The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1918-08-18
FRAUD CASE is
HEARD; DEFENDANTS
HELD FOR TRIAL
ADAMS, UNDERWOOD, JACK
SON AND CHANEY HELD
FOR LAND FRAUD

son and Reub Chaney, charged with
defrauding Tom Graham, in land
deal, were held in bail of $1,000 each
for trial in the district court, at the
conclusion Of their preliminary hear
ing yesterday afternoon. Justice
Frank Bourland heard the case. The
defendants waived arraignment and
entered pleas of not guilty.
There was large number Of wit
nesses and the rule of excluding
those who testified was invoked. The
state placed two witnesses on the
stand. Tom Graham was first called
and the defense insisted that as the
state intended to make a witness of
Sam Jackson, one of the defendants,
he be excluded from the court room.
To settle the dispute Graham was
recalled from the stand and Sam
Jackson made the first witness for
the state. He denied that he had
been promised immunity and told a
story which. if true, discloses a re-
markable chapter in the history Of
questionable deals in Indian lands,
extending over long period Of
years.
Impersonated Land Owner
Jackson is the Indian who is said
to have impersonated Milton Humes,
whose land is alleged to have been
sold to Graham, he is an intelligent
Choctaw Indian. He said he had
lived at Henryetta since January g,
1918, and prior to that time lived at
McAlester where he was employed
by the Katy railroad. He testified
that on January 3, Underwood and
Adams came to him at McAlester
and asked him to go with them as an
interpreter and that he could make
many times what he was then earn
ing. They told him, he said, that
some OF their deals were a little
smutty but that he could make $40
a day. They went to Durant and then
to Madill where he was instructed
to register as James Thomas which
he did for two nights. They made a
deal and brought man to his room
where he signed the name of James
Thomas to a deed. The money was
paid and counted by the notary and
he got :Sl00 for his share, the witness
said.
Jackson went to Henryetta and
worked at shoveling coal. Later
Adams came there to see him and
and said they had another deal on
and asked him if he knew Andrew
Jones and he said he did, and they
asked him if he could impersonate
him and he said he could. They
went to Musgogee to make the ar
rangements there and were to let
him know when they were ready for
him. He testified that they wired
him to look for a letter and when
they returned to Henryetta they tele-
phoned a man named Struble at
Muskogee about letter which he
said had been sent. They finally got
the letter and the Muskogee man in
formed them that Andrew ones had
sold his land in 1910 and that deal
was "blowed up"
About April l, Adams telephoned
him at Henryetta that they had a
deal on for Allen G.. Halls land and
that he went to Madill and then TO
Ardmore and registered with Adams,
Underwood and CLANCY, but that
deal "blowed up as the man was
too young.
Soldier Was Victim.
Then he said he and CLANCY went
to Fort Worth, Texas to pull a deal
on Cub James. or Reub James, who
was a soldier and in camp there. He
declared they forged deed on him
and that ten days after that CLANCY
came to see him about a deal TO be
pulled off at Poteau, saying that he
had the deed they had made at Fort
Worth and said it was no good and |
that it liked to have got them in
trouble" They tore up the deed.
Then, he said, he and CLANCY start
ed for Muskogee and stopped at
Stigler. where he was to call for a /
telegram for s. 5. Johnson, but that .
deal "blowed up" as they found out |
he was not OF age and they came
back home.
About the ,he 10th or 18th OF
June. Adams came to Henryetta and .
said they would go and try that Po-
teau deal again as the man would .
be OF age by that time. They stayed
all night at Allen. Adams wired Cha /
ney TO meet them at Wapanucka .
and they met him there, but he said
the deal was "blowed up and he .
insisted on going TO Coalgate. That .
ing the deed to II sent il to Waurika.
al Chaneys home and CLANCY got .
a telegram to send him. witness, to .
Ardmore the next day, June 10, and /
he came to Ardmore on that day I
10 meet Adams and Underwood.
The Hunes Deal.
Adams told him, he said, TO regis /
ter as Milton Humes.
The next morning both Adams I
and Underwood came to him and |
took him to an office. They told him /
to ask $500 to 5000 for the land,
but to stick at $500. lie told Gra-
ham he would take $1,000 and Gra-
ham said he would go and see if
the title was good. Jackson said he |
was told to go back to the room and
wait and that Graham came back |
and said the title was good. but that