Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1910-08-05
Vice-President Sherman
LnUolued in Land Scandal

Indian contracts must be approved
by congress before they became valid.
"McMurray then came to my office, .
said the senator. II told him | had
no objection to just attorney fees, but
] thought ten per cent on land valued
by the government at $160. 600. 00e
certainly was too high. Also | said
ten per cent on S3O,O9O.OO0 was too
high. and ! wes informed a New York
syndicate was ready TO pay the latter
amount for the lands. / said | saw no
reason why the Indians should pay
attorneys fees in this instance at all,
since the government by treaty al
ready had agreed to dispose Of the
land and give the Indians The FUN
profit | wrote letters TO the presi-
ent and to various other officials de-
scribing what | called an attempt to
plumber and rob these Indians.
"A great many interests were at
work in promoting contracts. The
first / knew that former Senator
Long was acting in behalf of Me-
Murray was one day when 1 walked
into the office of Secretary Ballin-
ger. / began to protest against the
contracts and was told not to talk SO
was interested in them.
ION last May fifth. my bill holding
up the Indian contracts was reported
out of the committee favorably, the
report being submitted by Senator
Hughes OF Colorado. The very next
day McAlurray came to me and asked
me to have Mr.. Hughes not to press
the measure. ] told him ] would press
ii. | have been pressing II ever since.
Mr.. McMurray in an interview said
II have never approached anyone
in this matter except upon its merits.
| took the contracts in good faith /
believe they are legitimate and the
compensation is not too great. Prae-
tically all the Indians in the Choetaw
and Chickasaw nations want their
land sold
Il do not know anything about the
Incident of which Senator Gore and
Creager spoke. | have
gone to them many times. but / went
10 them in person and did not send
an agent
References to invitations TO frog
eg% banquets and TO assertions by
l1aftlon that Senator Gore was going
back on his friends were made in
The testimony Of D. F. Gore private
secretary and brother to Senator Gore.
D. +. Gore said that he was in his
brothers private office at noon on
May when Hamon appeared.
= stepped into IN adjoining office
ttiti ieit tne senator aud Hamon
llone. except that once in a while
vent in and out When they quit
alking in about thirty or forty min
ties, Hamon came out into my room.
wen, he said. Dick, the senator
$ getting awfully hard on his friends.
want to make lot of money, Dick,
md don't care how | make IL
81 didn't know then what they had
'een talking about, but when Hamon
eft the senator said he had been
alking about the McMurray con-
racts and Hamon had Offered him |
i25,000.'
The senator said IIamon offered to !
Increase the amount. That's all that |
vas said TO me about the matter at
hat time, Later McMurray came to /
ne ana said he was sure that Sem I
tor Gore did not understand those |
ontracts and wished he knew of |
ONE way Of making him understand. |
fe invited me to the hotel to talk it |
Yer so | could tell the senator. He |
lso wanted to know If ! would at
end frog leg banquet which he was
ranging. declined all of these
nVitations."
j. Leroy Thompson, stenographer
D Senator Gore testified he was also
4 and out of the senator's room
hen Hamon was present
He too, was invited to the frog
q" banquet, he said, but declined.
Congressman Campbell: How long
ERE the senator and Hamon at
difference together"
Thompson about thirty or forty
iinutes. When Hamon came out |
verheard him say he wanted to
lake lot of money and he did not
are how he made It,"
"Did you hear anything that was
Md at the conference"
mo. | did not. Usually when
Iamon called / heard everything that
as said. There never before had
cen an effort to conceal it. But
lis time il was different"
In what way was 1t different?
id iHamon act differently?"
Yes, he appeared not to want to
W anything when l was in the
1om, which was quite opposite from
is usual manner"
That the Choctaw Indians who had
against giving ten per cent
ttorney's fees to McMurray had been
sked to rescind their action. formed
lt SubStdItf VI l'rtlilibiN ny W. a
urant, a Choctaw Indian and
lember of the Oklahoma state legis-
.ture.
Durant said that at a Choctaw |
ouncil meeting a resolution had been
dopted against the McMurray con-
acts Later he said a number of
ersons had gone out !nto the Choe- I
Nv nation urging the Indians to sign
document declaring themselves in
lvor of the contracts, but most OF
is tribe. he asserted, maintained !
leir opposition:
Mr.. famon tonight declined to dis
iss Senator Cores charges and said
e would not make any statement ex-
.pt in response TO categorical ques-
ons. The following questions in an
terview We're then put to him:
Did you offer a bribe to Senator
ore p"
Il did not"
Did you offer to give him an inter-
Il in the McMurray contracts?" I
II did not" !
Did you offer to bribe Congress-
an Creager?"
II did not" !
did YOU offer him an interest In
e McMurray contracts?"
Il did not" !
"Did you mention to Senator Gore
10 anyone else that Vice President Z
herman was interested in the ap- a
oval Of the McMurray cOntracts?" a
4 never promised such a thing To
~ one"
did YOU say Senator Curtis was in :
rested in the McMurray contracts ," J
Il did not :