The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1910-08-11
VEAL I II OF
I HE INDIANS
Richest People on Earth
As Disclosed in Gore
Investigation

McAlester, Aug lit was brought
out In the congressional investigation
OF the Gore bribery charges today
that oaby Indians, as well as adult
ones, had signed the McMUrray con-
tracts providing for the sale OF $780,
100000 worth OF land on 10 per cent
attorneys fees" basis.
The names of the little papooses
were signed by the parents or guard
ians, witnesses testified 1t was Incl
dentally developed that race suicide
p far from being threatened among
the Indians. as families OF six to nine
children are common
j. NJ Perkins, a Chocktaw, testified
that he had nine children, all of whom
had s.sned the contract
I'VE were led TO believe that the
contracts were q good taing," said
Perkins. we considered that Nc
Murray knew better than our con
greSsmcn and senator's how 10 go
about selling the land We believed
that by signing the contracts VIC
would realize quicker on our claims
against the government. That's why
| and the children signed up
DR. J. r. Miller. a Choctaw by inter
marriage. testified that he and his
eight children had signed the con
tracts
The present great wealth OF the
Oklahoma Indians was brought out In
the testimony. Although the Choctaw
and Chickasaw tribes OF Indians are
fighting for their individual shares of
the land now held for them by the
government, they are at present acs
counted among the richest people in
the world. IL Is said that their per
capita interest n the claim against
the government Is $1,000. besides
which they are already rich in lands.
Indian witnesses took the stand and
told OF meaGurIng their land by the
thousand acres
One Indian testified his family
acres was under Cultivation, with cot
ton, corn and potatoes. The land Is
rented out, he said. giving him one
quarter of the cotton and one-third OF
the corn. without labor to him.
Ormsby McHarg. an attorney for
the Choctaw tribe. testified that
some asperslons" had been cast on
him because he was employed as the
Indians counsel in Washington.
whereas be lived IN New York. He
said he received salary of $4,000
year
Acting under the secretary of the
interior. McHarg said he had invosr-
gated the Indian situation IN OKLA
homa Il found the situation rs con
fuslnG as Ingenious men coul1 make
It, testified the witness, Il Was in
structed by the department Of the in
terror TO blaze away and clear up the
confusion | am now engaged in for
mulating plan"
What his plan was. McHarg did not
say He declared his contract speci-
lically provided for his residing in
New York If the McMurray con-
tracts were approved, Mr.. McHarg
said, he would resign at once. rs he
would regard II as a duplication of
services He said the Choctaw tribe
already paid out $4,000 year for at
torneys
DR. e. ~ Wright a delegate for 'he
Choctaws at Washington. TOOK ,hc
stand and denied charges made
against HIM in the testimony of Con
gressman c. ID Carter Carter testl-
fed that Richard C. Adams OF Wash
lngton had said Wright was interest
cd in the McMuTray contracts. Wright
declared he had always opposed the
contracts Wright said he never had
received any assistance from McMur-
ray except that last winter in Wash
ingtou McAlurray had endorsed his
note for $500.