[? Cetse Chopko]] - I wish to see C. Chopko & BB. & enlist EE.Chopko in - [[?]] which that 1. Scouts & capture will be made after Janry 1. 2. I require Jones [[?]] band & [[?]] why Tell Clark to deliver E.E. C's 200 deer skins to McKay Let McKay have alphabetical list of the men to [[?offer]] a/c & [[?reenact the kill]] What of [[?]] & his honey - He must pay of course-
