New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-08-08
TO PUSH GORE INQUIRY
Congressional Investigation in
MCMurray'S Town To-day.
EXPECT MORE DISCLOSURES
Officials Believe That Indians
Will Benefit from the Light
Shed on Their Affairs.


era of wholesome legislation by Congress
has davned for the Indians as a result OF
the Congressional investigation into the
McMurray contracts is the belief among
Senators, Representatives and other gov
eminent officials assembled here
The committee appointed by the House
of Representatives and headed by Repre-
sentative Charles II. Burke, Of South Da-
kota, to inquire into the charges Of SEN
ator Thomas P Gore. that he had been
offered a $3.50 or $4,000 bride to help
put the McMurray deal through Congress,
arrived here to-day from Muskogee, and
tomorrow will continue Its hearings.
McAlester is the home town of j. ".
McMurray. the attorney who with others
holds the contracts. 1t is expected that
more light will be thrown on Senator
Cores assertion that the sale is contem-
plated for s50,000000 to a New York syn
dictate OF 100000 acres of coal and asphalt
land now owned by the Choctaw and
Chickasaw Indians, from whom McMur
ray secured contracts that would allow
him 10 per cent attorneys fees. or $1,000
000 Also, more evidence is believed to
be forthcoming concerning Jake l..
Hamon who is charged by Senator Gore
with having offered the bride to secure
the approval of the contracts by Con-
gress.
Expect More Disclosures.
The testimony given by Representative C.
E Creager, of Oklahoma, that Harnon
called him to a hotel in Washington and
there suggested he might obtain an in
terest in the contracts If opposition were
removed, together with the Gore charges.
= Il
closures.
Mr. Creager's testimony was regarded as
supplementary to that of the Gore charges.
Hamon, who entered a denial Of all the
charges made by Mr.. Creager, Senator
Gore D. T. Gore, the Senator's brother,
and j L Thompson. the Senator's secre-
tary, has been an interested auditor at all
the sessions. Congressman Bird MCGUIRE
OF Oklahoma, and Senator Charles Curtis.
of Kansas, each named by Mr.. Gore as
having been the men mentioned by Hanlon
as being interested in the land deal, have
left
Senator Curtis denied having any relation
with Hamon Mr.. Mcclure, who testified
concerning meeting Hamon in Washington.
and who. in response TO questioning, de-
MED he had ever been Improperly ap-
contracts, told the committee he was ready
TO reappear at any time.
The name of president Sherman,
who, according to Senator Gore, was men
toned by Hamon as the man higher up
has been eliminated from the investigation,
so far as Senator Gore is concerned. The
Senator said he had no object in mention
ing Mr. Sherman's name other than to re-
To- aFl+ hot ia soil 70
Since AIcAIurray also has been charged
on the stand with having offered $4,000
bride TO a Choctaw delegate TO Washington
to withdraw opposition to old contracts that
were substantially disapproved by President
Roosevelt in 1908, il is believed McMurray
y i'll be called to testify. What are known
as the AcN1urray contracts consist of about
ten thousand documents secured individually
with the Indians.
The story told on the stand by Green Nc
Curtain. chief Of the eighteen thousand
Choctaws, and a venerable fighter of pio-
neer DAYS made g deep impression Nc
| Curtain related how his tribe year after
year had waited for the government to sell
| their lands, and how at last the Indians,
| becoming discouraged, had become the prey
| OF attorneys, whose promises were more
glowing than those of the government.
1t cost his tribe in the last ten years, Nc
Curtain related, $500. 600 in attorneys fees,
| besides share in the $3.50, 600 fee paid to
the McAurray firm several years ago in the
! citizenship cases involving the Choctaws
! and Chickasaws
| Congressman ]. H. Stephens, of Texas. a
member of The present investigating com
mittee. in a speech in Congress referred to
/ the $3.50 600 fee as "a scandal and assert
ed that attorneys should have been made
to pay back the money
1T is evident that the whole Indian sit
uation needs to be gone over by the gov
eminent" said an official to-day. The
| Indians are the wards Of the government;
| vet they have become the prey Of attor-
news. For instance, one attorney received
| 80 010 z wear for representing one tribe, and
| he resides in New York.
In instances only where the interests OF
the government and those OF the INDIANS
| conflict should attorneys be employed AS
| far as the sale of the land is concerned,
| the government itself, by treaty, has agreed
| TO dispose Of the land and give the pro
| ceeds TO the Indians. The evidence that
| has developed certainly will enlighten Con-
| gress on what ought to be done
IEX-G0VERNOR FOLK HURT