Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1910-08-17
INDIAN CHIEF
WITH POOR
MEMORY
TESTlflES BEFORE
INQUIRY COMMITTEE
Head of Chickasaw Tribe Failed
to RecoIIect TriiIe Of $4,000
He Deposited When McMur-
ray Got His,

sulphur Okla, Aug. I6.--Douglas
III. Johnson. a Chckasaw Indian and
chief OF the 10000 members of that
tribe, answered II don't remember
before the special congressional inVes-
tigating committee today which ask
ed how Il was that he was able TO de-
poslt the sT5, 900 to his personal cred
il few days after J. Il McMuray had
received s75O,O0O as attorney fees.
Johnson has testified that he al
ways has approved of what are
known as the present MeMuray CON
tracts which provide for the sale OF
sac, 0,0O0, 600 worth of land belonging
to the Indians and which would allow
McMuray 10 per cent or $S,OO0,VOo,
600 in fees.
He also has urged other Indians TO
sign them. He testified he was a par
ticular friend OF McMurray's He tes-
tilted IN what are knowu rs the cit-
izenship cases several years ago mat
he approved Of Il contract in whicl,
McAiurray got salary Of $4,000 a
year and S2.700 q year EXPENSES. A
short time afterwards he approved ot
another contract N which McMurraN
obtained for doing the san,A work a
fee was to have been St,o00. 900. but
was cut down one half by The govern
ment.
why were you willing to give Nc
Murray $750,000 for doing lhar for
which he already was paid salary?"
asked Representative G. J. Mlliar or
Minnesota.
Because We thought he earned it,
replied Chief Johnson. ITO KEEP. of
-. o lat.
erty and thus saved us $1,000 for each
person so kept off, or q total OF $1s,-
600 900 | would have been willing
to have paid him so per cent or sS,-
100000
You were willing to give little
graft money In order 90 save that
much land, is that it2 Now tell us
why IL is that few days after that
S75O.000 was paid to MeMurray you
were able to deposit to your personal
account in n bank at Denison, Texas.
$4,000. Where did you get that
SIS, 5,0O07"
Il don't remember, | was dealing
In cattle and my account varied SO I
don't remember"
"The depositing Of $4,000 TO your
personal account produced so little
impression on your mind that you
don't remember? When you became
Stlitl VI kRNtiiltl u NOuI tllnt. lSn
il fact that your bank account was
only $4,000? How, then, would You
be able to deposit SIS 900 just short
time after McMurray got his $780,
600 fee?"
Chief Johnson insisted he dd not
remember Asked why $500 in war
rants for expenses rendered by Nc
Murray had been made out In his own
favor, Johnson explained he was ac-
customed to pay off the expense bills
incurred by MCMurray Johnson said
his salary as chief executive Of hts
tribe was $4,000.
In response 10 questions the witness
said he never had received financial
aid from McMurray. He declared a
majority Of his tribe favored paying
McMurray $1,000 900 fee In the pres
ent proposed sale of land.
johnson occupied almost the entire
day on the stand. Governor e. N. Has
keii today telegraphed his desire to
testify but probably viii not be called.
1t was stated to the committe that
other Indian witnesses. who had said
they waived the contracts. had asked
10 be recalled to the stand following
Chief Johnson's testimony.