New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-08-07

| "iolc AetlefS saying ne Nouiu w "A- -
could to help get the buildings. and tnen
he wrote letters saying he had done all
he could to get them. But to Ger
tainty he did all he could to have the
appropriations kicked out"
Senator Curtis, who came here to ap
pear before the committee. following
Senator Cores reference to the Kansas
Senators being interested" in the con-
tracts. testified that not only Vice-Pres
ident Sherman but he himself disap'
proved of the contracts.
Senator Curtis related the details OF 6
conversation at the White House between
President Taft, Vice President Sherman
and himself last April The Senator eX-
planned that he was member Of the
Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, and
that previously. as a member OF the
House, he had been for fourteen years 3
member Of the House Committee on
Indian Affairs. He also related that Mr.
Sherman had been chairman OF the
House committee previous to his cleo
ton to the Vice Presidency. That, said
the Senator. accounted for them having
cuss the McMurray contracts.
Details of Conference.
Some time last April was called Up
| on the telephone and asked to go to the
White House" testified Senator Curtis.
1.-The President, Mr.. Sherman and my
self then began to talk about Indian af-
fairs. The President suggested the pos
sibility of reopening the question Of the
Indian enrolment 1t seems there are
| about fourteen thousand claimants who
assert they are Indians and who were
left off the rolls, and consequently are
not enjoying the privileges accorded the
Indians.
II told the President it would be a
serious mistake to reopen that ques-
ton. The President then asked about
NcMurray. 1 told him / had known Nc
Murray for years, and as counsel for the
Indians he had never lost CASE. The
President then wanted to know what We
thought about the contracts allowing 10
per cent attorneys fees.
THE reply Of both myself and Mr..
Sherman was that in this instance We
did not believe the Indians needed any
attorney on 10 per cent basis or any
other basis. We called attention to the
fact that the treaty between the Indians
and the government called for sale of
the land by the government, and no
counsel was needed. It was pointed out
that to give attorneys fees in this in
stance would be simply to deprive the
Indians of that much profit guaranteed
them by the government. That formed
the substance of our talk.
I'VE further suggested to the Presi-
dent that he should never take any ac-
ton on any Indian contract until he re-
ferred the matter to officials who had
thoroughly investigated the subject.
Told Gore About Interview.
"A few days after our conference at
the White House." said Mr.. Curtis.
Senator Gore asked me about the inter
view, and I told him he needn't worry.
as I believed the President would not
approve of the contracts"
WAS that the impression you got
that the President would not approve of
the McMurray contracts?" asked Chair
man Burke.
Yes, that was my impression in a
way. I heard statement by Senator
Gore In q committee that he knew the
man in Washington who was working
for the approval of these contracts, and
who also was to get commission from
d New York syndicate--that Is, the man
was to get fee from both ends. from
McMurray and from the syndicate.
Mr. Gore said the man was Richard
Adams, an attorney at Washington
Mr.. Curtis testified that he did not
know Jake L. Hamon, who was
charged by Senator Gore with having
offered him Gore a S25, 900 or $4,000
bribe to put through" the land deal
Chairman Burke: Did Senator Gore
ever tell YOU that some one had men,
toned you as being interested In the Nc
Murray contracts?"
Mr. Curtis: He did not The first I
leard of it was to-day. after Mr.. Gore
made the charges in the Senate and
asked me if knew who Senator Gore re-
tered to when he said a Senator was in
terested.
1T was then pointed out that he re-
ferred to me-
What interest has former Senator
Long in the McMurray contracts?"
II don't know, except that Mr.. Long
came to me after he was out OF the Sen
ate and said he was going into the Ind
ian land business. / told him he could
not afford to appear as a lobbyist. He
replied 1t was not his intention to do
any lobbying, but that he intended to
act only as a lawyer. Mr.. Long never
has asked ME to see the President or
any one else in the interest of McMur-
ray"
J. F. ,McMurray in an interview to-
day, denied that he had ever offered
So, coo Or any other amount to McCur-
tain McMurray declared that Cecil
Lyon was financially interested with him
in the old tribal contracts.
SENATOR HARTER'S DENIAL