The central record. (Lancaster, Ky.) 18??-current, 1916-03-16
Jumping an
Oil Claim
By ALAN tilNSDALE

nerve and resource. Sometimes one
who has been accustomed to a rough
life. under such circumstances. will
, fail. while another viii succeed.
Henderson had been n Woodworking
man all his life. most OF the time on
the frontier. where II any one trait Is
developed II Is courage. When Hen
. derson was ffty he found himself In
possession OF some wild land that was
not worth dollar an acre. and his
title to that was imperfect for the
want OF certain name on the deed.
One day somebody struck oil In the
neighborhood OF IIenderson's property
About that time Ernest Decring. a
young recent graduate OF mining
school. came along on his way to In.
vestigate some property for parties In
the east He stayed overnight at
Henderson's house and was about to
proceed I'm the morning when Hcnder-
son told him OF his oil land. Deering
had inherited some money year be.
fore. and Henderson offered him half
interest In his land II he would fur.
for oil Dcering concluded to invest In
the enterprise. provided Henderson
would get the missing signature TO his
title.
Henderson sent his daughter Marga.
ret of to hunt for the party and secure
the signature. Decring attended to the
work he had come west to do and re
ia
wrote that she was on the track Of
the party and expected surely TO sue
coed I'm perfecting the title to the land
Meanwhile Henderson had ordered the
boring outfit on credit
One day man rode up to where the
work was going on and claimed the
property. producing an old deed that
had been superseded by the one Hen
dcrson held Henderson ordered him
OF the premises. He went away
threatening to return with force SUI
ficiently strong TO drive away what he
called the Jumpers OF his property.
The force engaged was Henderson.
Deering and three hired men. They
were absolutely without arms. and II
attacked the person who proposed TO
dIspossess them would be well pro
vided with weapons. And there was
no doubt that the attempt would bc
made. The ownership to the property
depended on Margaret Henderson Sc
curing the missing signature. Mean
while everything depended upon hold
ing the well and especially the machin
cry used In boring II.
Owing TO the lack Of arms Hender
son saw no possibility of holding the
property. He told Dcering that II the
i jumpers came down on them In SUN
cient force and well armed he saw no
way but for them to surrender. The
hired men looked upon Henderson as
able. II any one was. 10 assume the
leadership and were not anxious TO be-
shot down IN defense OF property he
longing to others. Deering was a deli
cate little fellow. and no one thought
OF him in the matter OF defense. though
he had Endorsed IIenderson's notes for
the machinery. and IL 1t passed int
other hands he would be the loser.
But In that delicate body were both
courage and resource. aud these go fat
to make up a natural leadership. He
told Henderson that he was going Ia
make a defense. Henderson refused
to consent TO a defense under the cir
cumstances. but he would not descr,
the others. Deering offered the men n
goodly reward II they would put them
selves under his command and outlined
his plan Of defense TO them. They
agreed to stand By him
Dcering ordered them TO throw up
the earth In circle surrounding the
boiler that produced the power for the
drilling. They made an embankment
five feet high IN n circle about twenty
feet In diameter, This having been ac.
complished. what wood and iron ar
ticles as were az hand were piled on
the parapet In such fashion us To form
apertures here and there In lieu Of loop
holes. This was all the preparation
that was made for defense. and when
II was completed the boring recon
menced.
The next day half dozen men were
seen approaching the we'll Some Of |
them had guns, while the others Were
armed with revolvers. Deerlng told |
Henderson and the men that since |
there was only one weapon for de
Tense and he could handle that him
self. they were at liberty 10 retreIt II |
they liked. They chose to remain. as
sorting that II might be necessary for |
one or more Of them TO take his place
When the approaching party saw the
earthworks they stopped for confe..
ence. then advanced again. ana one Of
them called out demand for sur
hard OF hearing and asked them to
come nearer, At this every man lower
ed his rifle from his shoulder or drew
his revolver, and they advanced In
body. When they had reached point
TO suit Deering lie directed man al
the steam cock 10 turn on steam. Deer
ing holding the nozzle of hose con.
nected with the boiler A jet OF steam
struck the foremost man In the face
A panic followed. Several shots were
fired. Deering could have parboiled
every man OF them, but refrained from
doing so, pointing the steam jet aside
The man he had hit was In n terrible
and the others took him ~
and carried him on.
That was the end OF the claim Jump
Ing Margaret Henderson a few days
later procured the signature she had
been sent for, oil was struck In large
quantities. and all were made rich.