Connelly v. Paul

OPINION

JACK SMITH, Justice.

This is an appeal from a judgment awarding the appellees the sum of $94,334 after a trial to the court.

In September of 1968, Mary B. Connelly filed lease applications with the federal government and deposited approximately $94,573 in advance delay rentals for future oil and gas explorations on Alaskan lands. On March 9, 1971, Connelly died, and on May 11, 1971, her son was appointed administrator of her estate. A controversy arose between the Eskimos and the United States government, and as a result, the government rejected the first of four groups of leases in…