New-York tribune., 1910-08-12
EVEN PApOOSES SIGNED
And There Is No Race Suicide in
Oklahoma Either.
M'HARG's PROFITABLE JOB
Interesting Testimony at Inquiry
Into the Charges of Sen
ator Gore.

McAlester. Okla. Aug lit was brought
out IN the Congressional Investigation Of
the Gore bribery charges to-day that baby
Indians as well as adult ones had signed
the McMurray contracts providing for the
sale Of $50. 100000 worth of land or a -
per cent attorneys fee basis.
The names of the little papooses were
signed by the parents or guardians. wit
nesses testified. II vas incidentally dsyel-
cped that race suicide Is far from threat
ening among the Indians. az families OF
six to nine children are common
j. VI Perkins. a Choctaw. testified hs
had nine children. ali OF whom had
signed the contract
I'VE were led to believe that the con-
tracts were a good thing" said Perkins.
I'VE considered that McMurTay knew bet
ter than our Congressrnen and Senator's
how 10 go about selling the land We be-
heved that by signing the contracts ws
would realize quicker on our claims against
the government That's why L and the
children signed up"
DR.. J. H Miller, Choctar By internar-
riage, testified that he and lis elsht chh-
dren had signed the contract
The present great wealth Of the Ok
lahona Indians was brought oEe IN ina
testimony.
Although the Choctaw and ChicAssa%
tribes of Indians are fighting for their n
diyiduaI shares OF the land now held D.
the government for them, they are al pres
ent accounted among the richest people IN
the world. It was said their per capita In
terest in the claim against the government
is 5000 besides which they are already
rich il lands
Indian witnesses took the stand and told
bx- ffa n
acres.
One Indian testified his family owned
!. 200 acres. Of which 100 acres were under
cultivation with cotton, corn and potatoes
The land is rented out. he said. giving him
one-uuarter OF the cotton crop and one
third Of the corn, without labor 10 him.
Ormsby McHaEs. attorney for the
Choctaw tribe, testified that some
PENSIONS had been cast upon him beeagss
he had been employed as the Indians
counsel in Washington. while he lived IN
Nsw York He said he received a salary
of $1,000 a year.
Acting under the Secretary OF the Inte-
rior. McHarg said he had investigated th9
Indian land situation In Oklahon1a-
81 found the situation confusing as
ingenious man could make IT,. testtned
the Witness II vas instructed by the
Department Of the Interior to blaze away
and clear up the confusion I arm now en-
gagged in formulating a plan.
What his plan was 0IcHarg did not say.
He declared his contract specifically pro-
vided for HIS residing in New York
If the McMurray contracts were ap-
proved, Mr.. McHsrg SAID he would resign
at once, as he would regard it az a dupii-
cation OF service. He said the Choctav
tribe already paid out $4,000 a year for at
ternsys.
Dr. E. " Wright, a delegate for the
Choctaw5 at Washington. took the stand
and denied charges made against him in
the testimony OF Congressman Q. D.
Carter Carter testified that Richard g
Adams. of Washington, had said Wright
was Interested in the McMuTTay Co7-
tracts. Wright declared he had always
opposed the contracts
Wright said he never had received as
sistance from McMurray. except that last
winter in Washington McAurray had il
dorsed his note for $500.
Sulphur. Okla, Aug. 1.-THE Congress
Investigating committee arrived here to-
night. The hearings on the Gore charges
and iMcMurray contracts will be resumed
in Sulphur tomorrow.
r. s. Person, of Washington. clerk Of ths
House COMMITTEES Indian Affairs and
fcrmer auditor of the Department. OF the
Interior. was taken i'll with typhoid fever
and remained in hospital ar AIcAiestsr.