The San Francisco call., 1910-08-13
indians PAID
ONE LAW FIRM
$4,000 FEE
Fat Pickings for Attorneys
Who Have Been Handling
Land Cases
AbOrigines Never Received the
Money Due Them Without
Coming Across"

SULPHUR. Okla. Aug. 12.-Lawyers'
expense accounts. running as high as
100000. single fee, already paid,
amounting TO S75O,o0o, and contingent
fees stiu pending that would aggre-
gate about $4,000 figured in the inves-
tigation today of the Indian land af-
fairs by the special committee ap-
pointed by the house of representa-
tives
It was pointed out that the Indians
had never received large amounts of
money due. them without having TO
come across" in the shape of fees and
although they employed regular law
come across" in the shape Of fees, and
constantly paid for the employment Of
special counsel
SPECIAL FEE or s75O,OOO
The special fee of $750,00O was paid
several years ago to J. +. McMurray
and his law partners after they had
prosecuted what are known rs the cit
izenship cases, which, it was stated,
kept off the rolls $4,000 claimants who
wanted 10 participate in the claims
against the government
By the winning of that suit. il was
explained that the value of the prop
erty to the Indians who remained on
the rolls was enhanced S16.OOO.00 on
q basis of $4,000 for each of the $4,000
claimants kept of. The sale of the
property and the division Of the pro-
ceeds is still being fought for by the
Indians
TESTIMONY OF 4 CHOCTAW
This testimony developed in the ex-
animation Of George f. Scott. Choc-
taw- Scott was active in securing
signatures for the McMurray contracts.
10 promote the approval of which by
congress Senator r. p. Gore charges
that May he was offered a bribe of
S25. 600 or $50, 900.
McMurray's contracts Scott testi-
fed. if carried out in their entirety.
would dispose Of about $4,000. 900
worth OF property. which on 10 per
cent attorneys fee" basis, would re
suit in a net profit to McMurray and
his associates of almost S5,00O.OOO. This
fee, according TO Senator Gore and
members of the committee. who inter
rogated the witnesses, would be paid
for services that the government al
ready had promised TO give the Indians
without cost
REGULAR ATTORNEYS LAGGARD
Scott also showed in his testimony
that the cost of employing McMurray
would be in addition to $4,000 now
paid annually to regular attorneys.
ScOtJs contention was that the attOr-
neys on the regular salary were not as
active as contingent fee attorneys.
1t was Scott who testified that he had
sent kilograms TO Washington, urging
the approval of the contracts. He had
been working for McMurray without
any written or verbal agreement, he
said. as 10 sharing in the fee and had
induced many Indians to sign. He
worked in this respect among the Indi-
ans. despite the opposition of Green
NcCUrtain, chief Of $4,000 Choc-
laws. Ia one telegram TO Richard A.
Adams, an attorney at Washington, he
referred TO Vice President Sherman and
Senator Curtis of Kansas as under
standing better than any one else what
the Indians wanted
SHERMAN AND CURTIS
Questioned as to what he meant by
that. Scott said he understood that
sherman and Senator Curtis had long
been familiar with Indian affairs and
he thought they were the men TO be
appealed to, Notwithstanding il had
been shown that both Sherman and
Curtis had protested against the 10 per
cent fee. They thought it too high
and unnecessary.
Before becoming connected with Nc
Murray, Scott had been treasurer OF
the Choctaw nation.
McMurray, in view of suggestions
made by Representatives Saunders and
Stephens and Senator Gore that nc
itemized expense accounts were ever
fled by his firm, told the committee
that such accounts were on file in the
department Of justice and in the inte-
rior department and are accessible
Chairman Burke said he was aware OF
this fact.