Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-08-04

South Dakota, to testify, Senator Gore
told his story
"ln 1905 said Senator Gore "Presi-
dent Roosevelt refused to give his APP
prevail to certain contracts which Me-
Murray had secured with the Indians
as tribes. Under the law the contracts
made with tribes of Indians. We're not
valid until approved by the president.
In the same year McMurray pro-
cured contracts individually with about
10000 of the Indians whereby the In
dians were TO give 10 per cent of the
gross receipts in the sale Of their
lands.
~ had in the senate resolution re-
quiring that all contracts made with
the Indians should be approved by Con-
gress before they became valid. on
May last, the committee having IL
under consideration instructed senator
Hughes of Colorado to report it ia
vorably
The very next day Jacob i. Ham
mon. former chairman of the oklahoma
Republican territorial committee, prior
to statehood came to my office.
He said he had "A telegram to visit
mo and he was interested in the Nc
Murray contracts.
Then he mentioned the name of an
official very high up In the government.
And when | expressed establishment
Harmon said
Wei. you know there is a lot of
money In this thing. II you say the
word / viii arrange for the $4,000
There viii be no checks in this deal
and no marked money II will be all
new, clean money
LOTS OF MONEY IN DEAL
Harmon said further: Wei there's
= a lot OF money tied up in this deal and
a big fee for somebOdy.'
He then explained he wanted me to
withdraw my bill or at least have II
reported unfavorably. 1t seems he did
not know 1t had already been reported
favorably. Then he told me he wanted
me to see Senator Hughes and agree
not Ia press the measure there will
be $4,000 I'm II for you-or perhaps
$4,000 II you want IT, said Harmon.
He suggested that | call together the
entire oklahoma delegation to Congress
and have them remove all opposition
to the contracts.
"In reply TO all these offers I told
him that $4,000 or 1000 was all tho
same to mo in a matter Of that SOFT
and ! would have nothing TO do with
it,
Harmon then mentioned a certain
senator and said he was interested in
the contracts"
What was the name OF that SEN
ttoI asked chairman tuTkc.
II don't want TO say but II was the
same scna tor that had Intercepted me
a short time before concerning the con-
tracts"
on being urged by the committee TO
ten all ne knew Senator Gore said.
"Well. / might as well tell who II was
II was Senator Curtis who Harmon
said was Interested in the contract.
While ! am about it might as well say
that he (Hammon) also mentioned CON
gresham Mcclure as being interested
In the contra acts"
"McMurray came TO my office at
Washington and wanted me to support
his contracts. told him I would not
do so hut on the other hand, thought
II would be absurd for the Indians to
pay that vast sum OF money for serV-
ices which the government was in duty
bound TO perform The McMurray in
terestg then went to the president and
l sent a telegram TO the president urg-
ing him not to approve of the contracts.
1T was notable how active were the
McMurray interests. When I called on
Secy of the Interior Ballinger % pro-
test against the contracts. | was told
not to talk. as eN-GoV Long Of Kansas
was present and he was interested IN
the contracts"