New-York tribune., 1910-08-14
CECIL LYONS ACTIVITY
mined McMurray in Old Indian
Land Contracts.
MOT IN THE PRESENT ONES
,,;rbt Have Been Because OF
Political Influence and Ac-
oiiaintance with Roosevelt.

...,.,b,,r okla. Aug l3.-The part Ce0h
r.o, Republican national committeeman
NJ Texas. took in the activity at NaS''i''9
80, for the approval of the old tribal N'-
Murray contracts for the sale OF liOi'-''
sands was described BY Mr.. Lyon IN ''N
hearing before the investigating eoi'i'ii-
. -. here today. These contracts were u'
q f.n,-oyed by President Roosevelt li' - -
NJ nov contracts, which are the Go
30 rresent inquiry. Mr. Lyon saio lac
no interest in. It,, =, the
,e,,,s if he was requested 10 join III .N'
old contracts because of his pol''o
e,,enoc and acquaintance win -,
,,....,,.,. M. LYON said: 1T was eN''i
possible. 4oined with
y 7as ,yr T,von said, he Joineo
- ,,.,,,,--az.,s law firm in the coii'- a.
-. ,,-,,;,b an attorneys fee OF ~ pei
:, - o,,.atned OH the sale OF 'iie .o"o
=. ro,, wont TO Washington 01' "
,1,. ,,-i.1, Francis E. Leapp, Coiiiiiiis
- Of indian Affairs, discussed 'he suO-
- ,,..t President Roosevelt 1hele was
-, IN, Of making the indians s'ocniioio
= -. land but this plan was not gone
INTO. ,ar-.,o,,
w. = rossih!e that your connec1ion
- - President and your political IN
&C induced McMurray to get you 10
-, t,r, - asked Chairman Burke.
-. g ,ossibIe. but ! fatter myself thas
3, ,,oe nartIv my business ability
.pr, Il was known that you were vel
80 ,is,ror at the White House,"
Yes. I believe so.
IT Vas known then that you were a good
,-,e,d n the President and that you called
=, him ,ften-that was publicly known,
wasn't it"
Yes. suppose so.
do Won think this prompted McMurray
% ask YOU 10 join him-that is, because OF
,.our political influence and your friendship
with the President
As said. il may have been partly this.
t,I- fatter myself it was because OF my
business experience
I told Secretary Garfield that my en-
,lolu1ent in the matter was TO be open and
sboreboard. and if there was anything not
--ope7 about the contracts, would have
nothing to do with them
Air Lyon testified that he made an ef-
fort 10 have certain indictments against
the NcMurray law firm investigated. The
lrd dctTsents had been returned in connection
with Indian affairs II was represented TO
him Nr Lyon said. that they were unjust
The Attorney General recommended to the
President that the indictments be dismissed.
They were dismissed
What was your idea in bringing the
matter to the attention Of the authorities
az Washington" >"
We'll We had a President then. as we
have now, who believed in a square deal,
and II these indictments were not falr they
ought 10 have been investigated
Did you enter into the Indian land con-
t1act deal with McMurray prior to or after
the indictments were disnissed?"
I think afterward.''
I took IN the McMurray contracts
purely as 4 business deal said Mr.. Lyon,
after they were disapproved, 1 had moth
ing further 70 do with the matter. have
Rad absolutely nothing to do with the
present contracts that McMurTay had.
On the floor Of the House OF Representa-
tives in the last session Representative A
P. Murphy. of Missouri, unjustly attacked
ne by saving McMurray in lobbying for the
present contracts was ably assisted by my
self That statement by MI Murphy was
made either in ignorance or through de-
sire 10 Inisrep7esent- ] have done nothing
for the contracts under Investigation
MANY Indians testified to-day.
u is probable that the committee will re-
cuire another week la complete the taking
of evidence. The report to Congress will
then be prepared This report will deal
with TWO subjects. The first will be the
charges OF Senator Gore that a bribe of
$3.50 or S5n0oo was offered 10 him if he
would withdraw his opposition to the Nc
Murray contracts. The other feature Will
he q recommendation TO Congress IF leg
isla'ior 10 preven; any future conditions
similar 10 those which brought about the
present Investigation. IT is The belief here
thai the government hereafter will lake
more arbitrary course in enforcing its
treaty with the JrldiaieS