Los Angeles herald., 1910-08-11
WITNESSES BARE
PLAN TO PROFIT
IN INDIAN LANDS
Committee Learns of Scheduled
Commissions and Alleged
Conspiracy
HAM0N REFERS TO BRIBERY
Representative Carter Tells of a
Meeting with Man Who AC-
CuSed Senator Gore
HAMoN REFERS TO BRIBERY
ASSOCIATED Pressl

MCAGES LEX, Okla, Aug. ~ 'lIO
|. the poor Indian" learned a few more
things about the proposed sale of $780,
100000 worth of his land in the hearing
before the congressional investigating
committee today
Congressman C. d. carter of the
Fourth oklahoma district testified that
in an interview at the home of Richard
c. Adams, an attorney at Washington,
Adams had said he had an arrangement
by which he was to secure per cent
of the profits to be derived from the
McMurray certificates.
He also told me-" testified Mr.. Car
ter, that Congressman b. S. Mcguire
was in on the deal and would get his
share. He also told me that DR..
Wright, a delegate for the Choctaw In
dians at Washington, with a salary of
$4,000, was in on the deal. He also said,
We've got some others but he did not
mention any other Names"
Did Adams say he was going to get
per cent of all the money J. f. Nc
Murray was to realize on the deal?"
asked Chairman Charles N. Burke.
Yes; he said he was going to make
sure of it. as McMurray had double
crossed him at other times, but this
time he was going to fix it so he would
not lose out, and when McMurray got
his 10 per cent or $3,00O,00O, or what
ever it amounted to, he (Adams) was
going to get per cent of the proceeds.
Il also met Jake L. Hamon at wash
| ington. He told me to go to that old
man Gore and get him to withdraw
that fool bill of his against the Nc
Murray contracts
CARTER TELLS OF CONTRACTS
Congressman Carter, who is part
Cherokee Indian and who for two years
was a member of the house committee
on Indian affairs, was then asked:
DO you think a majority of the In
dians are in favor of these contracts
giving 10 per cent to McMurray?"
There is no doubt that they are" he
replied. But there is also no doubt
that in signing the contracts many
were influenced to do so by persons
who had an interest in them."
Adams was described as a Delaware
Indian, who frequently has been men
toned as having called on President
Taft in matters pertaining to Indian
affairs. 1t was Adams to whom the
Indians in this state were asked to ad-
dress their kilograms urging President
Taft to approve the sale of the lands,
| concerning which McMurray holds con-
tracts, on which, according to Senator
T. P. Gore. 10 per cent-or $4,000 oOO
-"attorneys fee would be allowed.
Before Carter left the stand Nc
Murray's attorneys obtained from him
testimony tending to show that Nc
Guire in previous Indian matters had
supported measures in congress op-
osed to the interests of McMurray.
Carter's appearance on the stand fol-
lowed another day of lively testimony.
Z. B. Latham, an attorney of McAles-
ter, related a meeting with McMurray
two years ago, when McMurray, he
said, offered him present of $4,000 II
the old tribal contracts would go
through" These contracts were after
wards disapproved by President Roose-
velt What the present" was for
Latham declared he never could make
out, for he was not asked to support
the contracts.
OFFERED SHARE OF s75OOoO
At another time Latham testified he
was offered a share of the $750,000 "at-
! torney's fee" that McMurray subse-
! quently obtained in an Indian land
| deal after the amount of the fee had
| caused much discussion in congress
| The last offer, the witness said, was
made contingent on his aiding McMur-
ray, who was then trying to become
| a delegate to the Republican conven-
| ton at Chicago. McMurray did not
| go as a delegate, and Latham said he
never received anything.
| incidentally, the Indians, many ol
| WnOm were present III TIE COLIillllItee
! room, learned of Robbers Poost, q
town in the state. From Robbers
| Roost there emerged one day an
emissary representing McMurray who
! went to a war council of Indians
to get them to sign the contracts
! About 600 Indians signed at that time
| testified j. H. Godfrey. They also, he
said, signed tax case contracts, by
which McMurray was to get $40 head
| oh n
| Cisns.
"Was Robbers Roost the headquar,
ters of McMurrays agents." asked
Congressman Miller.
81 don't know" replied Godfrey. at
| was where a man named Bates lived
| Bates arranged with me to go to the
Indians meeting and get the contracts
signed"
Taking the stand Congressman Car
ter related meeting Jake L. Hamon
May 7, 1910. Hamon is accused by
| Senator Gore of having offered him
a $4,000 or $4,000 bribe in connection
with the McMurray contracts, May 6
| 1919.
at was the day after Senator Gore
saws the bribe was offered him." said
Carter that I. met Hamon in the
capitol, and we sat on the capitol
steps. Hamon said, You go to that
old man Gore and get him to with
draw that fool bill of his against the
| McMurray contracts.
81 replied, If / should mix up in
those McMurray contracts the people
would think didn't have sense enough
to get part of it. which would be dis
astrous to me politically In either case
II asked Hamon why he didn't go
to Gore himself. He replied he wasn't
| interested in the contracts"
FIRST STORY OF BRIBERs
Seeing Senator Gore afterward, the
witness said, he told him what Hamon
| had aid about not having any interest
/ in the contracts.
"That was not what he told me"
said Senator Gore, according to Car
| ter. The senator then told Carter
about the attempted bribery.
1t was last January or February
that Carter and Adams met, the wit
ness said.
! adams invited me to his home in
| Washington, and l went to see him.
During the talk he spoke of the per
cent arrangement with McMurray. He
said he would get per cent of what
ever McMurray got out of the land
deal. He then told me he had lots OF
| peoDle back of him. who have you