The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1910-06-09
U. S. CIRCUIT COURT OF AP-
PEALs HANDS DOWN DECISION
IN LAND TITLE CASES.
A SHOCK TO THE UT|GANTS
IF Allowed to Stand Will Prove of
lnestimabIe Damage to All Inter
ests in This Section Of the Okla
homa.

News that is of intense interest
to the people of this section, as well
as the entire portion of the state
included in the old Indian Territory
| was flashed over the wires this
morning in a telegram to Judge
Humphrey of this city, and it arous
ed at once discussion of the prob
abilities, possibilities and effects it
will have on the business and landed
il terests of this country.
Judge Ralph Campbell of the fed
eral district court has been reversed
by the United States circuit court
cf appeals.
His decision affecting thirty thous-
and suits in which the title to Indian
lan-s is brought in question, is held
by the court of appeals to be erro-
neous and the case is reversed with
instructions.
The decision was delivered yes
day, Judge Amidon delivering the
opinion Of the court, Judge Hook
concurring, and Judge Adams dis
senting.
The case is made as test case
which involves over thirty thousand
suits brought by the United States
in behalf of the Indians, to set aside
the title to lands that had been
transferred by the Indians to as
many purchasers.
Judge Campbell last August helll
that the pleadings were faulty, that
the United States could not bring
the suits, that the Indians having
acquired citizenship were no longer
wards CT the government and in eff
feet that the titles were good.
The case was appealed by the
government to the court of appeals,
and was argued in st. Louis last
December by the representatives of
the government and by Judge Hum
phreys and four other attorneys in
behalf of the defendants. 1t is now
six months since the case was taken
under advisement by the court of
appeals and the decision today is
the termination.
No synopsis Of the opinion has yet
been received, and therefore Judge
Humphreys is in the dark as to just
what its effect will be.
One thing is certain, however, that
the reversal will have a depressing
effect On the business interests of
this section. 1t will have a tendency
to retard the development of the
country, will turn back the wheels
OF progress and will be another
blight that the United States govern
ment has with great frequency cast
upon the prospects of settlement and
opening up of the landed and agri
cultural interests of the old Indian
Territory.
1t will be a source of great re-
gTet, will operate disadvantageously
and if allowed to stand will put this
country back many years. The un-
certainty of titles will again be a
detriment that will be hard to owe,
come. 1t will be an injustice to the
investor sustained by official action
of a court that is ultra Indian in
its makeup and apparently antago-
nistic to the interests of Oklahoma
as a state.
The hardship that will ensue from
this decision among those who hav.
invested their money in the lands of
this section will be inestimable. In
migration that was about to flow
into the state will be stopped and
vast sections of territory will remain
uncultivated, unused. and absolutely
worthless to anybody
Just what Instructions are attach
ed to the opinion are awaited with
interest. Just what action will be
taken by the defendants is entirely
problematical en- the gist of the
decision and the possibilities of ap-
peal. If there is a constitutional