Russell v. United Pacific Insurance

BROWN (R.M.), J.

These two actions find their source in a prior action (Butler v. Holman, 146 Cal.App.2d 22 [303 P.2d 573], cert. den. 353 U.S. 930 [77 S.Ct. 718, 1 L.Ed 2d 723]).

The estate of Aaron B. Butler, deceased, owned a parcel of unimproved realty near Coalinga, California. Jack M. James, Andrew J. Thickstun, and their respective wives, located the “Mistake Lode Mining Claim” on a lode deposit of chrome ore on the Butler property, under the erroneous belief that the land was a part of the public domain. In October 1952 the locators leased to J. R. Holman, who entered into possession,…