Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1915-02-27
Federal Judge Comments
on Lack of Showing by
the Prosecution.
PAGE TELLS OF ALL
LEASE TRANSACTIONS
Half Blood Creek Indian
Resume of Work in Max
ing up Tribal Rolls.

NN USkOGEE, Feb. 26.-The right
NI Of Charles Page and r. A.
Josey, the Gem Oil company, to the
Tommy Atkins land in the Gushing
nold, was apparently determined in
the mind of Federal Judge Ralph F.
Campbell today. AT a break in the
hearing after the government had
closed it's case and after Charles Page
had detailed what the Gem Oil com
pany had done in developing the
lease, Judge Campbell declared after
a summing up that he believed the
proper thing for him to do was to re
quire Page and Josey to put up good
stiff bond and let the reCeivcrship
proposition continue.
A few minutes later however, after
counsel on either side had said hardly
a dozen words. he faced about in his
chair and said he would hear the
evidence through. The defense had
entered a demurrer to the effect that
the governments grounds were too
himsy to establish base for receiver
shin. Judge Campbell announced that
at that time the demurrer would be
cverruled, although he commented on
the lack Of showing which govern
mcnt counsel made.
Page Tcstilics.
But two persons testified today on
behalf Of Page and Josey. one was
Page himself, while the other was
Noah Gregory, half blood Creek In
0ian Gregory lives at jerks. lie
was for many years a member OF the
house Of kings and for a time mem
hcr of the house OF warriors, of the
Creek legislature. He was also sup
Crintendant of the EuChee Indian
boarding school The Creek legis-
lature was made up I'm the house OF
kings by one mcmber from each town
i'm the nation, who was elected There
were about dfty such towns in the
creek Nation, so there We're about
that many members in the house of
kings. Representation i'm the house
of warriors was on a different basis,
so that there were about three times
as many members i'm that branch.
Gregory said he was first elected to
the house Of kings IN 1887 He served
there for eight years as king OF
Euchec town. This town was what Is
now Creek county on Polecat creek.
The duties were to look after the In
tercsts Of his towns. its people, ana
in general for their good in every
thing appertainiug TO their allalrs ana
laws II was the work OF this town
King to make up the rolls of the mem
bers uf his tribe who lived in his
Jurisdictions or to look up and get the
best information he could about any
names that were submitted to MN.
Gregory. according to his testimony,
participated i'm taking such census
m his town many times to show who
ia gh
made to the Indians
Findings of Council.
After the town kings had gathered
all the information they could, their
rolls containing their findings were
submitted TO a council Of 10 men VINO
again conducted an investigation rel
ativc to the rights Of persons whose
names appeared on the rolls. Greg
orv personally took the rolls In his
town for the years 1890. 1895 and
1901. the originals of some and photo
graphic copies Of others having been
produced in court as exhibits. On all
nf these, as well as on the original
book. wherein the names OF residents
of his town were living, appeared
tho name OF Tommy Atkins or else
Minnie Atkins" and two children
These rolls were duly approved by
the council OF sixteen and submitted
to the government.
The defense produced certificate
of allotment TO Tommy Atkins, roll
number 1913, 1,621-1O acres of land.
given By Tams BiXby. as acting chair
man. Mr.. Bixby vas for years head
of the Indian land office in Musko-
gee.
Roth In his direct and In his cross
examination. Gregory declared he was
not personally acquainted with
Tommy Atkins. but maintained that
upon dlllgent inquiry and the evil
dence of persons who did know him..
his name, together with that Of his
relatives. was placed on the rolls.
Tells of Work.
The Dawes commission. he said,
asked him to help make up the rolls
I'm 1901. He deplctured the PAINS
taking methods which town kings
employed to ascertain the facts as to
names and persons, told OF the trou-
HE thus experienced. and admitted on
cross-examinatlon that In spite OF
having made tho best investigations
possible. some names got on the rolls
that should not have appeared there.
The method employed by a town
King In getting facts consisted In call
ing a meeting or convention In his
town and its jurisdiction, at which
all names were called out. IL name
l.a nS dead