The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1910-08-13

lot McMnTTay with ont nny written or
verbal agreement, he said. ar 10 snhr.
Ing in the fee aud had Induced many
Indians TO sign He worked in this
respect among tho Indians. despite the
opposition of Green McCurtain, chief
Of $4,000 Choctaws.
In one telegram 10 Richard A. Al.
ans, an attorney at Washington he
referred 10 Vice President Sherman
and Senator Curtis OF Kansas ns "un,
dcrstanding better than anyone else
what the Indians wanted"
Questioned ms 10 what he meant by
saying that Scott said nc understood
MT Sherman and Senator Curtis long
had been familiar with Indian affairs,
and he thought they were the ones
to be appealed TO- Notwithstanding II
had been shown that both Mr. Sher.
man and MIR. Curtis had protested
against the ten per cent fee. They
thought II too high and unnecessary
Scott Looked After Scott.
Before becoming connected With
McMurray SCOTT had been treasurer
OF the Chcctaw Nation. on cross-ex.
animation the witness said the depart
ment of the interior some times had
complained concerning his method OF
cashinG warrants 10. money due
against the nation. He said he some.
times had favored friends in making
payments when his authority for so
doing was In dispute.
Did you ever make any payments
after you had received notice from
the department that yon were not TO
do so until the act authorizing you 10
mako such payments had been ap-
proved by tho president" asked Rep.
resentativc c. r. Miller.
Yes, | believe ! did. but il was
when the act itself was In dispute"
Then you admit that YOU delIber.
ately violated the order from the de-.
partment?"
Il understand It was the opinion OF
some oi the lawyers that | had the
! right TO make the payments"
Did YOU ever consult lawyer as
TO your right"
Il may have"
What lawyer did you consult?"
~ don't know"
rs it probable that you consulted
| McMurray's law f1rm VINO at that
time were acting as special counsel
for the Indians?"
'If consulted any lawyer ] may
have consulted McMurray's firm
McMurray Once Gave $1,000
In a political campaign among tho
| Choctaw tribes. Scott said McMurray
| once had made a contribution OF ST.
600
| Did McMurray ever give YOU mon
ey for the work you were doing for
him."
He gave mo $4,000 once for cx
| penses and some money ] had col
| lected as fees about 81 a head. be
| lieve for each Of the one thousand
tax cases contracts which | had SO
cured
"McMurray would reimburse mo for
my lime and trouble after he had got
ten his fee. but there was no agree
ment as to that"
In the 10000 tax cases that formed
a suit to prevent the government from
collecting taxes on allotted lands,
| Scott said McMurray was TO get $40
for winning each case, OF $4,000 for
winning the cases collectively
Indians to Pay Big Taxes.
DO you mean to say the Indians
were going to pay $4,000 for agree
ing 10 that which was virtually one
tax case?" asked Representative F..
| w Saunders.
yes, $40 a case. or $4,000 for the
lot"
On cross-examination by Dennis
| Flynn, attorney for McMurray. Scott
said there was nothing discredibe to
him in the order of the secretary OF
the interior prohibiting him from pay
| ing warrants He said his successor
as ChOctaw treasurer has never paid
.aha T. rIrr, do.
| In the manner of paying Scott said
he was under bond all the time he was
| the treasurer and had never been sued
by the government or by anybody else
In connection with his actions.
The witness said he refused 10 turn
over his books to the government
agents upon demand. with view TO
protecting the governor. himself and
the attorneys for the tribe
The Chickasaw treasurer has turned
over his books and the officials have
been indicated.
Scott Turned Over Books
In response to questions by Flynn.
Scott said he had not AZ any time
been indicted after he finally turned
over the books. He described in de.
tail the manner of making appropris
lions for the payment OF tribal ex.
penses by the Choctaw council and
how the treasurer made payment.
McMurray, in view of suggestions
made by Representatives Saunders
and Stephens and Senator Gore that
no itemized expense accounts were
ever filed by his firm, told the conf
mlttee that such accounts wore on
Ale in the department of justice and
in the interior department and arc
acceptable. Chairman Burke said he
was aware OF this fact. A number OF
Indians testified TO having signed tel
egrams sent TO Washington approving
OF McMurray's contracts.
McMurray also has been at all the
sessions of the investigation. He
may be put on the stand within few
days to relate what he knows concern,
ing what inducements. II any, were
made to the Indians before they sign
cd the contracts.