Boarding School and Land Allotment Eras 1879-1933
1917
Texas banker appointed Commissioner of Indian Affairs
Cato Sells, appointed by President Woodrow Wilson, sets up “competency commissions” and issues titles to land to “qualified allottees” without waiting for Indians to apply for them. As a result, fraud is rampant; when Indians receive 160 acres and full control of individual monies from the tribal treasury, they soon lose both to swindlers and real estate barons (Nies, 1996).