New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-08-05


urge the approval Of the contracts. but
the President had said:
1T would take q good deal OF argyll
ment TO convince him that the amount
OF fee asked by McMurray was justi-
fed
Senator Curtis to-day sent a telegram
to the committee denying that he was
IN any way interested in the contracts,
and offering to appear before the COM
naittee. Chairman Burke said Senator
Curtis would be subpoenaed 90 testify
Said Sherman Was Interested.
That part of Senator Cores testimony
referring to Vice President Sherman fol-
lows:
Mr. Burke-In your conversation with
Mr.. Hamon you stated he named very
high Official that he said was interested
in these contracts. You omitted his
name.
Mr.. Gore-I say again that / should
very much prefer not to name it. 1 am,
however. subject to the will of the COM
mittee.
Mr.. Burke-The committee is here to
conversation.
Mr. GoreAHe suggested that Vice
President Sherman was interested in the
contracts
Thomas II. owen. Counsel for Mr..
Gore)-In that connection you spoke OF
an article appearing in Kansas City
newspaper that two gentlemen had
called on the President. / wish you
xoI,ld saw who was mentioned in that
article.
Mr.. Gore-In the newspaper of April
il yice-President Sherman and Sena-
tor Curtis were named as having called
to discuss the. segregated coal and as
phalt lands. ! think before the Senate
met the next day the information came
TO me. @
Senator Gore explained that he be-
neved Vice President Sherman was IA
vorable TO the contracts, and short
time later he introduced a resolution in
the Senate that would require further
could be approved
Creaeer's Meeting with hamon.
Mr.. Creager took the stand late in the
- DAY Asked if he had ever met Hamon
he replied:
Yes. 1 met him by appointment al
his rooms at the Occidental Hotel. in
Washington. He invited me there, say
ing ne wanted to talk over little mat
ter At that time efforts were being
made to have the President approve the
McMurray contracts. / already had gone
on record as being opposed TO their ap-
prevail Well when 1 got TO the hotel
and was sitting in a room with Hamon
he began 10 urge me to withdraw my
opposition He suggested l might have
an interest in the contracts"
Representative Miller-Were any fig
ures mentioned? Did he say how much
interest you might have?
Mr. Creager-No; / did not let it go
as far as that I made my language
pretty emphatic that was opposed to
the CONTRACTS and would not be inf1u-
enced.
Representative Stephens-You mean to
say that you regarded the offer Of such q
character as to arouse your Indignation.
= Mr.. Creager-Yes, that's it / regard
&c il as an offer TO influence my attitude
toward the contracts, It was even sug-
eested that call together all the officials
/ could and defeat the measure opposing
the approval Of the bills.
Representative -Miller-What kind of
rooms did Mr.. Hamon and Mr.. McMur
ray have at the hotel?
MI Creager-Oh.<1hree or four front
rooms. Representative Mcguire, of
N Oklahoma occupied part of the Hamon
and McMurrey suite. 1 met Hamon
later at different times. When he heard
was coming to testify before this com
mittee he urged me not to. He ex-
pressed the hope that 1 would make sno
statement before this committee.
Withholds officials Name.
Recalled to the stand, Senator Gore
was asked to mention the name OF the
empleye of the Department OF Justice
who had told him that another employe
or an official in that department was in
terested in the contracts
THAT could not do replied Senator
Gore. The matter was impaired to me
In confidence, and I regret that it was
mentioned here at ALL
Nov, Senator interposed Mr.. Camp
bell, don't YOU think ii unfair to go so
far before this committee and yet not
tell all you know You know we are
here TO learn the truth, and we would
like to have all of it made known
NO, I would rather not replied MI
Gore. ut is wen known that heretofore
employees of that department have lost
their places for giving Information, and
would rather that this feature Of the
investigation be dropped -
E. P. Hill, an attorney for the Choc-
taw tribe Of Indians. then asked the
Senator what he knew of President
Taft's attitude toward the McMurray
contracts.
President Opposed the Contracts,
Il think some people interested in the
contracts went TO see the President on
April IS said Mr. Gore. The Presi-
dent stated that ex-senator Long had
already submitted the matter to him.
and that Mr. Longs clients. meaning
the McMurray interests. might have
their day in court. ! think the Presi-
dent said everybody might have his day
in court, but that il would take a good
deal of argument TO convince him that
the amount Of fees asked for in the con-