Omaha daily bee., 1910-08-05

testimony referring to Vice President sher-
man follows:
Mr.. Burke--In your conversation, With
Mr.. Hamon you stated he named a very
high official that he said was interested
in these contracts You omitted his name
Mr.. Gore-1 say again that / should very
much prefer not to name it. ] am. however
subject to the will OF the committee.
Mr.. Burke-The committee is here to get
the facts and we must have all this con-
versatlon.
Mr.. Gore-He suggested. that Vice Presi-
dent Sherman was Interested in the con-
tracts.
Thomas II. owen, Counsel for Mr.. Gore
In what connection you spoke of any
article appearing in a Kansas City news
paper that two gentlemen had called on the
president. ] wish you would say who was
mentioned in that file.
Mr.. GoTe-In the newspapers of April IA
Vice President Sherman and Senator Curtis
were named as having called to discuss
the segregated coal and asphalt lands 1
think before the senate met the next day
the Information came to me.
Senator Gore explained that he believed
Vice President Sherman favorable to
the contracts and a short time later he
a
would require further action. Of congress
before the contracts could be approved
Committee Session Begins.
Senator Gore appeared before the special
investigating committee which convened
here today as direct result OF charges
made by him in the United States senate
on June "a. iH.s
When called upon by the chairman of the
committee, Charles II. Burke of South
Dakota to testify, Senator Gore told his
story.
I'm 1905" said Senator Gore. President
Roosevelt refused to give his approval to
certain contracts which MeMurray had
secured with the Indians as tribes Under
the law the contracts made with tribes of
Indians were not valid until approved by
the president. In the Same Year MeMurray
procured contracts Individually with about
10000 of the Indians, whereby the Indians
were to give 10 per cent of the gross re-
cefpts of the sale of their lands. McMurray
came to my Offices at Washington and
wanted me to support his contracts. 1 told
him would not do So but on the other
hand, thought It would be absurd for the
Indians to pay that vast sum of money for
services which the government was duty
bound to perform. The McMurray interests
then went to the president and 1 sent a
telegram to the president urging him not
to approve of the contracts.
ut was notable how active were the
MeMurray interests When / called the
secretary of the interior, Ballinger to pro-
test against the contracts 1 was told not
TO talk loud. as ex-senator Long OF
Kansas was present and he was interested
in the contracts. 5gs ~ rtN
what HRmOn Said.
Il had introduced In the senate reso-
luton requiring that all contracts made
with Indians should be approved by con.
gress before they became valid. On May
sideration instructed Senator Hughes OF
Colorado to report II favorRbly.
1.-THE very next day Jake Harmon of Law.
ton. okl., came to my office and said hC
had telegram to visit me and was inter.
ested in the McMurray contracts.
Harmon said, There's a lot of money
tied up in this deal, and big fee for some
body
HE then explained he wanted me L
withdraw my bill or, at least, have It re
ported unfavorably. 1t seems he did no
know IL had already been reported favor
ably"
When ! told him he wanted me to Sc,
Senator Hughes and agree not 10 press tn
OR perhaps $5O,OOO-if you want it sal,
Harmon. He suggested that call togethe
the entire Oklahoma delegation to congress
and have them remove all opposition to tn
contracts.
In reply to all these offers | told hir
that $4,000 or $4,000 was all the same I
me in a matter OF that sort and that
would have nothing to do with IT,
Harmon then mentioned a certain sen
ator and said he was Interested In the con
tracts"
What was the name of that senator2
asked Chairman Burke.
Il do not want to say-but II was tn
same senator who had interrogated me
short time before concerning the contracts.
On being urged by the committee to tie
all he knew, Senator Gore said: wen,
might as well tell VINO 1t was. 1t was Sci
ator Curtis who Harmon said was inte
Gated in the contracts. While l am about
might as we'll say that he CHarmOn) ais
mentioned Congressman. Mcclure as beiu
interested in the contracts.
Creager Tells of HamOn.
Congressman Creager did not take Il
stand until late in the day. Asked If
had ever met Hamon, he replied, yes,
met him by appointment at his rooms
the Occidental hotel, in Washington I
Invited Inc there, saying he wanted to ia
over a little matter. At that time effor
were being made TO have the president a
prove OF the McMurray contracts. / alrea,
had gone on record as being opposed
their approval Well, when l got to q
hotel and was sitting in a room wi
Hamon, he began 10 urge me to wit
draw my opposition. lie suggested l mig
have an interest In the contracts"
Did he say how much interest you mig
haveg'
Mr. Creager; No. l did not lot It
as far that. made my language pref
emphatic that l was opposed 20 the co
tracts and would not be influenced"
Congressman stephens: "You mean
say that you regarded the offer OF su
a character as TO arouse your indignation