Crowder v. James

Opinion by

ESTES, C.

Parties will be referred to as they appeared in the trial court, inverse to their order here. On February 6, 1913, Polly Barrett, an aged negro woman, executed an oil and gas mining lease to defendants Crowder and Turner and one Bernard, on her 40 acres, providing that if drilling was not commenced within one year, all rights secured thereunder should cease and determine, unless certain rentals were paid within the year to continue the grant. On the same day she executed to the same parties a purported assignment of a one-'half of royalties of the same land. Bernard…