Omaha daily bee., 1910-08-13
WERE ALWAYS FORCED TO PAY
Regular Representatives on Salaries
Do Not Protect Pooketbooks.
'IRM AFTER FIVE MILLIONS
Contracts if All Carried Out Would
Bring in Huge Sums.
UNCLE SAM WOULD NOT CHARGE
Government Had Promised TO Give
Indians Same Services Free OF
Cost-ReguIRr Lawyers
Were Less Active.

Cost--ReguIRr Lawyers
Were Less Active.
SULPHUR, OkL, Aug. 12-Lawyers' exc
pense accounts running as high as $4,000,
la single fee already paid amounting to
s75O.OOO and contingent fees still pending
that would aggregate about S5,0O0OOO fig
ured in the investigation Of the Indian land
affairs by the special committee appointed
by the house OF representatives today.
1t was pointed out that the Indians never
had secured large amounts Of money due
them without having to come across In
the shape OF fees, and although they em-
Iployed regular lawyers on yearly salaries,
extra fees were constantly paid for the
employment of special counsel. The spe-
cial fee of $750,000 was paid several years
ago to j. f, McMurray and his law part
ners after they had prosecuted what are
known as the citizenship cases." which
1t was stated. kept off the rolls $1,000 per-
sons who wanted to participate in the
claims against the government.
BY the winning OF this suit it was ex-
plained that the value of the property
to the Indians who remained on the rolls
was enhanced $16OO0,0O0, on a basis Of $1,000
for each OF the $1,000 claimants who were
kept off The sale of the property and the
division OF the proceeds Is still being
fought for by the Indians.
scott Secured Many signers.
This testimony developed in the exam
ination of George f. Scott, a Choctaw.
Scott was active in securing signatures for
the McMurray contracts, the approval Of
which by congress, Senator Gore charges,
lon May last he was offered a bribe of
s25,OOO or $4,000
McMurrays contracts, Scott testified, IL
carried out in their entirety, would dispose
lof about $50, 100000 worth of property, which
lon a 10 per cent attorneys fee" basis
would result in a net profit to McMurray
and his associates of almost S5,e00,OO0 This
fee, according to Senator Gore and MEM
bers Of the committee who interrogated
t the witnesses. would be paid for services
that the government already had promised
to give the Indians without cost
, Scott also showed in his testimony that
the cost OF employing McMurray would
be in addition to $4,000 now paid annually
to regular attorneys Scotts contention
was that the attorneys on the regular sal
aries were not so active contingent fee
attorneys. Scott appeared after his name
! frequently had been mentioned by previ-
t Gus witnesses.
1t was he who testified he had sent
s kilograms TO Washington urging the ap-
{ jproval Of the contracts. He had been
Z working for McMurray without any writ
ten or verbal agreement, he said, as to
sharing in the fee, and had induced many
= Indians to sign. He worked in this re-
r spect among the Indians despite the OPP
position of Green McCurtain, chief OF
r $4,000 Choctaws. In one telegram to
r Richard Adams. an attorney at Washing
L..
: man and Senator Charles Curtis of Kan
sas as understanding better than any
! one else what the Indians wanted"
a Questioned as 20 what he meant by
that Scott said he understood Mr.. Sher-
, man and Senator Curtis had long been
. familiar with Indian affairs, and he
! thought they were the ones to be ap-
pealed to, Notwithstanding 1t had been
shown that both Mr.. Sherman and Mr..
Curtis had protested against the 10 per
cent fee They held It to be too high
> and unnecessary.
Previous to being connected with Nc
Murray, Scott had been treasurer of the
. Choctaw nation.
= Department Had Complained.
On cross-examination the witness said
= the Department of the Interior sometimes
= had complained concerning his methods of
" cashing warrants for money due against
: the nation. He said he sometimes had
favored friends in making payments
when his authority for so doing was In
dispute,
'Did you ever make any payments
after you had received notice from the
department that you were not to do so
h until the act authorizing you TO make
such payments had been approved by lAe
PRESIDENT" asked Representative C. B.
S Miller,
T. ''Yes, I believe / did, but 1t was when
d the act itself vas in dispute"
n Then you admit that you deliberately
G violated the order from the Department."
= II understand It was the opinion of some
S lawyers that l had the right to make the
d payments"
T. Did you ever consult a lawyer as to
Il your rights?"
II may have"
What lawyer did you consult?"
II don't know"
rs It probable that you consulted Nc
Murrays law firm. which at that time was
acting as special counsel for the Indisns?'
'If consulted any lawyer / may have
consulted McMurray's firm"
MeMurray Had Contributed.
In political campaign among the Choc-
taw tribe. Scott said, McMurray once had
made a contribution of $1,000
did McMurray ever give you money for
: the work you were doing for himY'
He gave me 5000 once for expenses and
, some money l had collected as fees. about
81 head believe. for each OF the 1,OO)
, tax case contracts which / had secured"
> "McMurray would reimburse me for my
\ time and trouble after he had gotten his
a fee but there was no agreement as 70
a that"
= In the 5000 tax cases which formed suit
10 prevent the government from collecting
4 taxes on allotted lands. Scott said, Me-
I Murray was 10 get $40 for winning each
I case or $4,000 for winning the cases collec-
I lively.
. do you mean to say the Indians were
going TO pay $4,000 for agreeing 10 that
e which was virtually one tax case?" asked
I Representative E. w. Saunders
Yes, $40 a case. or $4,000 for the lot"