The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1910-08-06
G G @ G C. @ Q O G @ 6 g G g

Muskogee, Okla. Aug 6.-"Nct
only United States Senator Charles
Curtis of Kansas, but also vice-PreSi.
dent Sherman, d,9lpproved of the
contracts whereby an attorneys fee
of SO 100000 was TO be allowed in the
sale of S3O000,000 worth Of Indian
lands in Oklahoma"
This assertion formed the sub
f;ancc OF testimony given by Senator
Curtis today before the committee
appointed by the house of rcpreseu-
iatiyeS TO investigate what are known
as the McMurray contracts.
Senator Curtis came here TO testi-
ly, following testimony given by Sen
a,or r p Gore, who declared he
nad been informed that Mr.. Sherman
ind Senator Curtis each were in.
tereSted' In the contracts. the ap-
proyal of which by congress and
President Taft was sought by ]. F
McMurray. Senator Gore charged
that a New York bank syndicate
stood ready to purchase the land Tor
S30,000000 and the contracts held b.
NcMurray called for a ten per cent
attorneys fee. Whereas the Indian
treaties with the government provide
Ior the disposal of the land without
any expense to the Indians. On the
1oOr of the senate and in his test
.IIony here, Senator Gore charged that
the proposed sale was an attempt 10
rob and plunder' the Indians
Taking the stand before the com.
mittee, Senator Curtis related the de
,lils Of a conversation which took
mace at the White House between
President Taft, Vice-President She:-
man and himself last April The sen
9tOr explained that he was a member
~. the senate committee on Indian
affairs and that previously, AS a mem
Der OF the house. he had been four
teen years u member OF the house
committee on Indian affairs He also
related that Vice-Presidcnt Sherman
had been chairman OF the house COM
Inittee fprevious to his election TO
the vce-pTesidency. That, said the
senator, accounted for their having
oeen called to the White House TO
discuss the McMurray contracts.
Some time last April, ] was called
U. on the telephone aud asked TO so
to the White House. testified Sena-
tor Curtis. The President, Mr.. Sher.
man and myself then began to talk
about Indian affairs. The President
suggested the possibility OF reopen.
ing the question of the enrolment.
1t seems there are about 400 claim.
ants who assert they are Indians and
who were lett of the rolls and con
sequently are now enjoying the priv.
llege accorded 10 Indians.
Il told the President it would be q
,f-t
tion The President then asked
obout McMurray- l told him had
known McMurray for years, and. as
counsel for the Indians. he had never
lost a case. The President then
wanted 10 know what we thought
about the contract allowing ten per
cent attorneys fees. The reply on
both myself ana Nh Sherman was
that. in this instance, we did not be.
licye the Indians needed any attor-
neys on ten per cent basis or an
ether basis. We called attention u
The fact that the treaties between
tho Indians and the government
called for a sale OF the land by the
government and no counsel was need
I'd. II was pointed out that To give
attorneys fees in this instance would
bu simply to deprive the Indians OF
that much profit guaranteed TO theh
Gy the government That formed the
substance OF our talk
we further suggested to the Pres
ident that he should never take any
such action on any Indian contracts
Until he had referred the matter to
officials who had thoroughly investi-
gated the subject
Congressman B. S Mcguire OF OK
iahoma. also mentioned by Senator