Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-08-05
Made to Clear WAY for Three Million
Dollar Attorney Fee,
ICE PRESIDENT IS MENTIONED
Oklahoma Senator Says Was Told He
Was Interested.
SAYS IT Is UNTRUE
senator Charles Curtis of Kansas,
Congressman ID. =. Mcclure of
Oklahoma and Others In
vOIved in Charges.

MUSKOGEE, OlSl,, Aug. A--what hap
pened in the private office OF United States
Senator Thomas r. Gore at Washington
at noon on last May formed the basis
Of sensational charges involving the names
of Vice President Sherman, Senator
Charles Curtis OF Kansas Congressman
b. s. Mcclure Of Oklahoma and others in
a hearing before the special investigating
committee here today.
During the thirty or forty minutes of
conference held In that office Senator Gore
testified that he had been approached by
Jake l.. Hamon, former chairman Of the
Oklahoma territorial republican committee
and also former chairman of the Oklahoma
state republican committee, and that he
had been offered bribe Of $4,000 or $4,000
to remove certain legislation pending in
congress so that 100000 might be paid
to J. F. McMurray, an attorney a. Nc
Alester, okl., and his associates.
"AttOrney's Fees"
The money was 20 represent attorneys
fees" of 10 per cent Of SO,O0OOOO which was
to be secured from New York syndicate
for 5000 acres Of coal and asphalt land
now owned by the Choctaw and Chlckasaw
Indians in this state
Vice President shermans name was men
toned by Mr.. Hamon. Senator Gore tes-
titled, as being interested" In the land
deal to the extent OF favoring the approval
by congress Of what is known as the Nc
Murray contracts with the Indians
What happened in another private room
in Washington and also where. it was al
legged, Hamon made more "overtures" rel
atlve to the uand deal, was told by Con-
gressman C. L. Creager of the Third Okla
homa district. Congressman Creager sup
plemented the testimony Of Senator Gore
He said on June 16 last he had been in
vited by Hamon to meet him in a private
room at the Occidental hotel in Washing
| ton.
5aving gone there AIR, creassr testi-
fled he was irforlped he could have a
substantial interest in the land deal. II
he would Withdraw his opposition TO the
approval Of the McMurray contracts by
congress.
Asked the question: Were any figures
mentioned as to how much you were to
receiver" Mr. creager replied. no. I did
not let It go 80 far as that, I made it
plain was not open to being influenced
IN that way.
"FrOE Leg" suppers.
Il had already gone on record as being
firmly opposed to the granting Of such
an enormous fee to attorneys" Congress-
man b. s. Mcclure, who was charged by
Senator Gore as being interested" in the
McMurray contract, was said by Mr..
Creager. in his testimony TO have been at
the time Of his visit, an occupant of the
same suit of rooms with Hamon and Nc
Murray at the hotel
/ Clerks of Senator ogre testified to hav-
ing been invited by MeMurray and Hamon
to frog leg suppers Mt Washington al
which the Indian contracts wore to be
talked over"
These invitations, It is declared, were all
turned down"
On one occasion, one Of the clerks testi.
fled, HaInon said Senator OGRE was awfullS
hard on his friends.
Senator OGRE, In his testimony, asserted
that the offer OF bribery went so fal
that Hamon said the $4,000 or $4,000 would
not be paid over in the form of a checl
or marked money, but that ut would b,
all clean. hard cash
The committee that heard the charge,
twas appointed by McMurray contracts
which are declared to have been made b,
McMurray individually with 10000 Indians
each OF whom agreed to turn over 10 De
cent Of their profits from the sale of thei
land, provided the contracts were approve,
by congress.
The committee headed by Congressman
2 Charles II. Burke Of South Dakota. chair
2 man, as composed of Congressman Philli1
p Campbell OF Kansas Charles B. Mile
l Of Minnesota, John II. Stephens of Texa
. and f. w, Saunders of Virginia. 1t
: initial session was held today .t
! Congressnan's Creager's appearance o,
5 the witness stand followed series O
charges Cores
sensational statements.
a Senator Cores Charges.
Among Senator Cores assertions were IN
s following:
That Hamon told him that a man highe
up IN the government was interested 4
! the approval OF the contracts and thereforC
there was no reason why Senator Cor
. should not be; that when asked who wa
the man higher up" Hamon had replie
Vice President Sherman
That Hamon told him Senator Curtis c
, Kansas was Interested" in the deal
That Hamon told him Congressman Nc
> CURE OF Oklahoma was interested" in tn
deal.
: That Hamon told him that an employe Z
the department OF justice at Washlngto
was interested" IN the deal; that he (ser
ator Gore) knew the name Of the employ,
but would not diyulge his name, or N
name of his informant especially becaus
the latter would lose bis position.
That former Senator Long OF Kansa
? acting as counsel for McMuray had gror
to Pesident Taft on Auril 2s, to urge II
approval OF the contracts, but that II
president had said 1T would take a goo
deal Of figunent to convince him that ii
e amount Of fee asked by McMurray wa
justified"
n Senator Curtis today sent a telegram
Il the committee denying that he was in an
"a way interested In the contracts and offe
}. ing TO appear before the committee. Char
d man Burke said Senator Curtis would /