The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-08-14
Witnesses Declare That the
Proposed Sale Would
Make Many Paupers
S|GNERS OF CONTRACTS
WERE. |RRESPONS|BLES
1t Is Claimed in the Gore Investigation
That the Indians Would Be the
Losers BY Letting Them
Have Cash

Sulphur, Okla, August 13.-Witnesses
testified before the congressional Indian
investigating committee today that if the
Indian lands in Oklahoma were sold and
the $30,000000O proceeds were turned over
to the Indians in cash the state within
10 years would be flooded with paupers.
1t was asserted that many Of the In
dians who signed the McMurray con-
tracts allowing a 10 per cent attorneys s
fee to j. F. McMurray and his associates
were financially irresponsible. They would
soon squander the cash. it was declared,
and within a few years the country would
be confronted with the problem of how
to take care of them.
Except for the appearance on the stand
of Cecil A. Lyon, republican national
committeeman of Texas, the witnesses to-
day were all Indians.
Mr.. Lyon told of his financial interests
in the old tribal McMurray contracts,
which provided for 10 per cent fee. but
which were disapproyed by President
Roosevelt in 1908. He said he had talked
with President Roosevelt in regard to II s
contract.
Asked If he had been invited oy Nc
Murray to join in the deal because of
his political influence am his acquaint-
ance with the President, Mr.. Lyon said
he supposed he was, but he also attributed
The invitation to his business ability, he
said
Lyons Plan to Sell Land
1t was his purpose, he said, as soon as
the contracts were approved by the Pres
ident, to induce the money interests of
New York and London to buy the prop
erty, which includes about 100000 acres
of coal and asphalt land. AS soon as the
! President dlsapproved of the contracts
| said Mr.. Lyon, his connection with Nc
| Murray ceased, and he was not interested
| in the present contracts.
Although he had signed the present
contracts and was willing that McMur-
ray should receive 100000 as fee for
selling the land and thereby rendering
service which the government had prom
ised to do without cost, d. F. Myers. a
Chickasaw Indian, by intermarriage, de-
clared that in his opinion many Indians
would soon spend their share of the
money and become dependents.
OF the $1,000 Choctaws and the 5000
Chickasaws who would share in the pro-
ceeds, many would collect from $1,000 to
$40, 900 each.
"Tnstead of using this money to i'm
prove the farms on which they live and
which they still would retain after their
surplus lands were disposed of, great
many would soon be parted from their
cash. Is that not so," asked Representa-
tive C. B. Miller.
yes, in ten years a lot of them would
not have anything" came the reply.
They would become paupers and with
A. n lnnQar tO look
to would become charge on the state.
In disposing of the land Congress ought
to consider that probability. At the same
time there should be a distinction in
favor of those Indians who have become
thoroughly civilized and are as able as
white men to take care of their anai $.
Testimony of Chfckasaws
MANY Chickasaws testified they were
willing to give McMurray as high as
25 per cent attorneys fees If he would
sell the land within a year.
do you mean to say you would
be willing to pay McMurray from $3,-
OOO, 900 to s5,O0W000 for something
which the government has promised to
do for nothing?" Senator Gore asked
of Benjamin Dourlan. Chickasaw
Yes, we wanted to get a quick set
tlement.'
I'm the two years since these con"
tracts have been signed have you heard
of McMurray doing anything at Wash :
ington that would hasten the sale?"
mo, but we felt that he had the In
fuence and experience to work among
the congressman there"
/ Cecil Lyon was on the stand alb
morning In previous testimony ID. c
McCurtain, one of the chiefs of the
Choctaws, had asserted that in 1906 In
the lobby of a hotel at Washington
McMurray had offered him a $4,000
bribe to withdraw opposition to the
contracts. At the time the offer was
made McCurtain testified McMurray had
been talking with Mr.. Lyon but the
latter he said had walked away.
Mr.. Lyon said today that If any
bribery had been attempted he knew
nothing of it. Mr.. Lyon then related
his connection with the old contracts