Wilson v. Commissioner

33 B.T.A. 649, 1935 BTA LEXIS 722
United States Board of Tax Appeals·Decided December 5, 1935·No. Docket No. 52894.·Published·Cited by 1 cases

Opinion

opinion.

Tkammell :

This proceeding is for the redetermination of a deficiency in income tax of $7,303.20 for 1928. The principal issue presented by the pleadings is whether the respondent erred in including in the taxable income of the petitioner any part of an [650]*650amount of $113,169.43 representing oil and gas royalties, bonus from the granting of leases and interest on bonds and bank deposits impounded in the hands of a Federal court receiver during the period 1915 down to the early part of 1928, which amount, less receiver’s expenses of $TT,648.95 or a net of $95,520.48, was distributed to the petitioner by the receiver in the early part of 1928. Certain alternative issues relating to the respondent’s allowance of deductions for depletion and receiver’s expenses are contingently presented dependent upon our determination of the principal issue.

The proceeding was submitted upon an agreed statement of facts, which is incorporated herein by reference, and upon certain documentary evidence. Pertinent portions of the agreed statement of facts are as follows:

The petitioner is an individual white citizen of no Indian blood. Pursuant to authority contained in the Original and Supplemental Creek Agreements or Treaties of May 25, 1901, and August 8, 1902, entered into between the United States and the Creek Indian Nation, the petitioner on November 29, 1912, in consideration of a cash purchase payment received title by Deed from the Creek Indian Tribe to Lot 9, Sec. 17, Twp. 18 No., R. 7 E. such land being located in Creek County, Oklahoma, and which land borders on the Cimarron River. At all times from date of acquisition up to and including the year 1928, this land was continuously owned by the petitioner.
During the years 1912 and 1913 the Commissioner of the Land Office of the State of Oklahoma, proceeding upon the assumption that the Cimarron River was navigable and that the bed thereof belonged to the State of Oklahoma, granted various oil and gas leases upon “ the bed of the Cimarron River below highwater mark.” * * *
Such leases included the bed of the Cimarron River bordering on the upland belonging to the petitioner theretofore purchased as above stated. Development of these leases was immediately begun by the lessees, oil and gas being secured in large quantities by the original lessees or their assignees.
On December 27, 1913 * * * the United States, “ claiming title and right of possession to be in its ward, the Creek Nation of Indians ”, as guardian and trustee of the tribal property, filed an action * * * in the District Court of the United States for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, contending that (a) these river-bed lands were still the property of the Creek Nation, not having been included in the individual allotments or conveyances, and (b) that the Cimarron River was a non-navigable stream and that the State of Oklahoma, and the lessees claiming under the State, had no valid or legally enforceable right to extract oil therefrom. On the same date, December 27, 1913, the State of Oklahoma intervened in this action by the United States against the lessees.
Recognizing the desirability of proceeding with the development of the riverbed lands before the oil, through adjacent development, might be drained therefrom, and in order to secure “protection of whomsoever may ultimately be decreed by the Court to be the owner of ” the river-bed lands, the United States and the State of Oklahoma entered into a stipulation dated and filed December 27, 1913, pursuant to which the lessees of the Oklahoma Land Office were to continue to operate the wells, the lessees to retain the working interest oil and gas as produced. The stipulation also provided for two agencies, (a) a Supervisory Committee, whose duty it was in substance to supervise in a [651]*651very general way the development of the leases, and (b) a Receiver whose duties included the collection of all royalties, bonuses and rentals on the riverbed leases, and to preserve them “ subject to be disbursed only under an order of court to whomsoever may ultimately be adjudged the owner of said lands and entitled thereto.”
By Court order dated December 30, 1913, the Court appointed the Committee and the Receiver, one member of the Committee being selected by the United States and one by the State of Oklahoma. By order of July 22, 1916, the Supervisory Committee was superseded by a so-called “Advisory Committee” of two members, the duties of the “ Supervisory Committee ” being thereafter delegated in substance to the Receiver. That is, the Receiver was given complete charge of the river-bed land leases and the development of the riverbed lands for oil and gas purposes. * * *
Production proceeded; the stipulated royalties and bonuses were paid to the Receiver and he held same subject to the orders of the Court.
From time to time the owners of land abutting on the Cimarron river-bed, including this petitioner, intervened in the Federal District Court action, claiming title to the river-bed under their original conveyances from the Creek Nation, whether through allotment or purchase, and asserted their ownership of all royalties accruing from the leases theretofore executed and still being operated under the leases granted by the Oklahoma Land Office.
Following the decision in Brewer E. O. & G. Co. v. U. S., 260 U. S. 77, 43 S. Ct. 60, filed November 13, 1922, holding non-navigable the Cimarron River, the State of Oklahoma on January 29, 1923, filed a stipulation authorizing a decree against it as to title. Thereafter ownership of the river-bed lands was claimed on the one side by the United States on behalf of the Creek Indian Nation, and on the other by the individual allottees or owners of abutting land', including the petitioner.
On January 29, 1923, the river-bed case was referred by the Court to a “ Master ” to make findings as to facts, law, and amounts theretofore impounded, his report being filed on May 21, 1924.
On January 31, 1925, the Court issued its order confirming the Master’s report: in substance finding- the title to the river-bed lands to be in the individual allottees or owners of abutting lands, and that such individual owners were entitled to the funds then impounded with the Receiver. Appeal from this order was taken by the United States on March 5, 1925, and on May 27, 1927, the U. S. Circuit Court of Appeals, 8th Circuit, affirmed the lower Court’s order as to title. (U. S. v. Hayes, et al., 20 F 2d 873; see also Rector v. U. S., 20 F 2d 845.) Certiorari was applied for by the United States but writ therefor was denied in November, 1927, 275 U. S. 555.
❖ * * ‡ * *
During all of the period from date of appointment on December 30, 1913, to date of distribution of impounded funds in 1928, the Receiver originally appointed or his subsequently appointed successors, continued to collect and hold all royalties, bonuses and rentals derived from the river-bed lands. During this period he invested considerable amounts in U. S. Liberty Bonds from which he derived interest, and also received interest from daily bank balances.

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Wilson v. Commissioner, 33 B.T.A. 649, 1935 BTA LEXIS 722 (bta 1935).

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Wilson v. Commissioner
33 B.T.A. 649 (Board of Tax Appeals, 1935)