The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-08-07

taws, proceeded with his testimony in a
dignified manner. He said the tribal
contracts in 1906 had been re-inspected
by President Roosevelt. Once he said he
had been approached by McMurray in
the lobby of the hotel he was stopping
at in Washington. Cecil Lyon, national
republican committeeman of Texas, was
introduced to him.. he said. Lyon left
before the subject matter was discussed,
he said.
d. C. McCurtain testified:
Meeting with McMurray
IT met McMurray in the lobby and
he said: You know we have contract
for the sale of the lands l said: I
heard it, but have never seen copy of
the controct.' He said: We have de-
cided we will give you $4,000 II you will
not oppose the contract. and If the sec
rotary of the interior approves the con-
tract in it's present form we will give you
$4,000. If he scales the contracts down
then the $3.50 will be enough accord
ingly. I will talk to you further about
this matter later on.
Il did not see McMurray for several
days In the meantime l got to thinking
about the proposition and I knew they
were going to bring powerful political
influence to bear in support of the con-
tract. I thought maybe If l did not man
ifest too much opposition to the con-
tract I would be in a position intimately
to defeat it, but If became too antagon-
istic I might have no opportunity to get
my forces together, and I believed that
they might in some way secure the ap-
proval of the contracts
Several days after this l saw Nc
Murray again In the capitol and I said
to him: I have decided to assist In
your proposition I did not learn any
more about the contract business then.
The matter again went on for some
time without any effort being made
TO get the contracts approved.
Matter Held Up
1.-THE matter was held in allegiance
until the constitutional convention of
Oklahoma appointed committee 10 in
vestigate whether 1t was possible to
purchase the coal lands from the In
dams outright.
"McMurray became active again. He
wanted to appear before the commit
tee as the representative of the Choc-
taw nation. l endeavored to obtain
written statement from Governor
Haskell to the effect that he repre-
scented the Choctaws and they so rec
ognized him in his official capacity.
McMurray came out to my house and
stated that he thought he was now
in a position to do the nation great
deal of good. I then said Mr.. Nc
Murray / don't want anything 10
do with your contract"
McMurray in an interview today de-
MED that he made any offer of COM
pensation. Much of the testimony of
Congressman Mcguire related to wheth-
er he occupied free of charge part
of the suite of rooms in the hotel In
Washington with Mr.. Harmon. He
said he paid for the apartment and it
was the custom of his friends from
Oklahoma to stay with him. He SAID
friends had stayed many times.
Have you received financial assist
ance from persons holding contracts
with the Indians?" Chairman Burke
asked
II never have" replied Mr.. Mcclure.
There never was any suggestion OF
aid to be given me by McMurray or
anyone else"
rs there any reason why Senator
Gore should feel unfriendly toward
your"
Attitude of Gore
None, that I know Of" replied the
Witness HE has done his utmost
to keep others from giving me black
eye who wanted to fabricate certain
things. He showed this in our attf-
tude toward one another when he Ie-
fused to patronize or encourage graft
He once wrote me letter saying he
would do all he could to get the pub
lie building. He wrote several other
letters saying he had done all he could
to get them but to a dead certainty
believe he attempted to get the APP
preparations cut down."
who paid for the Washington apart
ment."
Il never locked the door, and anybody
from Oklahoma could stay in there and
make themselves at home as long as
paid the bill. continued the witness. land
Harmon never in those rooms ever dis
crssed the McMurray contracts"
]. Milton Turner of St. Louis, former
United States minister to Liberia. testl-