The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-01-27
INVOLVES MILLIONS
One Of the Biggest Suits Ever Brough
in a Western Court.
CONSPIRACY IS ALLEGED
Michael Curran. Formerly a Miner
In Butte. Is Now In Colorado
Pushing His Claim to the
Famous Little Johnny.

orado engaged IN a suit which involves
more than has ever been brought before
a court in the West before. Mr.. Cur
ran claims a sixth interest In the fab
ulous Little johnny mine, estimated to
have s33, 900. 900 in sight. Michaels
brother, John, was, II is claimed, one
of the original parties and patentees.
The Rocky Mountain News gives the
following account of this interesting
case:
IF the three suits now pending in the
federal court should be decided in Ia
vor of the compliments, 1t would mean
that one-half of the Little johnny would
pass out of the hands of the present
owners, Who would also be compelled
90 make an accounting of the phenom-
email output OF this wonderful gold pro-
Queer for many years.
Three sets of plaintiffs claim each
a one-stxth interest in the greatest
gold mine of the world. Only one of the
suits has been before given out for pub
lication. Complaints were filed in the
other two some time ago, but as all the
defendants have not been served, under
the practice prevailing in the court.
the complaints were not given for pub
location until yesterday.
Judge Hallett, however. heard de-
murrers yesterday interposed by de-
PENDANTS to all the complaints. These
demurrers are general, but the princi-
pad fight is as ITO a large number OF IN
terrogabories which the owners OF the
mime are asked to answer. 1t is claim
ed that these are improper and that
answers would disclose the private bus
tnass OF the company. The court took
the matter under advisement.
Allegations of fraud and deceit are
made i'm the several complaints. Heirs
OF original locators claim that they
were imposed upon. and, being tgnor-
ant of the true value OF the property.
were induced to part with their inter
eSts for trifing sums. Statements in
the first complaint filed by Thomas ID.
Kelley and others for a sixth interest
have already been published in the
News. But the allegation in the other
cases started recently have not been
published.
THE entire amount demanded i'm
these bills is many millions. In fact, IT
IL impossible to state what is the exact
sum demanded. as compfainants them
selves do not know. An accounting Is
asked, to determine the value of ore
that has been extracted during the past
six or seven years and. besides, a de-
cnee Is prayed for a sixth interest for
each set, which would be. taking the
three cases together. the richest gold
mine in the world.
The suits involve more than any lit
aga;taon that has ever been brought be-
fore a court in the West. The output
has been enormous, and there Is now
said to be about 1888 900. 900 in sight in
the mine. An offer of 100000 from
London parties, made a short time ago,
was not even considered. In the bills,
the value of the mine Is given at from
$4,000. 900 to s2O.OO0.0oo.
A. ~ "A
Legations in all the bills are subStan-
italy the same, plaintiffs assert that
they were induced by fraudulent rep
reservations to part with their sixth in
ferest for $500.
"The complaint Is sworn to by MI
chael Curran of Montana, although
other heirs are party to the suit. Mi
chael Curran states that his brother,
John. was one of the locators and pat
entees of the Ltttle johnny, on Breeze
Iron hal, near Deadville. i'm the Califor-
MIA mining district. The allegations of
the bill. stripped of legal veTbiage, are
substantially as follows:
John Curran did not live to reap the
benefit of his wonderful find. On Aug.
1s. 1890. he died. leaving neither wife
NOR child. His father and mother and
a number of brothers and sisters scat
tered throughout the world survived
him. His father resided in Wisconsin,
but he, too. passed beyond the range
within year Of his sons death. The
surviving heirs of Michael Curran. the
father of John. were his wife, Bridget,
who is a party TO this suit, and claims
under the law of descent of this state,
one-hah of the sixth interest to which
her husband was entitled out of the
estate of their son. Then there was the
brother Michael. who makes this COM
plant. and who lives in Montana, and
4. a
claim equal shares of the remaining
one-twelfth interest In the Little John
ny, as follows: Maggie Curran Wis
consin; Bridget Folly. Great Britain:
Mary Walsh, Iowa; Sarah Koran and
Katie Curran. Nebraska. No admins
tration was ever had of the estate OF
Michael CurTan, the father OF the orig
inal locator, John Curran. Then, IL Is
claimed, began correspondence between
certain agents of the defendant COM
pany TO endeavor to secure a quit
claim deed of the interest of complain
ants TO this action. Among the letters
in the complaint is the following:
Leadville, Colo, March Is. 1893
Miss Maggie Curran. Chicago ILL.,:
Dear Madam-I am slightly inter-
ested fn the Little Johnny mine claim
on Breeze hill in this district / UNI
derstand that through the death OF
John Curran, former owner, you have
fallen heir TO this interest, which l
think rs one-sixth OF the claim. subject
10 certain contract and lease which
was made by Curran and others TO
some Kansas parties and under which
the property has been worked with in
different results for many years. NV
present interest is 50 small that IL does
not amount To much and / am inclined
90 add to Ii solely as a speculative ven
ture If / can buy more OF the Claim AT
a reasonable rate. IL may be that I
may never realize anything out of the
interest in the claim | now have n
you and the other heirs. II there are
any. wish 20 take $3.50 for the one-six-
teenth interest, II you will write me
and give me the full names OF the heirs
and the county and state in which they
AVE. 1 wah forward you a deed 10 be
signed by you and them. on the return
here to the Carbonate national hank
properly signed and Acknowledged ana