Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-09-21
OIL RICHES BRING
WOE TO INDIANS
Nine Suits in Supreme Court
Include Another InvoIv-
ing Barnett.
o. the A..ocIntsd Pres..

~ the Associated Press
Nine cases before the Supreme Court
involving Indians, or their property
are reminders that the legal troubles
of the American aborigineS have null
tiplied since the discovery of oil in
Oklahoma.
Six of the nine are directly, or in
directly. concerned with the liquid
wealth which turned tribal shacks into
mansions and replaced mustang ponies
with imported automobiles. On the list
is again the case Of Jackson Barnett,
once widely publicized as "the worlds
richest Indian"
Barnett fat and elderly, has been
involved with the lay since 1920, when
Anna Laura Lowe married him. The
charge that she virtually kidnapped the
good-natured, uncomprehending Creek
has been the basis for much of the
litigation which grew out Of the dissi-
pating Of the more than 81 ,0o0,000
which had accumulated to Barnett in
oil royalties, @
Money Ordered Returned.
Anna Laura Barnett got approximate
" half the money. The other half went
to the American Baptist Home Mission
Elmer S. Bailey, in behalf Of the Indian
brought suit against New York bank
which held the money. 1t was ordered
returned
Bailey had employed the law firm of
Hummer e. Foster of Henryetta, Okla.
on contingent fee basis, and another
firm in Oklahoma and in New York as
sisted In the work.
A United States District Court
awarded $lS4,000 as counsel fees and
expenses Circuit Court of Appeals
reduced this amount to 100000. The
Government took the position that the
marriage, the disposal Of the property
and all the rafmiflcations which followed
we're vague to the aged Indian. It
contends before the Supreme Court that
all the money should go to Barnett.
Other cases involving the oil lands
of Indians include that Of Leonard d.
Ingram, also q Greek Indian, who is
seeking to recover from Philip A. Lewis
of Muskogee, Okla. and Carter w,
wesley Of Houston approximately $780,
900 which he contends was taken from
him illegally.
Want Claims Reviewed.
Joseph Reynolds and others as heirs
TO an allotment in Oklahoma made TO
Lemuel Mccoy, Greek Indian, want their
claims to oil lands reviewed
John Davis claims title to land In
Eastern Oklahoma which was allotted to
Adeline Grayson, deceased Greek In
dian. A lower court awarded the prop
erty 10 oil companies
The title to 100 acres Of oil land
In Creek County, Okla, also Is in dis
pute The allotment was made to Susie
Crow, Indian.
Matte Howard asks review Of
controversy over the title to oil land
allotted q Greek Indian IN Waggoner
County, Okla.
w. Neustadt and others seek to have
hand in Carter County, Okla. now in
possession Of the Coline Oil Co., given
10 them. It was allotted to Melissa
Jacob, a member of the five civilized
kribes.
The title to oil land in Stephens
County allotted to Peter Foster
Thomas, - Choctaw, Is another case
that the court has been asked to pass
upon.
The only case which does not IN
volve q dispute over oil land or funds
from 1t is that OF Henry Choteau, Usage |
The question is whether money re- |
ceived by him as his share Of tribal |!
income in 1918, 1919 and 1920 is sub
1ect to Federal taxation.