Murphy v. Cobb

The appellant, who was plaintiff in the court below, brought suit for the possession of certain parcels of placer mining ground, alleged to be in the possession of defendants, and from which plaintiff had been wrongfully ousted; that he claimed, by right of preemption under the mining laws, and also by deed from other like preemptors. The de fendants denied plaintiff’s right of possession, and claimed prior occupation by themselves as owners of the ground, with present possession by right of such ownership. From the plaintiff’s own testimony it appeared that he with two others had taken…