The Vinita weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1905, 1903-04-23
EXCESSIVE HOLDINGS.
Chairman OF the Dawes Commission
Answers Queries.

John Pickman OF Claremore 70.
Gently wrote letter TO the Dawes
commission in quest Of informa.
tion regarding excessive land hold
ing In the Cherokee nation, and
Chairman Tame Bixby makes the
following answer which Is print
cd in full in the last issue OF the
Claremore Progress.
The commission TO the Ave civ
ilizsd tribes Is In receipt Of your
letter Of March 81, complaining
that callemen are still holding land
in excess OF their respective allot.
ments in the Cherokee nation, and
refusing TO permit other citizens 10
take possession of any of the ex
cess land held by them. You re.
fer to any alleged ruling Of the
commission requiring allottees to
present a bill OF sale TO the land
which they desire to file on, and
state that the cattlemen are taxi
ing advantage OF this ruling and
refuse to give bill of sale unless
the land is leased for term Of
y ears. You ask what is to be
done in snch cases and "how long
will these vampires be permitted
to prey upon poor citizens2" You
enclose list Of questions for ans
wers regarding the allotment Of
land Ia the Cherokee nation.
IN reply your attention is called
% sections IS snd 10 81 the Cher.
okes agreement proclaimed Aug.
y, 1902, which provides as fol.
lows:
"See. IS. Ii shall be unlawful
after 80 days after the ratification
of this act by the Cherokees for
any member Of the Cherokee tribe
TO incloee or hold possession of, In
any manner, by himself or through
another, directly or indirectly,
more lands in value than that OF
10 acres of average allottable
lands OF The Cherokee nation, eith-
er for himself or bis wife, or for
each OF his minor children, II
members of said tribe; and any
member Of said tribe found In po-
session OF lands or having the
same In any manner inclosed, after
the expiration OF ninety days after
the date of the ratification of this
act shall be deemed guilty Of a
misdemeanor.
Sec. 10. ANY psrson convicted
Of violating any Of the provisions
OF section is Of this act shall be
punished by q fne of not less than
sl00, shall stand committed until
such fine and costs are paid (sueh
commitment not TO exceed ore day
for every 81 OF said fine aud eosis)
aud shall forfeit possession OF any
property In question, and each
day on which such ofiense is COM
mitted or continues to exist shall
be deemed a seperate ofiense. The
United States distriot attorney for
the northern district is Esquired
to see that the provisions Of said
section IS are strictly enforced,
and be shall Immediately, after
the expiration Of the 30 days alter
the ratification Of this act, proceed
TO disposess all persons OF such
excessive holdings Of lands and TO
pfosecule them for so unIawiully
holding the same. and the oom-
mission TO the FIVE civilized tribes
shall have authority to make in
vestigations Of all violations Of
section iS aud make epor, there
on TO the Uaitsd States dietrict
attorney"
As the time within which per
sons were permitted to dispose of
their excess holdings has now ex-
pired, all lnnd held at this time
| by citizens Of the Cherokee nation
in excess Of their prospective al