The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1909-12-05
ATTORNEYS GATHER
IN SAINT LOUIS
EASTERN DISTRICT INTENSELY
INTERESTED IN BIG LAND SUIT
IN CIRCUIT COURT.

The eye OF the Eastern District OF
Oklahoma WHY be turned toward Saint
Louis Monday morning when the land
suits will be before the United states
circuit court of appea's for the e gh,h
circuit Judge James T.. Humphrey
of this city who Is attorney for the
land purchasers, left here Friday
night and Will be- in Saint Louis to
submit his br efs ana a'so make an
argument before the court. ). 4.
Blcdsoe Of Guthrie will also be one
Of the attorneys Tor the land purchas.
crs.
This suit IL the appeal taken by
Cnas. W. Russell, assistant attorney
general for the government from the
decision rendered last summer by
Judge Ralph l.. Campbell of the East
ern District OF Oklahoma. In this
decision Judge Campbell held that
the Tn ted States had no right to
bring suits in the name OF Indian al.
lottoes without the consent OF the In.
dians and from this decision the gov.
ernment takes an appeal and should
the court of appeals hold with Judge
Campbell 1t is believed the goyel,.
ment will take the case on to the su.
preme court of the United States. The
individual litigants will also 20 to the
court OF dernier resort If the case is
decided adversely to their interests
II is claimed by those who are I'm
position to know that Judge Camp.
bell conferred frequently with the
judges of the circuit court OF appeals
before he rendered his dec sion ami
those who think he did SO are OF the
opinion that Judge CampOell's dacis.
ion will be affirmed at Saint Louis.
1t Is conceded by persons who are
In a position to know that the gov.
ernment is justified from standpoint
Of equ ty In filing some OF the suits
it filed for cancellation of deeds, but
the employees of the government in
Oklahoma do not Justify the whols.
sale bringing of suits. they say ii
was done for the reason that an in
sufficient appropriation was made TO
hire competent help TO IT the cases
and retain only those where lands
had been conveyed through fraud or
for consideration less than the value
OF the land. The government filed
thousands Of suits and clouded tn,
titles TO one-third of the Indian lands
because II was clear that some tew
transactions that would not bear a
strong search light had been made.
This country has been injured great
ly by frighten ng investors away ard
by cheapenng lands The great gov
ernment OF the United States the
people here think should have waited
until sufficient appropriation had
been available so that suits only that
possess merit would have been
brought As an instance of the great
inconvenience OF these su IS and II
might he added as an example OF the
injustice OF the suits firm In this
city was made a defendant in SUIT
where the government sought to can
Gel mortgage that had been execur
ed by Congressman Chas. ID. Carter.
Here is an instance where man pos
esses the INTEL gence TO make rec
ord as member of congress, yet the
great government intimates by the
filing of this suit that he is not com
petent TO handle his estate. l. is
also known that this same mortgage
had been paid off before the quit was
filed.