Darby Petroleum Corp. v. Rogers

Plaintiffs recovered a verdict and judgment against each of the eight defendants, covering injury to cattle caused by drinking creek water which had been polluted by the defendants in the operation of their nine oil and gas leases, and the defendants appeal.

Plaintiffs were lessees and operators of a ranch of about 2,000 acres, which ranch contained four separate pastures. The north pasture was traversed by Little Wewoka creek, which meandered through it for over a mile. This creek was the only permanent stock water in that pasture. It did not pass through the other three pastures. It was in…