The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-08-05
Lands Valuable.


famous "McMurray contracts respon-
sibie for Senator Cores sensational
charges OF ATTEMPTED bribery, involve
the proposed sale Of $4,000 acres of
rich mineral lands belonging to the
Choctaw and Chickasaw indians
]. F. McMurray, an attorney of Nc
Alester, Okla. and his associates had
made contract with numerous indi-
vldual Indians by which the attorneys
were to receive 10 per cent. of the
proceeds of the land sales.
senator Gore opposed the McMur
ray contracts and introduced ii meas
IRE in the Senate providing that all
contracts with Indians must be con-
firmed by Congress. 1t WAS this
measure that caused the trouble.
The possible attorneys fees" an
der the McMurray contracts are va
riously estimated from 100000 TO
$40, zoe, 900. II Is understood that
there is standing offer Of $50. 600,
zoe for the land, while the Geological
Survey has estimated it's value at
sI00. 100000.
McMurray's agents, IL is charged,
! FASTENED to Washington to oppose
/ the Gore movement According to
Mr., Gore, the bride was offered to
/ him In an effort TO induce him to
withdraw it
Makes Sudden Charges.
The Gore measure was favorably
reported and well on its way toward
/ passage. During the absence Of Gore
/ from the Senate June "a. however, ii
came up in the course of routine
! business. and its enemies had prae-
tieally killed IT when Gore rushed into
the chamber
Realizing that only the most ex-
IRENE measure could save the bill
at that stage of the session, Mr.. Gore
made his sensational speech in which
he charged tho attempted bribery
and that various members of Con
gress were Interested in the deal.
On the last night of the session
just before final adjournment specia
committees were appointed by hott
the House and the Senate to investi
gate the matter.
Mr.. Gore had succeeded in havins
his bill reamended and adopted IL
such shape as To be satisfactory t.
him,
Under the previous law 1t was pro
vided that all blanket contracts witt
Indian tribes required the approva
OF the President and Presiden
. Roosevelt In 1908 refused to %. X.
tribal contracts made by McMurray
The McAlester attorney then proceed
ed to obtain individual contracts
which led Mr.. Gore to introduce hi
bill
UTICA. n. Y. Aug. 5,--Friends o
Vice President Sherman fs-1n =da%
will urge him upon his return from
the Adironda cSs to take the stand be
fore the congressional investigating
committee looking into the Gore at
tempted bribery charge. While tn
/ mention Of the vice presidents nam
in connection with the matter is look
ed on here by his friends and business
associates as unpleasant they declar
that there Is nothing really against hin
Whether he win offer to take TIL
| stand is matter OF conjecture.
, Read Letters.
DENVER. COL, August 6,--Fnite'
States Senator Charles j. Hughes, Jr
who moved in the Senate the appoint
ment of committee to Investigate
Senator Cores charges of attempted
bribery, declared to-day that ne hat
never before attached any importance
20 these charges and had never he
fore heard the name of Vice Pfesi
dent Sherman mentioned in connec
ton with them,
on account of Cores blindness
| Hughes said, he read all the Okla
| homa Senator's letters received Ii
connection with the bin which Gore
introduced designed to prevent future
I frauds In Indian lands. He said Gore
/ told him the persons interested IL
! the McMurray deal offered him SIS,
! 600 and later $4,000 If he could stor
| a favorable report in the Senate or
| the bill designed To prevent undue
| fees being paid by the Indians
I Hughes said he considered this bill a
! strong one and that he made a IA
| vorable report on II TO the Senate.