Facebook Twitter Email
JULY 18, 2000

Peter M Whiteley, an anthropology professor at Sarah Lawrence College, testified on behalf of the federal government that the state of New York treated the Cayuga Nation unfairly in its dealings with the tribe.

The professor said the state illegaly took land from the Cayuga for resale at higher prices. He also said the state's policy toward Indians was to remove them due to their alliances with the British and deal only with factions who were willing to sell land.

Whiteley's testimony comes in the final phase of the Cayuga land claims case. A jury awarded the tribe $36.9 million in February for the loss of 64,027 acres of land in Seneca and Cayuga counties based on US District Court Judge Neal P. McCurn's 1994 ruling that the state illegally took Cayuga land in 1795 and 1807 without federal approval, a violation of the 1790 Non-Intercourse Act.

McCurn must now decide whether or not to add interest to the judgement. McCurn is also the presiding judge on the Oneida Nation land claims, which are now scheduled to go to court since none of the parties could come to a settlement.

Get the Story:
Expert: Cayugas treated unfairly (The Syracuse Newspapers 7/18)
Judge weighs whether Cayugas deserve interest on jury award (AP 7/17)
Land claim returns to court (The Syracuse Newspapers 7/17)

Related Stories:
Witness allowed to testify against Cayuga (Tribal Law 07/12)