Dawes Commission

Decision Digest – P – W

Parties 1. At interest in contests. The only parties at interest in contest matters are the contestant and contestee, and they are the only persons considered when determining the questions at issue in contests. (Choctaw No. 565, Moore v. McKinney.) Possession 1. When necessary. The ownership of improvements on the north and east sides of a tract of land, such improvements being erected especially with reference to lands lying north and east of that in controversy, gives no right to the owner thereof unless he exercises acts of possession over the land in controversy. (Choctaw No. 305, Lewis v. Durant.) … Read more

Creek Agreement, March 8, 1900

An Act To ratify and confirm an agreement with the Muscogee or Creek tribe of Indians, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the agreement negotiated between the Commission to the Five Civilized Tribes and the Muskogee or Creek tribe of Indians at the city of Washington on the eighth day of March, nineteen hundred, as herein amended, is hereby accepted, ratified, and confirmed, and the same shall be of full force and effect when ratified by the Creek national council. The principal … Read more

Choctaw and Chickasaw Enrollment Cases

Regulations of Commissioner of January 2, 1906, Relative to Petitions for Rehearing Under the Loula West, Mary Elizabeth Martin, and Joe and Dillard Perry Enrollment Cases. Numerous inquiries have been made of this office as to the procedure to be followed by the Commissioner to the Five Civilized Tribes relative to the right to enrollment of persons as citizens of the Choctaw or Chickasaw Nation under the opinions of the Assistant Attorney-General for the Department of the Interior rendered November 11, 1905, in the matter of the application for the transfer of the names of Joe and Dillard Perry from … Read more

Choctaw and Chickasaw Agreement, July 1, 1902

AN ACT To ratify and confirm an agreement with the Choctaw and Chickasaw tribes of Indians, and for other purposes.” Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the following agreement, made by the Commission to the Five Civilized Tribes with the commissions representing the Choctaw and Chickasaw tribes of Indians on the twenty-first day of March, nineteen hundred and two, be, and the same is hereby, ratified and confirmed, to wit: Agreement Between the United States and the Choctaws and Chickasaws This agreement, by and between the … Read more

Appropriation Act of May 27, 1902

32 Stat. L. 245 For salaries of four commissioners appointed under acts of Congress, approved March third, eighteen hundred and ninety-three, and March second, eighteen hundred and ninety-five, to negotiate with the Five Civilized Tribes in the Indian Territory, twenty thousand dollars: Provided, That said Commission shall exercise all the powers heretofore conferred upon it by Congress: Provided further, That all children born to duly enrolled and recognized citizens of the Creek Nation up to and including the twenty-fifth day of May, nineteen hundred and one, and then living, shall be added to the rolls of citizenship of said nation … Read more

Appropriation Act of March 3, 1903

32 Stat. L., 982 For salaries of four commissioners appointed under acts of Congress approved March third, eighteen hundred and ninety-three, and March second, eighteen hundred and ninety-five, to negotiate with the Five Civilized Tribes in the Indian Territory, twenty thousand dollars : Provided, That said Commission shall exercise all the powers heretofore conferred upon it by Congress. Expenses of commissioners and necessary expenses of employees, and three dollars per diem for expenses of a clerk detailed as special disbursing agent by the Interior Department while on duty with the Commission, shall be paid therefrom; for clerical help, including secretary … Read more

Agreement with Cherokee, July 1, 1902

AN ACT To provide for the allotment of the lands of the Cherokee Nation, for the disposition of town sites therein, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled. Definition of Words Employed Herein SEC. 1. The words “nation” and “tribe” shall each be held to refer to the Cherokee Nation or tribe of Indians in Indian Territory. SEC. 2. The words “principal chief” or “chief executive” shall be held to mean the principal chief of said tribe. SEC. 3. The words “Dawes Commission” or … Read more

Act of May 31, 1900

31 Stat. L. 221 For salaries of four commissioners, appointed under acts of Congress approved March third, eighteen hundred and ninety-three, and March second, eighteen hundred and ninety-five, to negotiate with the Five Civilized Tribes in the Indian Territory, twenty thousand dollars: Provided, That the number of said commissioners is hereby fixed at four. For expenses of commissioners and necessary expenses of employees, and three dollars per diem for expenses of a clerk detailed as special disbursing agent by Interior Department, while on duty with the Commission, shall be paid there from; for clerical help, including secretary of the Commission … Read more

Act of March 2, 1895,

28 Stat. L. 939 For continuing the work of the Commission appointed under section sixteen of the act entitled “An act making appropriations for current and contingent expenses and fulfilling treaty stipulations with Indian tribes for fiscal year ending June thirtieth, eighteen hundred and ninety-four,” approved March third, eighteen hundred and ninety-three, including the unexpended balance of the present appropriation, thirty thousand dollars, to be immediately available; and the President is hereby authorized to appoint two additional members of said Commission, who shall receive the compensation and expenses provided in said act for members of said Commission: Provided, That so … Read more

Act of March 1, 1899

30 Stat. L. 939 For salaries of four commissioners, appointed under acts of Congress approved March third, eighteen hundred and ninety-three, and March second, eighteen hundred and ninety-five, to negotiate with the Five Civilized Tribes in the Indian Territory, twenty thousand dollars: Provided, That the number of said com missioners is hereby fixed at four. For expenses of commissioners and necessary expenses of employees, sixty thousand dollars: And provided further, That three dollars per diem for expenses of a clerk detailed as special disbursing agent by Interior Department, while on duty with the Commission, shall be paid there from; for … Read more

Act of March 3, 1893

27 Stat. L. 645 SEC. 16. The President shall nominate and, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, shall appoint three commissioners to enter into negotiations with the Cherokee Nation, the Choctaw Nation, the Chickasaw Nation, the Muscogee (or Creek) Nation, the Seminole Nation, for the purpose of extinguishment of the national or tribal title to any lands within that territory now held by any and all of such nations or tribes, either by cession of the same or some part thereof to the United States, or by the allotment and division of the same in severalty … Read more

Act of March 3, 1905

33 Stat. L. 1060 AN ACT Making appropriations for the current and contingent expenses of the Indian Department and for fulfilling treaty stipulations with various Indian tribes for the fiscal year ending June thirtieth, nineteen hundred and six, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the following sums be, and they are hereby, appropriated, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, for the purpose of paying the current and contingent expenses of the Indian Department, and in full compensation for … Read more

Act of June 7, 1897

30 Stat. L. 83 For salaries of the commissioners appointed under acts of Congress approved March third, eighteen hundred and ninety-three, and March second, eighteen hundred and ninety-five, to negotiate with the Five Civilized Tribes in the Indian Territory, twenty-five thousand dollars; for expenses of commissioners and necessary expenses of employees, ten thousand dollars, of which sum so much as may be necessary for expenses of employees for eighteen hundred and ninety-seven, to be immediately available: Provided, That two dollars per diem for expenses of a clerk detailed as special disbursing agent from date of original detail by Interior Department, … Read more

Curtis Act – June 28, 1898

An Act For the protection of the people of the Indian Territory, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That in all criminal prosecutions in the Indian Territory against officials for embezzlement, bribery, and embracery the word “officer,” when the same appears in the criminal laws heretofore extended over and put in force in said Territory, shall include all officers of the several tribes or nations of Indians in said Territory. SEC. 2. That when in the progress of any civil suit, either in … Read more

Act of June 21, 1906

Public Number 258 AN ACT Making appropriations for the current and contingent expenses of the Indian Department, for fulfilling treaty stipulations with various Indian tribes, and for other purposes, for the fiscal year ending June thirtieth, nineteen hundred and seven. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the following sums be, and they are hereby, appropriated, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, for the purpose of paying the current and contingent expenses of the Indian Department, for fulfilling treaty stipulations with various Indian … Read more

Act June 21, 1906 – Choctaw and Seminole

Choctaws (Treaty.) For permanent annuity, per second article of treaty of November sixteenth, eighteen hundred and five, and thirteenth article of treaty of June twenty-second, eighteen hundred and fifty-five, three thousand dollars; For permanent annuity for support of light horsemen, per thirteenth article of treaty of October eighteenth, eighteen hundred and twenty, and thirteenth article of treaty of June twenty-second, eighteen hundred and fifty-five, six hundred dollars; For permanent annuity for support of blacksmith, per sixth article of treaty of October eighteenth, eighteen hundred and twenty, ninth article of treaty of January twentieth, eighteen hundred and twenty-five, and thirteenth article … Read more

Act of June 10, 1896

29 Stat. L. 321 For salaries and expenses of the commissioners appointed under acts of Congress approved March third, eighteen hundred and ninety-three, and March second, eighteen hundred and ninety-five, to negotiate with the Five Civilized Tribes in the Indian Territory, the sum of forty thousand dollars, to be immediately available; and said Commission is directed to continue the exercise of the authority already conferred upon them by law and endeavor to accomplish the objects heretofore prescribed to them and report from time to time to Congress. That said Commission is further authorized and directed to proceed at once to … Read more

Act of July 1, 1898

30 Stat. L. 591 For salaries of four commissioners appointed under acts of Congress approved March third, eighteen hundred and ninety-three and March second, eighteen hundred and ninety-five, to negotiate with the Five Civilized Tribes hi the Indian Territory, twenty thousand dollars: Provided, That the number of said commissioners is hereby fixed at four. For expenses of commissioners and necessary expenses of employees, fifteen hundred dollars, to be immediately available: And provided further, That three dollars per diem for expenses of a clerk detailed as special disbursing agent by Interior Department, while on duty with the Commission, shall be paid … Read more

Act of February 28, 1902

32 Stat. L. 43 An Act To grant the right of way through the Oklahoma Territory and the Indian Territory to the Enid and Anadarko Railway Company, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Enid and Anadarko Railway Company, a corporation created under and by virtue of the laws of the Territory of Oklahoma, be, and the same is hereby, invested and empowered with the right of locating, constructing, owning, equipping, operating, using, and maintaining a railway and telegraph and telephone line … Read more

Act of April 28, 1904

33 Stat. L. 544 AN ACT To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to add to the segregation of coal and asphalt lands in the Choctaw and Chickasaw nations, Indian Territory, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Secretary of the Interior is hereby authorized and empowered to segregate and reserve from allotment, and to cancel any filings or applications that may heretofore have been made with a view to allotting the following-described lands, situate in the Choctaw Nation, to wit: The … Read more