United States v. Champlin Refining Co.

PHILLIPS, Circuit Judge.

This is an appeal from a decree adjudging that the State of Oklahoma is the owner of the south half of the Arkansas River bed, in Oklahoma, adjoining four riparian tracts of land, which tracts the United States holds under trust patents for the benefit of certain of its Pawnee and Otoe Indian wards, and that the Champlin Refining Company has a valid and subsisting oil and gas lease upon such south half of the river bed.

The United States originally acquired title to the land in suit as part of the Louisiana Purchase. Under treaties of May 6, 1828, February 14, 1833, 2…