The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1919-10-25
THE BULLHEAD LEASE
CASE NOW ON TRIAL
IN FEDERAL COU RT

Probably one of the most important
cases, insofar as local interest lies, is
on trial today in the federal court. The
Ease is being tried before the court
Judge Williams, without the interven.
ton of a jury, and is styled the United
States, for the benefit of Allie Daney
plaintiff, vs.. Jake Hamon, Dunn x Gil.
liam, ct al. defendants and is for can
collation. of lease to oil lands.
The defendants are stockholders of
the Bullhead Company, and the original
lease was secured from j. j. Thomas
as guardian for Allie Daney.
The case is being bitterly fought and
large array of legal talent has been
retained by the individual defendants.
Among the attorneys who are interes-
ed in the matter are W. b. Johnson
representing Defendant Dunn; w. G.
Davisson, representing Defendant Gil.
lam; Judge Sharpe, former chief JUS
lice Of the Oklahoma supreme court
representing Dunn K Gillian. and attor-
neys from Tulsa and Muskogee. repre-.
senting the Hamon and other defend
ant interests. W. A. Ledbetter of Ok
lahoma City is assisting United States
District Attorney Founders of Musko.
gee.
Two days have thus far been taken
up in hearing evidence in the case. The
evidence will be completed today, and
tomorrow, probably, the attorneys will
submit their arguments after which it
Is possible the court may take the matter
under adVisement and hand down his
decision at later day.
The suit involves over half million
dollars and its outcome is said to hinge
upon technical construction of the
law.
According to the evidence thus far
deduced, j, J. Thomas, guardian Of Al
lie Daney, Indian minor and conse.
quently a government ward. executed
q lease upon land belonging to said mi
nor The evidence in addition to the
above, is said to have thus far shown
that the guardian in executing the lease
retained an interest for himself amount
ing to $500; that he later transferred
this interest to his father It is alleged
that Defendant Thomas admitted this
transaction while upon the stand.
The evidence has further shown. it is
alleged by the attorneys, that the minor
has received regularly remuneration Of
one-third royalty which is the usual oil
royalty paid upon Oklahoma producing
leaseholds; that her interests have at
all times been sateguarded in a careful
manner; that when lightning struck the
oil tanks, her interests were carefully
conserved by the defendant company;
that when the oil oyerflowed the tanks
and run into a creek which passed
near, the Bulhead Company, through
its agents. damned the creek, conserv
ed the overflow oil and gave to the mi
nor thousands of dollars as her pro rata
Of the oil thus salvaged, although, it
is claimed the said minor could not
have established a legal right to the
salvaged oil.
The government, through the plead
> ings Of the district attorney, claims that
the lease was frauduently granted;
that Defendant Thomas as guardian Of
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