Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1917-05-12
PAGE WITNESSES
ARE SMALL ARMY
Fifty-nine Persons Lined Up
in Effort to Prove Tommy
Atkins Existence.
THE OPPOSING SISTERS MEET
Court Holds Nancy Must Prove
Reputed Character Her Son,
Not Minnie's.
THE OPPOSING SISTERS MEET

Special TO The World
MUSK OGEE, May 1l.-Fifty-n
witnesses have been summoned to help
Charles Page in the Tommy Atkins
suit, c. b. Stuart, Pages chief coun-
sci, announced at adjournment this
afternoon. 1t is understood that most
of them are from Leavenworth, Kan.
Page stin hopes to prove that
Tommy was born and that the place
of his birth was Leavenworth, despite
the prepondcrance of evidence in con-
tradiction produced this week by the
government. Testimony for the de-
fense Is expected to begin Monday or
Tuesday. The advance guard of
Pages witnesses is already on the
ground.
First Meeting of Sisters.
The most touching scene Of the trial
occurred this morning when Minnie
and Nancy Atkins, sisters. met in the
courtroom. The women had not seen
each other for years until they came
face to face today as opponents-in one
of the most bitter lawsuits ever tried
In Oklahoma.
Formerly they had all the love
that one sister could have for anotn-
err When Minnie came to Oklahoma
in 1885 to obtain the payment due
her and her children as members of
the Creek tribe. she left her two chill
dren, Charlie and Harvey Harrison,
with Nancy when she was seized with
the fear that the government would
detect her fraud in enrolling
Tommy" which she never had. Nancy
reared her sisters sons. She was glad
of the opportunity TO do this much
for her sister. she said.
Nancy Fought for Minnie.
Because she fled from this section
Of the country and covered all traces
of where she was. Minnie did not re-
ceive an allotment when they were
awarded by the Dawes commission in
1901. The records show that in 1905,
Nancy went before the commission and
did all in her power to have an al
lotment granted Minnie but in this
she was unsuccessful.
Since the Tommy Atkins allotment
became valuable. crafty oil men who
have little regard for business ethics.
have pftted the two sisters against
each other until they were led to be-
lieVe that they were enemies.
Minnie was the first to arrive in the
courtroom this morning. She took her
customary place within the rail beside
her husband. Ten minutes later
Nancy, whose eyesght is very bad.
groped her way into the room and
walked slowly toward the table where
her attorneys We're seated. about five
feet from Minnies chair.
Both Are Overcome.
As Nancy took her scat she turned
toward the window and her eyes met
those of the sister from whom she
had long been separated. The look
that passed between them certainly
was not one of animus.
Minnie was so overcome that she
broke into tears and had to be led
from the room by her husband. Nancy
bowed her head and held it in that
position most of the morning.
The Victims of PIottcrs.
That the sisters have been the VIC
tins of avaricious plotters is shown
by their own statements. Minnie is
credited with saying that if she had
had her own way she would just have
told the truth about Tommy Atkins
but Mr.. Page said she had to go to
law over it" Nancy. at the trial In
Sapulpa gave as her reason for enter
ing the suit that since they were all
trying to get that money. she thot she
ought to get in on some of it,
Nancy Is an incompetent. Her
claims for the Tommy Atkins allot-
ment are slight. Witnesses presented
today who had known Nancy at the
time Tommy is supposed to have been
born, swore that so far as they knew
she did not have such child
The government and Page are both
fighting Nancy's claim as they are
CONTINUED ON PAGE THREE