The Washington times., 1924-02-15
OIL LEASES IN
OKLAHOMA
COURT
Lawyer Claims $4,000 Fee Is
Due for Service in Naval
Reserve Case.
Copyright. 1924, by Cosmopolitan
News Service.)

Copyright. 1924, by Cosmopolitan
News Service.)
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLA, Feb.
15.-Echoes of the Teapot Dome
scandals resounded through the
halls Of justice here today, when
the naval Oil reserve lease of w. r.
Ramsey, prominent Oklahoma oil
man, which has already been aired
in two Federal courts, again was
Idocketed for hearing through civil
action, In the district court of Nc
Allister.
J. +. McMurray, former OklahO-
man, and now a resident of Wash
ington, has sued George M. Swift,
Okmulgee attorney, for $4,000 as
the result Of a quarrel over attor-
ney's fees.
Claimed Fail Influence.
In his answer to McMurray's Pc
tition for the $4,000 award, Swift
reveals what purports to be an ad-
mission made by McMurray, that
he had unlimited influence with
former Secretary of the Interior
Fall.
McMurray, an attorney for Ram.
sey, told Swift that he McMurray)
was to receive $1,000,000 for his
share in obtaining the Ramsey
lease from the Department of In
terror, Swift alleges.
/. McMurray is also alleged to have
told Swift that he had represented
himself repeatedly as a close friend
Of Secretary Fall. Swift said Nc.
Murray told him to address all COM
munications to him in care of Fall
at Washington, and, that in answer.
ing, McMuarry often. used the de-
partmental stationery. Swift de-
clared that McMurray introduced
him to Mrs. Fall.
Big Leases Promised.
Swift said that while on a trip
to Washington, McMurray told him
that Ramsey was to have 1O5, 900
acres Of California naval leases and
e. L. Doheny was to get another
10000.
whether or not Ramsey later
conveyed his leases to Doheny, I
do not know" Swift said.
It Is believed that Swift referred
to the lease on naval reserve mum.
ber one, at the base on Mount
Diable, Kern county, CAL, obtained
by Ramsey, July 8, 1921.
This deal had previously been
aired in the Oklahoma City COURTS,
due to a suit filed against Ramsey
by John Doelin, Of Alva, anot + Of
his attorneys. Doolin sought to col
lect $50, 900 as his share in obtain
ing the lease. He mentioned Nc
Murray as one Of his co-attorneys.
According to the Doolin suit 1t
was agreed to pay the United States
65h cents royalty on every barrel
of oil produced, later the oil price
declined, and Ramsey sought a re.
duction in the royalty.
Lawyers again went to Washing
ton, and the Department Of the In
terror, as a compromise, increased
the lease acreage, Doolin alleged.
The first lease had included 52.70
acres. After the compromise it in
cluded 632 acres, and on the new
acreage the royalty was reduced
to sliding scale Of IL to S5 cents
per barrel.
Doolin alleged specifically in his
petition that Ramsey paid no addi-
tional consideration for the second
lease.
Sold for $75O,OOO.
Ramsey sold the double lease on
April IL, 1922, for $750,000, the
lawyer set forth. Doolin estimated,
in addition, that $500,O00 was re-
ceived fro moperation of the leases.
Costs did not exceed $40O,0 he
believed. He estimated proceeds
from the operation and sale az.
ceeded 100000.
How much was paid the Govern
ment for the lease was not stated.
Ramsey in his answer, however,
denied that any profit was made.
He asserted that actually he had
sustained $13,013 loss. He cited
figures, as follows:
Total cost of acquiring and i'm.
proving lease, $525,391.
Total sale price, $450,O0O.
LOSS, $75.391.
Claims $62,377 Profit.
Profit from operation, Se2,977.