Haynes B. Ownby Drilling Co. v. McClure

HUGHES, Justice.

This is a suit for damages brought by ap-pellee, Boyd McClure, for the benefit of'the separate estate of his wife, Stella McClure. The defendants were appellant, Haynes B. Ownby Drilling Company, and Guy Mabee Drilling Company. The damages sought were the depreciated market value of 642 acres of land alleged to have resulted from the negligence of defendants in permitting salt water to escape from premises upon which they were conducting drilling operations and to percolate into and pollute a water well on the 642 acre-tract of land.

Trial was to a jury which returned a verdict…