New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-08-05
Senator Curtis, of Kansas, and
Representative Mcclure, of
Oklahoma, Also
Named.
TALE OF EFFORT TO BRIBE
Mr. Gore Says lie Was Approached IN
Washington by Jacob Hamon with
Offer of s25. 1000 to $4,000,
but Hamon Declares the
Story False.
Story False.

Muskogee. Okla Aug 4.-What oc-
CURED in the private office of United
States Senator Thomas P Gore at
Washington at noon on May formed
the basis of sensational charges involv-
ing the names of Vice-President Sher-
man. Senator Charles Curtis. of Kansas:
Representative 3. s Mcclure, of Okla
homa. and others. in hearing before
the special Congress investigating COM
mittee here to-day.
In the thirty or forty minutes of a con-
terence held in that office Senator Gore
testified that he had been approached by
Jacob L. Hamon. former chairman of
the Oklahoma Republican Territorial
Committee and also former chairman OF
the Oklahoma Republican State Com
mittee, and that a bribe Of $4,000 or
$4,000 had been offered to him to re-
move certain legislation pending in Con-
gress so that $1,000 900 might be paid to
]. F. McMurray. an attorney at Meal
ester. Okla and his associates
The money was TO represent at
torney's fees" of 10 per cent OF $4,000
600 which was to be obtained from
New \ OTk SYNDICATE IOE 1.usOoC al g "a
coal and asphalt lands now owned BY
the Choctaw and Chickasaw Indians in
this state.
President Sherman's name was
mentioned by Mr. HamOn- Senator Gore
testified as being interested in the land
deal to the extent of favorinS the aP-
prevail by Congress of what are known
as the McMurray contracts with the
Indians
What happened in another prtvats
room in Washington. and also where. II
was alleged. Hamon made more over
lures relative to the land DEAL was
told by Representative g E. Creager, or
the Sd Oklahoma District Mr. Creaser
supplemented the testimony OF Senator
Gore He said that on June Is he had
been invited by Hamon to meet him IN
a private room at the Occidental Hotel
in Washington
Creacer Tells of an Offer
Having gone there. Mr.. Creager testi-
fed. he was informed that he could nave
a substantial interest" in the land deal
if he would withdraw his opposition to
the approval of the McMurray contracts
by Congress.
Asked the question, Were any nSures
mentioned as to how much you were to
receiver" Mr. Creager replied;
NO. l did not let it go go far as tnar
7 made it plain that l was not open TO
being influenced in that way mad
already gone on record as being nrr1ly
opposed to the granting of SUCH an ealor-
NOUS fee to attorneys
Representative Mcclure. who was
charged by Senator Gore as being in
terested- in the McMurray contract. was
said by Mr.. Creager in his testimony 20
have been at the time of his visit an
occupant of the same suite of rooms with
Hamon and McMurray at the hotel
Clerks of Senator Gore testified to
having been invited by McMurray and
Hamon TO frog leg" suppers IN wash
inrton. at which the Indian contracts
were to be talked over" These invita-
tions. II was declared. were all turned
down." on one occasion one OF the
clerks testified. Hamon said Senator
Gore was awfully hard on his friends
Would Be Paid in Cash.
Senator Gore in his testimony asserted
that the offer of bribery went so far that
Hanon said the $4,000 or $4,000 would
not be paid over in the form OF a check
or marked money but 1T would be all
clean. hard cash"
The committee hearing the charges
was appointed by resolution Of the-House
of REPRESENTATIVES TO investigate the Nc
Murray contracts. which are declared TO
have been made by McMurray individu-
auv with ten thousand Indians. each OF
whom agreed TO turn over 10 per cent
of his profits from the sale or land. pro-
yided the contracts were approved oy
Congress. II is composed OF Charles H.
Burke. of South Dakota. chairman;
Philip P. Campbell. OF Kansas; Charles
r. Miller of Minnesota; John H Ste
nhens. of Texas. and E. w Saunders. OF
Virginia. Its first session was held to-
dav. Mr.. Creager's appearance on the
witness stand followed a series OF sem
sational statements
Among Senator Cores assertions were
the following:
Sherman Named by Hamon.
That Hamon told him that q man
higher up in the government was In
terested I'm the approval OF the contracts.
and therefore there was no reason why
senator Gore should not be; and when
asked who the man higher up" was,
Hamon had replied. ''vice-President
Sherman"
That Hamon told him that Senator
Curtis. of Kansas. was Interested IN
the deal
That Hamon told him Representative
Mcclure. of Oklahoma. was Interested
in the deal
That Hamon told him an employee OF
the Department of Justice ut Washing
ton was interested" in the deal: that he
(Senator Gore) knew the name of the
employee. but would not divulge his name
or the name of his informant. especially
because the latter would lose his place.
That ex-senator Long OF Kansas