Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1910-06-25
BRIBERY CHARGED.

open SeIldle ycSteIudy ditelAOoiA "
Senator Thomas P. Gore, of Oklahoma
in connection with the so-callcd Nc
Murray contracts affecting the triba
money and property of the Choctaw and
Chickasaw Indians OF Oklahoma.
Senator Cores allegations are ex'
pected to result in Congressional in
vestigation Of charges of improper in
fiucnce brought to bear upon members
of Congress to obtain legislation vail,
dating these contracts. His charges
are as follows:
That a senator of the United States,
whom he refrained from naming, IS in
terested in the McMurray contracts.
That a representative in Congress, ,un-
derstood to be member of the Okla
homa delegation in the House, is also
interested in these contracts.
That he, Senator Gore, had been
approached with the suggestion that
it would be worth $4,000 or $4,000
to him if the contracts were not pro-
hibited.
That similar proposition was made
to member Of the Oklahoma delega-
ton in the House yesterday, both pro-
posals being rejected.
That a former United States senator
from Nebraska is interested i'll these
contracts, that former United States
senator from Kansas is also interested
in them, and that Il powerful lobby
has been maintained i'll Washington in
the interest of these contracts and has
blocked the attempt of Senator Gore 10
secure legislation that would have
made confirmation Of the contracts an
impossibility.
The charges made by Senator Gore
and reiterated in n general way during
debate on the general deficiency bill
yesterday afternoon caused 4 sensation.
Senator Bailey urged the oklahoma
senator to name the United States sena-
tor who is alleged to have an interest
in the legislation, but Senator Gore
explained that he thought it would be
unparliamentary to diyulg &C the name
in the open Senate in view of the fact
that he hoped that his allegations
would eventuate in u congressional in
yestigation of the whole matter.
The so-called McMurray contracts
were made by John 7. McMurray, of
the firm OF Mansfield, McMurray &
Cornish, of McAllister, Okla, with
some 10000 individual members Of
these Indian tribes. They provide that
the lawyers are to receive 10 per cent.
of the proceeds to be derived from the
sale OF about 446 acres OF segregated
coal and asphalt lands belonging to
these Indians in Oklahoma. The
Geological Survey has report
cd the value of these properties
as high as s160,0O0,000 the lowest
value placed on them is $50, ,00O,0 600
and Senator Gore has been informed
and has reasons to believe that a
New York syndicate stands ready to
pay S30,000,0O0 for the properties,
in which event Senator Gore alleges
that Attorney McMurray and the at
torneys associated with him would re-
ceive fee of s3,000,000. If the lands
sell for more, the fee will be larger.
Several years ago McNIurray and
others signed a contract with the Choc-
taw Council for a 10 per cent. fee,
but this contract was disapproved by
former Secretary Garfield and former
President Roosevelt. After that Nc
Murray and his associates signed in
dividual contracts, copies OF which
are a part of the records of the Senate,
with some 10000 of the Indians for q
similar fee, and an effort has been
made to have these contracts approved
by President Taft.
Early in May Senator Goro intro
duced bill, requiring these contracts
to be approved by Congress. The bill
was favorably reported, but has not
been passed. When the general de-
ficiency bill came before the Senate
on Tuesday, Senator Gore procured
the adoption of an amendment pro-
viding that all contracts affecting the
tribal money and property of the
Choctaw and Chickasaw Indians shall
be null and void until approved by
Congress.
When the conference report on the
deficiency bill was reported yesterday
morning it was discovered that a sub
stitute had been inserted il place OF
the Gore proviSo, and this substitute
provided that all tribal contracts should
be void until approved by the president,
while all individual contracts should be
approved by the president and the COM
pensation or fee fixed by him. Sem
ator Gore says this is Il mandatory di-
rection upon the president to approve
the McMurray contracts, and he and
others charge fraud in connection with
the insertion Of this substitute in the
conference.
Three separate speeches were made
by the blind senator from Oklahoma
yesterday afternoon, each disclosing
more allegations connected with the
transaction. The Senate in his absence
had adopted the report on the general
oenclency bill. Later he entered the
chamoer' and, rising to a question of
privilege, explained that he had prefer
red request that the deficiency hill re-
port oe deferred Tor consideration until