Archives at Cornell

Dole vs. Fellows legal documents

Collection — manuscript box: 31 - folder 1

Identifier: 1111m

Scope and content

Printed documents laying out the various sides of the case as it came before the New York State Supreme Court and the state Court of Appeals. Included are the points made by the attorneys for the defendant and the plaintiff, and opinions of two judges.

Dates

1850-1854.

Creator

Dole, Benjamin, active 1838-1854 (Plaintiff, Person)
Fellows, Joseph, active 1838-1854 (Defendant, Person)
New York (State). Court of Appeals (Organization)
New York (State). Supreme Court (Organization)

Language of Material

In English.

Biographical / Historical

In 1838, a treaty was concluded between the United States and several tribes of Indians in New York State, whereby the Indians would cede some of their land to the company Fellows and Ogden in exchange for monetary payment. The Senate subsequently modified the treaty to eliminate the payment provision, and when the modified treaty was presented to the Indians for approval, they refused to accept it. Fellows and Ogden then offered to pay the Indians privately in exchange for their approval of the treaty. Benjamin Dole filed a breach of contract lawsuit against Joseph Fellows when the Indians were not paid.