The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1910-08-13
Scott Continues Testimony

Sulphur, Okla. Aug. 10 Continuing
his testimony before tho special in.
yestlgating committee Friday after.
noon, George W. Scott, who admitted
bis activities In securing signers t.
the McMurray contracts, testified
that In their entirety, the con.
tracts would dispose Of about $50, ,0O0 i.
600 worth of property, which, on a lG
Der cent attorney" fee, would resnlt
III net profit to McMurray and his
associates of almost $5,000,OO0 This
fee, according to Senator Gore an,l
members OF the committee, who le-
terroeaied witnesses. would be paid
fof services which the government Al
ready had promised TO give the n.
dlans without cost Scott also show
ed IN his testimony that the cost Of
employing McMurray would be In ad.
d,tion to 100000 now paid annually
to regular attorneys. Scotts con.
tention was that the attorneys on tho
regular salaries were not as active az
contingent fee attorneys Scott ap.
peared after his name previously had
been mentioned by previous Witnesses
II was he who testified he had seiit
kilograms to Washington Urging the
approval of the contracts He had
been working for McMurray withou.
any written or verbal agreement, he
said. as to sharing In the fees and
had induced many Indians to sign. re
worked in this respect among the
Indians, despite the opposition OF
Green McCurtain chief OF $4,000 Choc
taws. In one telegram to Richard
Adams an attorney at Washington ne
referred to Vice President Sherman
and Senator Charles Curtis Of Kansas
az understanding better than any one
else what the Indians wanted Ques.
toned as TO what he meant by that,
Scott said he understood Mr.. Shef.
man and Senator Curtis long had
been familiar with Indian affairs, ana
he thought they were the ones to bo
appealed 10, notwithstanding II had
been shown that both Mr. sherman
and Mr. Curtis had protested againa.
the 10 per cent fee. They cEllmed it
to be too high and unnecessary.
Former Official
McMnrray. Scott had been treasurer
of the Choctaw nation.
When cross.examination came. The
witness said, the department of the
interior sometimes had complained
concerning his method Of cashing war
rants for money due AGAINST tho ma
tion. he said he sometimes had fay-
ored friends in making payments
when his authority for doing 80 was
in dispute.
did you ever make any payments
after you had received notice froil
the department that YOU were not 70
do so until the act authorizing you 10
make such payments had been approHi
ed BY the PRESIDENT" asked Represen,
iafiye G. B. Miller
"Yes. | believe | did but II VIII
wren the act itself WAS in dispute
erhen YOU admit that you dellberas :
Is violated the order from tly 1cpaH-
menti
Il understood II was the opinion Of
some lawyers that had the right %
make The payments.
"Did you ever consult q lawyer az
to your right"
Il may have.
"What lawyer dbl you consulty'
4 don't know
Is # probable that yoll consulted
Ne cMurrays law hrin. who at times
was acting as special counsel for the
lndlans?"
IF consulted any lawyer may
have consulted McMurray's firm
McMurray Contributes
IN political campaign among ths
choetaw tribes, Scott said McMrr
lfav once had made a contribution OF
pDid McMurray ever give you mon
~ for The work you we're doing cor
him7'
aHe gave me $4,000 once for ex'