The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1910-08-06
GORE TO MAKE
GENERAL EXPOSE
SENATOR SAYS HE WILL GIVE
FULL DETAILS" IN OKLA
HOMA SCANDAL.
CALLS MCMURRAY DEAL ROTTON
Alleged Scheme to Mulct indians Out
Of 100000 1t Is CIaimed.-
House Committee to Probe
the Contracts.

Muskogee, Okla, Aug. 4.-Investiga.
ton of charges made in the United
States senate by Senator T. p. Gore
that he and member of the house of
representatives each had been offered
bride of $4,000 to foster scheme
whereby the Indians of Oklahoma were
to be deprived of $4,000. 900 profits due
them through the sale of coal and as.
phalt lands in this state, is ON here.
On the eve of the investigation Sen
ator Gore said:
II will tell the full details Of the
scheme Matched at Washington to
mulct these Indians out Of $4,000, 900
through the sale of their lands. l
will give names. dates and other cir
cumstances, relative to the bride Of
$4,000 offered to me and to a mem.
Der of the house of representatives to
remove our opposition to the scheme
which would throw that vast sum OF
money into the hands of private at.
torneys."
The committee was appointed by the
house Of representatives to investigate
what are known as the McMurray con.
tracts with the Chickasaw and Choc-
taw tribes of Indians. It is headed by
Chairman Charles II. Burke, of South
Dakota.
Gore as First Witness.
Senator Gore probably will be the
first witness.
The charges as made by Senator
Gore in the senate OH June "a, and
which form bases for the present in.
vestigation were:
That ]. f. McMurray. of McAlester.
Okla, and his associates had obtained
10000 individual contracts with Chick.
asaw and Choctaw Indians for the sale
of 100000 acres of coal and asphalt
lands, estimated to be worth 100000.
900 to 60,0o0.O00.
That the profit to McMurray and
his associates was to be 10 per cent OF
a sum ranging from So, O0O, 900 to $l6,.
100000.
That New York syndicate already
was prepared to take over the land al
$50, 100000. That when opposition tc
approve the contracts arose in con
gress he (Senator Gore) was ap
preached and was told that $4,000 OF
| perhaps $780, 900 would be available Ia
him and that a like sum would be
available to a member of the house OF
representatives If all opposition was
removed.
| = two hoA
proved the Indians would have been
deprived of 10 per cent Of the profits
guaranteed them by the government
and the money would have gone to pay
attorneys fees" for which no materi
al service had been rendered.
Senator Gore also charged that ian
ex-senator from Nebraska and sen
ator from Kansas were interested in
the contracts.
I'm my charges before the senate
did not give any names concerning the
offers Of bribery" said Senator Gore
THAT. and other information, an
now ready to impart before the com
mittee. When the government made
its treaties with the Indians it agreed
to sell the land and hand over the full
profit to those Indians.
| ut would be absurd for the govern
ment to sanction reduction of 10 pei
cent to be handed out in the shape Of
attorneys fees. It is especially alb
surd since no attorneys services are
| needed"
Members Of the COMMITTEES.
Besides Mr.. Burke, other members
Of the investigating committee are:
| Congressman Phillip T. Campbell, Of
Kansas; Clarence B. Miller, Of Min
nesota; John H. Stephens. Of Texas
and e. w. Saunders, of Virginia.
Chairman Burke said the committee
after taking evidence here, would visit
McAlester, Oklahoma City and othel
parts Of the state to obtain from the
Indians direct information az to how
the contracts were obtained from
them.
Denis T. Flynn, counsel for J. F
McMurray, said he would contend tina
the contracts were valid since the In
dams were members Of what arr
known as the give Civilized Tribes,
and as such had the right Of citizen
ship to make contracts. He said HI
would assert, however, that no offel
Of bribery had ever been made.