The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1910-08-10
THE BRIBERY SCANDAL.
HAMON CONTRADICTS SENATOR
CORES TESTIMONY.
He Answers Every Charge With Flat
Denial, His Evedence Consuming
Whole Of Committees Session.

Muskogee, Okla, Aug. 5.-With
United States Senator Thomas p.
Gore reasserting his charge that he
had been offered a bribe Of $4,000
or $4,000 to influence his action in
congress and with Jake L. Hamon,
accused by the senator of having Of
fered the bribe, denying he had ever
done any such thing, the investigat-
| ton of the Oklahoma Indian land
deals by committee Of the national
mouse OF representatives today SIM
mered down to mass Of denials.
For four hours Hamon, former
chairman Of the Oklahoma State
! committee entered g. continuous se-
r1es OF denials relative to his alleged
relations with what are qnown as the
McMurray contracts. by which, ac-
cording to Senator Gore, 100000, or
10 per cent Of s3O.OOO.OO0 to be real
lied from the sale of Indian lands to
New York syndicate was to be di
verted from the Indians in the shape
Of attorneys fees"
Answers Creager's Denial.
Hamon also answered Congressman
c. E. Creager with a denial. Replying
to the congressman's charge, that
Hamon had suggested that an Inter
est" in the contracts might be avail
able to the congressman If the latter
helped remove opposition to congress
sional approval. Hamon testified:
1T was just this way: I was down
here In Oklahoma attending to my
business when friend told me Crea-
ger had said I had approached him
improperly in regard to the McMur-
ray contracts. So I hoped on a train
and went to Washington. I got hold
OF Creager and said: Look here, you
know I never said any such thing
Then Creager said: Now, Jake,
that certainly was the impression !
got-that you suggested I might get
an interest in the contracts
Il replied: You are certainly mis-
taken
Promised Not to Go.
Then Creager said: Well, if you
saiy I should not go. won't go be-
fore that investigation committee
down at Muskogee and testify that
you approached me-
Among lannon's denials were the
following:
He denied that at any time had
he been closeted with Senator
Gore in the senate at Washington
to urge the approval Of the contracts
He denied that he had ever men
toned Vice President Sheramn, Sen
ator Charles Curtis of Kansas or
Congressman B. S. Mcclure of Okla
homa as being interested" in the
contracts, as charged by Senator
| Gore.
He denied that he had ever spoken
OF bribe to anybody about any
legislation or that he ever was in
terested in the McMurray contracts.
Denies Creager's Charge.
He had not called up Congressman
| Creager at Washington asking for an
! appointemnt. but said Mr.. Creager
had called him up. Mr.. Creager pre-
viously had testified that Hamon had
asked an appointment, at which the
interest in the contract was
spoken Of.
Hamon denied that he had ever
said: "Dick. the senator is becoming
mighty hard on his friends" in the
presence Of D. f. Gore, brother of
Senator Groe.
He denied that he had ever said:
Il want to make a lot of money and
Z! don't care much how I make it," in
the presence Of ]. Leroy Thompson,
Senator Cores stenographer. Thomp-
son previously had testified Hamon
made the remark.
Hard Question.
Interrogating the witness. Congress-
man E. w. Saunders Of Virginia, a
nt llbcr Of the committee, sa,2' "No,v.
Mr.. L5mon, you have denied tie tes-
timOnv Of all Of the witnesses who
have preceded Jou. You have brande Il
the assertions Of the senator his