Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-08-08
Indians Tell Why They Signed
the McMurray Contracts.
SATISFIED HE KNEW HOW
Accepted Belief That Some One
Would Have to Be Paid.
SAYS HE DID NOT WANT JOB
McMurray Tells Committee That
Offer Of 10 Per Cent Came to
Him Unsolicited.

MACALESTER, Okla. August S.-How
the contracts were procured by which,
according ITO Senator Thomas P. Gore.
So, 100000 in attorneys fees was to be
made out Of the sale of land given to the
Indians by the government was related
before the special government investigat-
ing committee today.
w. T. Holman, q Choctaw Indian,
testified he had been employed by ]. F..
McMurray, holder of the contracts. to go
out among the Oklahoma Indians and in
duce them to sign the documents. At the
same time Holman related he was paid
"a dollar head for securing contracts
appointing McMurray to act in tax cases.
In this way McMurray procured 10000
contracts to sell land.
The terms were 10 per cent attorneys
fees. or 100000 profit for McMurray
and his associates. To promote this deal
in Congress Senator Gore contends he was
offered $4,000 or 1000 bribe.
Indians Were Discouraged.
Holman testified that he himself had
signed the 10 per cent contract because
he, in common with other Indians, had
become discouraged over the govern
have given 25 per cent to McMurray." !"
said Holman, If he could have gotten
us the money quickly" He said he be-
lieved some of the Indians would be will
ing to give McMurray 20 per cent
In a statement to the committee, and
without going on the stand, McMurray
today declared that the contracts came to
him originally against his desires. He
said the Indians at a war council" had
demonstrated their impatience at the gov
ernment's alleged sIowness in the selling
of the land and had called upon him to
take the job at 10 per cent. which he did
with reluctance. McMurray will GO on
the stand later.
Questioned further Holman testified 1t
was the belief of the Indians that their
property was worth from $50. .00O, 900 to
SO, 10000, and the understanding was
McMurray was to get 10 per cent of this
Expect to Pay Some One.
"It is the belief of the Indians that
McMurray had some power at Washing
ton by which he would be able to get i,
more quickly than if you left it to the
government? asked Representative E. w.
Saunders of Virginia.
I'VE didn't know how he was going to
do it, but we thought he knew how" was
the answer.
Did you think McMurray was ma
gician?"
1--WE thought he knew how to do it."
us it actually the belief among the
Indians that they have to pay somebody
to get what the government has said
rightfuly belongs to them?"
THAT has become the belief, that
they have to give up good portion Of
what they get in attorneys fees
D. c. McCurtain, Choctaw Indian
and an attorney for his tribe, went on
the stand and reiterated his charges
that McMurray in 1906 in the lobby OF
the Raleigh Hotel at Washington had
offered him twenty-five-thOusan
bribe to withdraw tribal opposition to old
contracts which were disapproved by
President Roosevelt.
Once Employed by McMurray.
He declared he once had been en-
ployed by McMurray while he was a
delegate to Washington for his tribe.
but he asserted the work of McMurray
was in behalf Of and with the consent
of the Indians. When the bribe was
offered he was not associated with Nc
Murray and he did not share in the
seven hundred and fifty y-thousand-dollar
attorneys feet granted McMurray in the
citizenship cases several years ago.
Jake l.. Hamon again figured mo-
mentarily in the testimony. He had been
charged by Senator Gore with having
offered a ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS bribe
in McMurray'S behalf. but in his own
testimony said he went to Washington
concerning Gov. Haskell's indictment in
the Muscogee town lot cases and had
nothing to do with McMurray.
c. b. Stewart today testified he was
attorney for Gov. Haskell and he had
not heard of lannon's being SO employed.