Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1865-11-21
DAILY LEADER.
A OIL CASE.
ShreWd Efforts to SWIndIe-RascaIffy
Exposed.

An important and very interesting cas-
was argued before the United States Cou1
at Pittsburgh, last Wednesday, involving
an oil farm on Pithole creek, in Venang,
county, Pa, now valued at over one mil
lion of dollars. The suit is brought direct
ly for S2s0,0OO, the amount of the pric
Of 100000 at which it was purehaseC
last january.
Mr.. Parcus P. Copeland formerly owned
the farm of one hundred acres adjoining
the celebrated Holman farm, on which the
United States well is located. Prior tC
striking oil in this well, Copeland had
given a lease, reserving o~ne-fourth of the
oil and j. NJ. Rugg became the owner Of
he lease.
Daniel II. Burtis, one of the defendants
n this case, commenced negotiations to
purchase the farm, and offered $500, 600.
on condition that Mr.. Copeland would
lift the lease. Mr.. Rugg had agreed to
take IS, 900 for the lease, but the develop
ment of oil caused him to advance his
price to $4,000, which Copeland agreed
to pay, under the advice of his friends, in
order to secure the sale to Burtis. The
contract for the sale was entered into on
the 2lst of July, 1865, and the payments
duly stipulated, $500 being paid in hand.
Burtis then visited New York, and con-
ceived the idea of making a better bar
gain. He had discovered, what Copeland's
neighbors testified to the court, that he
(COpeland) was a weak-minded man, and
would do whatever a man in whom he
had confidence might tell him. Accord
ingly he said 10 a Mr.. Moran, in New
York, that he and a friend out west would
take the farm at $4,000 or at most
100000, for that much money spread be-
fore Copeland would secure his signature.
He arranged with Moran for telegraphic
dispatches about the depreciation of oil
lands, and Burtis returned to Venango
county to receive and cause them to be
spread before Copeland.
MOrey, a cousin of Burtis, and the de-
PENDANT in the case, now came from Chi
cago, and on the LIST of April they went
and dined with Mr.. Copeland. As they
left his house, Burtis requested him to come
to Titusville the next Monday, and they
would try to adjust the matter of the farm.
Copeland and wife went to Titusville on
Monday, as requested, and after dinner
went into the office of Burtis, where they
a deed and mortgage already writ
ten out. Morey brought into the office
s14, 500 and laid it upon the table and or
1ered lit be counted before anything had
been said to Mr.. or Mrs. Copeland about
They had resolved to give $780,
300 for the property and no more, $4,000
n money, protect Copeland from the Rugg
Judgment and mortgage, paying in five
ears without clause of foreclosure, in case
II non nauTnnnF Of Tnfaracf an1 without
security. BY representations
UGH as, that Riggs had on Saturday be-
ore been seen, and was going to push his
Judgments, that they were putting $780,
100 in the deed so as to secure that amount
o them, that the interest on the mortgage Z
ould be collected annually if not paid,
hat the deed was taken subject
0 the Rugg judgments, and the leases, and
y incessant opportunities and by alternate
ppeals TO hopes and fears, producing at I
lines, as the evidence shows, alarm and :
anic, the signatures of Parcus T. Cope 4
md, who is proved to be a weak-minded !
nan, and his wife were obtained to the :
eed. |
The article of agreement was designed =
/, Morey the same day, and five days !
Morey sold to Burtis one-half for :
by verbal agreement, and in June .
back one-eighth for $50, 900, so !
rat Burtis became the owner of three ;
Of the tract for nothing. Shortly I
fterward, on hearing that Copeland, !
nder the advice of friends, had refused !
} give possession, assembled armed men, :
nd forcibly took possession, for which he '
indicted by the Grand Jury of the =
ounty. Burtis & Morey proceeded to :
small lots for wells, and they are :
ow in the receipt of $1,000 per day, ex- :
of Government tax. ,
The evidence in the case further shows =
lat the property for oil purpoees, on the J,
It of April last, was worth from $500, 900 !
S350.000, and the present time from :.
500, 900 to $1,000 0O. The nearest neigh =
us and most intimate friends of Parcus d,
q. Copeland testify to the fact that from
Outh down to the present time he was re-
Irded as weak minded, of extremely dull \
reception, and incapable of transacting :
1d~ersatndingly any business which re- =
Tired the exercise of judgment and cal =
while Burtis Il Morey are con- .
ded to be shrewd and sharp business 4
en-. J.
The evidence further discloses the fact :
at Burtis & Morey declared that Cope =
nd was so deficient in capacity that he q
uld be induced to sign any papers, and y
at he could be easily defrauded. A ref y
to the whole evidence will disclose !,
combination not merely to defraud him !;
his contract of January, 1865, of $780,
%, and substitute nominally one of 500,
%, but to inaugurate proceedings on g
Igg judgment to attach some $40, 200, to y
Il out the mortgage and buy it in for a e
sum, resulting in Mr.. Copelands a
tai loss of his farm and $4,000 besides. =
The suit is brought to compel Burtis & a
ORGY to surrender the article of the 9Th p
April, and to compel them to pay res !,
ne of the purchase money according to v
e article of The 2lst of January, 1866, to q