The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-03-22
ROMANCES REIGN
IN GREAT OIL BELT
Story of the Fight for Land
Owned by Delaware Half
Breed Thrilling.
RIVALS IN MAN HUNT .
RACES AGAINST TIME AN BIG RED
AUTOMOBILES FIGURED IN THE
SEARCH FOR INDIAN TANNER
WILL BE VERY WEALTHY.

Guthrie. Okla, March @i.-The oil
fields Of Oklahoma have furnished ro-
mances not a few. but the latest of
which the public has heard is that in
which Frank Tanner Delaware half
breed, II years old. is the chief figure.
Spirited away by two wealthy oil men
whirled from one end OF the state TO
the other in an automobile. wined and
dined most luXuriously, and finally. as
the hour of his twenty-first birthday
neared. entertained in an Enid hotel
while rival oil man was hurrying to
town on a special train, Tanner signed
a lease which gave to his hosts the
right to develop his 1lO-acre allotment,
pronounced by experts to be fdbulOusly
rich in Oil and gas deposits For the
lease. which does not expire for TWEEN
~ years. Tanner received S2n,tM0 cash.
He is to get one-eiehth OF the royalties.
Oil producers say he will be worth
million in a few years The fight over
the big game was exciting. Charles }.
Wrightsman. of Tusla, with w. Bon
nellie. of Batesville, and A. J. TillOt-
son, a member of the legislature from
Nowata county, found in w. c. Sinclair
a wealthy oil producer of Independence
Kansas. d bar to the coveted lease.
Bid Raised by $4,000.
Sinclair, VINO represented Pittsburg
capitalists, had had contract with
Young Tanner. but the Oklahoma pro-
| Queer raised his bid by $1,000. OF
| course, the kansan was willing to
meet the raise, but he could not get
| in touch with the Indian. Repeated
inquiries at his home in NOtawa only
disclosed the information that he had
disappeared. Sinclair was frantic. He
saw thousands slipping through his
! fingers, bat there was time yet to act.
! for Tanner could not sign the lease
until he was of age. When the first
scene Of the drama opened the young
Delaware lacked nearly two weeks Of
being q. His disappearance created
excitement. Sinclair did not stop to
sympathize with the family. He knew
instinctiyely that the lease had some
thing to do with the maccOuntablC
absence Of the Indian. His detectives
telegraphed TO every part of the state.
Descriptions of the missing youth
We're forwarded to the police of every
important town in northern Oklahoma
but the dragnet brought no desults.
StumbIes Orto Trail.
A week passed and Sinclair had cs-
tablished no clew. Finally, as in de-
spair he was giving up the quest. the
Kansas producer stumbled on the trail
Tanner was in Guthrie. 1t was Sun
day and the hotel Hobbies were crowd
ed with politicians. Detectives arriv-
ed on the scene, to find that Tanner
had registered at one of the large ho-
tells. But he was gone. Then Sinclair
learned the Indian was in Oklahoma
City, thirty miles away He wired his
detectives to detain Tanner at any
cost. Snclair's detectives struck the
trail. 1t was easy TO follow. The In
dian and three others were in A big
red motor car They traversed the
city with the inconsistency of tour
lists on pleasure bent. They Went TO
a fire. The detectives followed in a
machine. He lost them in the smoke
and confusion, but picked them up
again down town. The job looked like
a sinecure. He had an assistant tele-
phone Sinclair that he had the party
on the line" His plans were quietly
10 keep the trail until his employer
arrived, Then an absurd thing occur
red. The detective was arrested. In
vain he protested and demanded to
know by what right he was detained
from indulging in a peaceful ride.
Charges Unfounded.
The police officer was obdurate and
the indignant detective was guided to
the police court He easily satisfied
the magistrate that the charge against
him was unfOunded and he was re-
leased. In the meantime the red auto
mobile had gone. The darkness had
swallowed the party and the asphalt
left no tracks. The pursuer and his
chauffeur secured the city until morn
ing They visited the hotels and room
ing houses, and finally gave it up. The
trumped-up arrest had cooked the
goose of the Oklahoma City detective.
Sinclair arrived to hear a gloomy re-
port and voluminouS ifs Sinclair
was nearly wild as he saw the min
utes slipping away. and with them the
hopes of beating his opponents. He
knew without asking that Tanners
companions were his rivals He called
the roll of his hotel acquaintance and
frankly told them of his plight That
way he raised the pot" One man
lent $50, another S25 and so on until
the $3.50 was gathered.
Race Against Time.
Then it was a race against time
The engine with one car shot into the
darkness. while the tenacious oil man
chung to his seat in the swaying coach
his watch clasped in one hand. Up in
, the cab the engine driver watched the
hands go around. The track was poor
; Up and down grade, over the mushy
roadbed, shrieking for the crossings
! as town after town flashed by the spe
Cial ate up the miles. The speed was
scarcely checked for the curves and
the abbreviated train Rugged the rails
by a miracle. The pace was never
slackened until the lights of Enid sud
| denly came forward to meet the bolt