Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1917-01-27
BABY VANCE WINS
MILLION IN COURT
supreme Tribunal Awards
Him Valuable Oil Land
Owned BY Father.
ENDS LONG LEGAL BATTLE
Mother Who Charged Fraudu-
lent Divorce Receives About
$4,000 From Estate.

Tulsa's million dollar baby" Is
now really worth sl.OOO,OOO Tho so
briquet so often applied to Benjamin
Vance, Jr.. became IA fact yesterday
when a decision was received from
the state supreme court giving him
full ownership OF the Indian allotment
formerly held by his father.
The decision ends litigation that has
been In the courts for the last year
and half. The original suit was
filed by Mrs. Gladys Vance, mother
of the child. to have The will made by
her husband. benjamin Vance. set
aside. She claimed that she and her
child were entitled to the allotment.
situated In the Gushing field. and
other property owned by benjamin
Vance instead OF her husbands par
onts 10 whom II had been bcqueat he'd.
The mother was victorious In the local
district court. but the parents APP
pealed the case to the supreme court.
Mother Gets 100000.
Iy the terms OF the decision the
mother receives one-half of the real
estate and personal property owned
by Benjamin Vance at the time of his
death, exclusive Of the allotment. Tho
value of her share Is said to be about
$4,000. The child receives complete
rights In his fathers allotment. va
rlously estimated to be worth from
Sl,0O0,000 10 Sl.25O.0O0, and one.
fourth OF the other real and personal
property owned by his father Will
liam and Mary Vance receive one
fourth of the property owned by their
son, exclusive OF the allotment.
The allotment il generally es-
timated TO be worth Sl,0OO,000. II
has n number of producing oil wells
and is in rich oil country Tho su-
preme court named William Vance,
of the revenues and other business
arising from the allotment. He Is
given control OF the property and au-
thoriZcd TO invest the income as he
sees III. This was one OF the points
lost by the mother. She asked that
she be appointed guardian for all OF
her child's affairs.
Baby is Months Old.
Benjamin Vance. jr. who was
warded the 81 1000. 600 property. * Is
mnoths old. lie is living with his
mother in this city and she was ap'
pointed his guardian by the county
court. Pending the decision of the
supreme court the mother has been
"a
the child.
The mother who has won the legai
battle cor the rights Of her son and
herself was married to BENJAMIN
Vance I'm 1914 At that time both
were poor and the husband earned
n small salary Nv working in n bot
tlng works lie had an allotment
which he inherited as member of
the Creek tribe. but II was regarded
rs OF little value.
Intimidatcd Into Divorce.
Early In 1915 oil was discovered
on the Vance lard ani with that the
family troubles began. Mrs Vance
SAWS her husband remained away from
home for DAYS at time and spent
their Income I'm riotous living.
Mrs Vance was unversed in world
" ways and she asserts that her hus-
hands parents urged her to get n dl-
Iorce This she refused TO do, but ac-
cording to Mrs. Vance tho case was
taken before Judge Linn over her pro-
test and divorce obtained. Records
o. the court show that the divorce
petition was not filed until after the
decree had been allowed, She claims
that she was intimidated into signing
the necessary legal papers. The case
was one OF the most irregular in the
history of the Tulsa district court.
The decree was signed on May I,
1918. Six weeks later BENJAMIN
! Vance was killed in an automobile ac-
Nldent while in a joyrding party. In
his will ho left tho wife s5 and tho
son mere plttance. The remainder
OF his property was bequeathed to his
parents.
Friends of Mrs. Vance persuaded
her 20 institute legal action for tho
on N
CONTINUED on PAGE FOUR