Victory Well No. 1

In 1931 one Bobby Manziel, sparring partner of William Harrison ("Jack") Dempsey, drifted into the rich East Texas oil fields. He had $1.80 in his pocket. He promoted prizefights between oil field roustabouts for two months. Then with $700 from Jack Dempsey he started drilling a well. Soon he owned a major interest in ten. He gave Jack Dempsey a half interest in a lease in Gladewater. When he struck oil last autumn he summoned his partner to Gladewater. The townspeople celebrated by staging a parade.

Victory Well No. 1 gushed merrily on until last week when the U. S. Government got after Messrs. Dempsey and Manziel, claiming that they had produced more than their allotted quantity of oil. Said Oilman Manziel: "The independents are catching hell in East Texas but here's two that can take it."

Few days later in Sherman, Tex., Federal Judge Randolph Bryant ruled that the oil code could not be applied to non-signers or to solely intrastate operators. Announcing that the Government would appeal, Charles I. Francis, special Assistant U. S. Attorney General and the Department of the Interior's representative in the East Texas fields, declared: "As far as the Federal Government is concerned oil regulation is wrecked."

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