The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-03-13
Supreme Court Appoints Conn
missioner for Findings.
Meanwhile Jackson Barnett
Stays With His Pretty Wife.
INITIAL VICTORY FOR WOMAN
She Also Is Granted $1,000 for
COurt-Living Expenses.
Case of National Interest
Brought to Topeka Today.

Jackson Barnett, aged millionaire
indian oil operator, whose marriage to
pretty Mrs. Anna Laura Lowe Bar
nett, white woman. is being contested
oy the government in the Kansas su-
preme court, must remain in Kansas
pending final judgment of the case.
Inc supreme court late today appoint-
ed Judge A NJ. Jackson. of Winfield.
commissioner to take testimony in the
case with instructions to report his
Ilndlngs to the court at the earliest
possible date.
In the meatime, the Indian was
Ieft in the custody of the sheriff OF
Montgomery county and his guardian.
The court granted the young wife
$1,000 from her wealthy husbands
fortune to defray costs of the case and
her living expenses. She will live with
her husband, pending final decision.
me guardian cannot talk with his
aged ward except in the presence OF
the court.
The courts order today was regard
, ed as an initial victory for Mrs. Bar
nett
Efforts to restore Jackson Barnett
to his guardianship and ultimately to
I set aside his recent marriage. are pur-
poses contained in the habeas corpus
proceedings which today brought Bar
nett and his bride before the state su-
preme court. Barnett aged million
aire Creek Indian, is alleged to have
l been 'yamped" and virtually kid
naped by the younger Mrs. Anna
Laura Lowe Barnett The couple
married in Coffeyville last month.
( Charge Indian irresponsible.
4 The writ was directed against the
| S5-year-old bride of the 7O-year-old
! indian oil magnate. Before they
formally appeared in court today a
general denial to charges in the case
had been filed by her attorney The
I supreme
I nearing until late this afternoon
1 Charges that Barnett was not re-
/ sponsibie in the making of his mar
rage contract. as well as assertions
that his bride held him a prisoner TO
prevent persons seeing him, were gem
orally ana specifically denied in the
answer. The Indian and his bride
spent practically the entire morning
IN the state house. They were subject
70 curious eazes of scores of persons.
Women predominated in the court
/ room during the morning.
Sheriff Slept in Same Room.
Burnett and his bride were brought
to Topeka early this morning from
Coffeyville. Sheriff Backus of Mont
gomfry county, as well as attorneys in
the case, shared a big double room
with the newly married couple In the
National hotel. Their sleeping quar-
ters were p1rtitioned off by screens
Persistenuy refusing to yield her
serting she could aid in managing
+ his affairs. the Indians bride has
stood firmly beside her 70-year-old
lover. 1t was after federal depart
ments in Washington had become In
terested in the case that action was
ftaken thru the courts to compel the
young woman to surrender the BRIDE
groom.
Court justices were waiting when
Barnett and his bride arrived. A
crowd of eager spectators had arrived
an hour earlier and stood in line anx-
4 ious to hear some word from the bride
or the veteran Creek.
Nationwide interest has centered in
the case of Barnett, who at the ripe
age of three score years and ten. de-
cided to take unto himself a bride
Anna Laura Lowe, aged 35 years
strikingly attractive and decidedly
quick witted and well poised. was the
recipient of Barnett's love and devo-
ton Just at this time the forces seek
ing to separate Barnett from the ap-.
pie of his devotion insist there was a.
mercenary tendency behind the wo-
mans "courtship" They aIlege the
i bride sought to gain control of the In
dams wealth and ask that the wife
surrender her marital rights and place
the guardian in control of Barnetts
affairs and property.
! Several Attempts 10 Kidnap Him.
{ Several attempts to kidnap Barnett
nave peen maze curing lne years he
has lived In Oklahoma, but all were
frustrated In the efforts of the guar
dian TO safeguard the Indian from at
tack, the line of defense was not for
titled against Dan Cupid. however.
And when Barnett decided that the
dinpled, bright eyed Anna Laura Lowe
was just the woman of whom he had
dreamed-well, a guardianship was a
small. trivial enlargement.
1t was while Barnett and his bride
were celebrating their honeymoon ia
Coffeyville that the case was reported
to official Washington. The guardian
devoted ,his efforts toward returning
Barnett to his farm near Henryetta,
Okla. The department of Indian af-
/ fairs in Washington began an fnvesti-
CATION of the case and the culminatio
was application for a writ of habeas
corpus before the supreme court.
! It is asserted Barnett. accustomed
during his life time to the most rugged
out door existence, should not at his
age attempt domestic settings Based
on that theory the bride is asked thru
court action 10 surrender her mate
and incidentally move a safe distance
from the Barnett estate of several
million dollars.
Charge, She Lured Him.
It does not exactly stop therS how
ever. The bride is declared to have
gone TO Barnett's. farm with a male
,accornplice and to have lured the In
formed by a justice of the peace in
ICoffeyyille. During absence of the
bride. the bridegroom is alleged to
have been locked in a room. Demand
was made that she release her hus-
(Coutiuued Oh PAGE TUo.l