Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1911-12-29
TURKEY island
CASE IN court
SrNrE on OKLAHOMA WANTS 4
RECEIVER APPOINTED FOR
the PROPERTY.
INVOLVES MANY Interests
Judge Poe VIII Probably Render n
Decision Some Time lnis
Aflc. noon.

Oklahoma's most famous and most
unique land suit had an air ng in the
| district court Yesterday IN which
! PROMINENT attorneys from the entire
| state. representing the United States
! government, the state Of oklahoma,
the Usage Indian nation. wealthy oil
! corporations and private citizens par
| tie pated The suit in question in
wolves the title to eighty-four acres
of valuable oil land. known as Tur-
| key, or Larry No-Legs island. stu
ated in the Arkansas river between
the Usage and Pawnee county lines.
State Wants u Reclaim.
completed today in all probabil ty,
was brought up on the app icat on b.
/ the state OF oklahoma through At
! torney General Wes, TO have a re-
ceiver appointed for the property on
which one oil well has been drilled.
but never pumped. The attorney
general asks that receiver be ap-
pointed until such time as the legal
owner can be ascertaincd. This viii,
probably not be for several years as
It was made evident in yesterdays S
! hearing that the case VIII be carried
To the United States supreme court by
some of the litigants.
State Claims n Title.
The tate Of Oklahoma gets its al
legged title from tho enabling act un-
! der which oklahoma was admitted as
state and bases its claims on the
fact that the Arkansas river Is naVi-
gable Under the enabling act. the
state of oklahoma secured all land
such as islands In navlgable rivers.
The land in question VAS given to
the state school land commission
which executed an oil and gas lease to
the jim Crow oil and Gas company
last January. The school land commits
sion a short time ago declared the
Arkansas river navigable and on this
the state bases their claims to a title.
Osages Also Have Oaim.
The Usage Indian reservation
claims that the land belongs to them
and Larry No-Legs an Usage citizen
has a patent to the land. secured by
The United States government. Their
claim is based on the fact that in
some time in the past what Is now
termed as an island. was a part of
the Usage reservation, but the river
has cut channel, cutting 1t off from
the mainland.
Larry No-Legs has executed an oil
lease on the land to the Indian Terri
tory Illuminating oil company.
Homcstcadcr Is Interested.
II. A. Thomas claims title to the
land from the United States land Of
! flee. He pre-empted the land in 1898
and has been In possession ever since
| He has executed an oil lease to the
| Producers OH COMPANY which COM
| pany has drilled an oil well at a cos
Of $500. striking oil in large guam
titles.
The following persons also claim
an interest in the land G.. w.
Hutchings \. \. Barnsdal, the
Barnsdall Oh company. w r. Ed
munson, r. c. Mullendore. j. f. Duff
! fy, J. y. Ortner and the Citizens Bank
and Trust company.
Evidence Was Presented.
The state of Oklahoma, through
Attorney w. A. Ledbetter, yesterday
presented evidence from experts TO
show that the island was in reality
an island and thus showing that the
had at least a prlma facle title. This
testimony was rebutted by other
claimants who are protesting against
receiver being appointed.
Further evidence will be introduced
today and the court will probably
make some decision late this after
ernoon.