Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-05-18
OIL land LITIGATION
INVOLVING THE TITLE OF TWO THOUSAND
ACRES AT SISTERSYILLE
Worth Nearly Half Million-A Very Interesting
Cass-R VIII Probably be Settled
BY Compromise

For the past three days the attention
Of oil men in all parts Of the country
and particularly the Sistersville field
has been attracted by the taking OF
testimony before q Commissioner at
Parkersburg, in the case Of Russell vs.
Ludwig, Mooney ct al, involving the
title to a greater portion OF the Sisters
willie field. Yesterday, as will be seen by
a telegram, the matter was con-
promised. The amount involved n
litigation made the case one OF the
most important in the history OF the
state. Attorneys Caldwell & CALDWELL
Of this city; John b. Chapman, Of Pitts
burg, and f. L. Blackman, OF Sisters
Vile, appeared for the plaintiffs; ]. "A.
Hutchinson and B. NJ. Amber. Of Park
ersburg, and J. B. Mccoy, Of Sisters
VILE. for o. B. Ramey; Ex-Governor j.
Il. Jackson and Judge McCiuer,
of Petersburg, and John M. Bailey
and ID. Nj. Sheets. Of OttoWa,
Ohio. for the defendants. Two thou
sand acres OF land were involved,
with the value variously estimated be-
tween $500, 600 and $500, 600. Here are
IN round numbers, about % wells on
the land, producing $500 barrels or OH
per day.
The history Of the case is very Inter
esting. The land was part OF the Joshua
Russell place. IL was leased In February
1890 to Ludwig and Weeder Of Ottawa,
o.. who az once drilled a well-the tirsi
In what's now the SiSterSville Eeld.
The hole turned out 70 be wild cat
well. and is still known as "Poie cat
we'll" In July OF 1850 salt water was
struck. An effort was made 20 case the
well, as 10 showed some indications OF
OIL. Then there was disagreement be-
the lessees, and the hole was abandoned
for over a year. In September OF 1871
humping was resumed, and for two
months the well flowed 1000 barrels Of
salt water per day. In April, 1t CON-
menced to flow, producing between 400
and 500 barrels Of oil day. II still
produces daily about $50 barrels.
March 6, 1890, Weeder died, leav-
ing five children, three OF whom
were minors. In August, 1892, Russell
was appointed guardian for the minors,
and administrator for Weeder. la the
meantime Ludwig sold One-fourth In
terest i'm the leases To a man named
Mooney, and the territory has been
operated by them. A daughter OF one
of the original lessees, Mrs. Harry
Ibrip. and n client Of Caldwell q Cald-
well, claims that the property having
been leased by Ludwig and
the father, the children Of Weeder,
deceased, are entitled to One-halt
interest. The case was further COM
plicated bya claim for One-third inter
est made By O 3. Ramey, formerly. a
Wheeling merchant, and later a mem
Der OF the Ohio State Senate. Ramey
claims that he was TO receive One-third
interest for inducing his relative, Rus
sell. to make the leases, about nineteen
in number, to the Ottawa parties. His
name, however, does not appear In the
leaSes.
The case came up in the United
States Court because some OF the inter
ested parties are non-residents Of this
State. Judge Jackson appointed re-
ceiver, and dispositions have been taken
in Parkersburg since last Monday. Yes
terday an agreement was reached,
which is virtually compromise. Gen.
Alfred Caldwell left yesterday for
Charleston TO present the matter before
Judge jackson, for the purpose of put
ting il in the form OF an order Of the
Court, approved and entered. Geo. b.
Caldwell, ESQ, returned to this city
last night, but declined 10 give the
terms Of the compromise pending the
order Of Court.