Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 43 Part 1.djvu/918

 SIXTY-EIGHTH CONGRESS. Sess. II. Cns. 214, 215. 1925. 887 or equitable defenses, set-offs, or counterclaims including gratuities adCQ·g;=Qg*¢'¤i¤¤· etc-- gvliigg the United States may have against any of said tribes or lm °` an. Sec. 2. That the Court of Claims shall advance the cause or C ·g;Vg;*°°m°¤* °* causes upon its docket for hearing, and shall have authority to A c` determine and adjudge all rights and claims, both legal and equitable, of said tribes or bands of Indians, or any of them, and of the United States in the premises, notwithstanding lapse of time or statutes of limitation. Sec. 3. That suit or suits instituted hereunder shall be begun T‘m°‘°'”“”*· within five years from the date of the passage of this Act by such tribes or bands of Indians, as parties plaintiff, and the United States as the party defendant. The petition or petitions may be verified V°rm°°ti°°° by attorney or attorneys employed by such tribes of Indians under contract or contracts approved in accordance with existing law upon information and belief as to the facts therein alleged, and no other verification shall be necessary. Upon final determination of such b,;‘·§,w>§,f(,°§;,°‘°-· suit or suits the Court of Claims shall have jurisdiction to fix and i determine a reasonable fee, not to exceed 10 per centum of the recovery and in no event shall such fee amount in the aggregate under one attorneyship for each tribe to more than $25,000, together with all necessary and proper expenses incurred in preparation and prosecution of the suit, to be paid to the attorneys employed by the said tribes or bands of Indians, or any of them, and the same shall be included in the decree and shall be paid out of any sum or sums found to be due said tribes. Approved, February 12, 1925. Feb 12,1925. CHAP. 215.-—An Act To validate an agreement between the Secretag of War, acting on semis or the Umm states, and the washington Gas gut iP¤¤*¤¢· Ne *03-1 Company. Whereas Congress has provided for the work of reclaiming and ¥,`§t,§§§,{°°h""°i°’ improving the land along the Anacostia River, in the District of Columbia, and made and declared it a part of the park system of the District of Columbia, to be known as Anacostia Park, and 1t has become necessary in the prosecution of the said work to settle certain questions in dis ute between the United States and the Washington Gas Light Company as to the ownership of land and to quiet title thereto: There ore _ Be it enacted be the Senate and H ouse of Representatives of the is Park U nited States of A/merica in Oonvzrvess assembled, That the agreement gxggem W', t h made between the Secretary of ar, acting on behalf of the_Un1ted g,mmmy°§s‘§,§{§·{g‘})§ States, and the \Vashington Gas Light Company, a corporation, for gggggpez ¤<11¤¤e¤c co. the purpose of effecting an adjustment and settlement of all the ' matters at issue between the United States and the said company respecting the title and ownership of certa1n_ parcels and lots of land ad]acent to the Anacosta River, the terms_ of which agreement are embodied in a formal instrument on file in the War Department, bearing date of September 8, 1921. and signed by J . _M. Wainwright, Assistant Secretary of War, and H. S. Reeside, president of the sai Washington Gas Light Company, is hereby_ approved, and the consent of Congress is hereby given to the carrymglout of said agreement in full accordance with the tenor and terms thereof. Approved, February 12, 1925.