Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1917-05-08
PAGE EXPOSED
BY WITNESSES
IN ATKINS CASE
Knew Tommy" Never Ex-
listed, C. S. Walker
Testifies.
FRAUD DETAILS GIVEN
Lawyer Tells How Sadie
James Was Employed to
Gather Evidence.
NEGRESS NOT TO TESTIFY
But Dispositions, Said TO Be
Sensational, Will Be Read
by Judge Campbell.
NEGRESS NOT TO TESTIFY

Special to The World
MUSKOGEE, May THAT Charles
Page of Tulsa knew that no such per-
son as Tommy Atkins ever existed. but
nevertheless hired Il detective to man
ufacturc evidence that would establish
to a courts satisfaction the existence
of "A mythical individual OF that name
was brought out here today In the
governments suit against Page and
others.
The person Page Is alleged to have
employed was Sadie James, a negress.
Sadie's commission was to find per-
sons who were willing to swear that
they knew Tommy Atkins and that he
was a son Of Minnie Atkins, Creek
Indian, and as such entitled to an al
lotment.
An oil lease in the Cushing field.
known as the Tommy Atkins" allot-
ment and said to be worth $3,OO0,00O
is now held by Page and his associates.
The government charges that II was
obtained thru fraud
The Contract.
When the negress was employed by
Page I'm the summer OF 1914. n con-
tract was drawn up. II specified that
she was to receive 81 900 for her serv-
ices and $500 expense money.
Details of Sadle's employment by
Page were disclosed In the testimony
of Charles S. Walker. a Tulsa lawyer,
-and formerly city attorney. Walker
said that the negrcss came to his Of
flee in 1914 and told him that she was
"on a deal" with Page to produce evil
dence as to the existence Of Tommy
Atkins.
"Do you think that such a person
ever eXisted?" Walker said he asked
her.
The Mythical Tommy.
mo, Minnie had told me that she
never had such a son." he said the
negress replied.
Walker said that he advised the
woman not TO enter such deal as 1t
would land both she and Page in
prison. She told him, he said, that IL
she could make "a killing" she
penitentiary
TO perfect the contract, Walker
said, the negress stated that she had
an engagement with Page and Charles
Long to meet them that night in the
Sand Springs park. lie told her to re-
turn to his office the next day and
tell him what took place.
"Hc'd Get the Witnesses"
on the following morning she came
gone thru, Walker testified
docs Mr.. Page know that Tommy
Atkins never existed ?" the attorney
said he asked
Yves, told him" he said she re-
piled
What did he say?"
"Oh, he'll get the witnesses" she
answered. according 10 walker.
The attorney said that he expressed
en- nFfu
such a raw" deal lie again warned
her, he said that she would have to
pay heavily for such business, but Sa-
die reiterated her intentions Of seeing
II thru.
She then departed for Leavenworth
where Minnie Atkins formerly lived,
and other points IN Kansas to carry
cut her part Of the contract. Sariie
did her work we'll. She returned to
Tulsa and according TO evidence also
brought out today, Page admitted that
her services had been satisfactory.
stricken with Rcmorsc
Late in November. 1914 the negress
be gan to suffer remorse, the attorney
slated She again visited Walkers Of
flee and told him that she was sorry
for what she had done and asked his
advice as to how 1t could be rectified.
The attorney said he advised her
TO go to the federal offices and make
a complete confession. This she later
did.
The ncgress will not testify in per-
son at the trial. Instead, the part she
played has been introduced in deposit
tions The depositions cover about
two thousand typewrltten pages and
are said to be extremely sensational
in character. They will not be read in
open court. but perused by Judge
Campbell, who is sitting In the case,
in private.
W. 1. Williams on Stand.
w. l. Williams, another Tulsa law
yer, also testified today. He said that
Minnie had conferred with him late
in 1914 about collecting the money
due her on the contract with Page
aud his associates. Williams said that
nc consulted Page about the matter
and that Page told him that he was
perfectly willing to pay sadie in full,
as her work had satisfied him, but
that one of the men Interested object
ed prcferring to wait until the case
had been tried and judgment given
IN their favor.
Later, Sadie told him. Williams said.
that there never was such n Tommy
Atkins" as Page claimed.
The Governments Case.
The name OF Tommy Atkins ap-
pears on the Creek rolls, but accord
ing to the governments attorneys 1t
was put there by fraud. In 1895.
when the Creek payment was being
made. Minnie Atkins conceived the
idea, they charge. of adding anSther
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