Los Angeles herald., 1910-08-07
D. C. McCurtain Testifies MCMur-
ray Wanted Him to Accept
$4,000 for Influence
FAITH IN GOVERNMENT LOST
Says Indians Need Money and
Are Tired of Living on
Officials Promises
ASSOCIATED Press)

CAssocia ted Press)
MUSKOGEE, Okla, Aug. 6.-Not
only Jake L. Hamon, but J. F. McMur-
ray was named as a would-be briber in
the investigation of the 100000, 900 Ok
lahoma Indian land case before the
special congressional committee to-
day.
McMurray is the holder of the con-
tracts with the ChoctaW and Chicka-
saw Indians, to promote which IN
congress Senator Thomas P. Gore
charges he was offered a bribe.
D. c. McCurtain, a Choctaw Indian.
and delegate to Washington for his
tribe, iharged that McMurray, in
1906, offered him a brihe of S25,OOO
to withdraw opposition to the old tribal
McMurray contracts, which were sub
sequently disapproved by President
Roosevelt.
Greene McCurtain, chief of $4,000
Choctaws, and a venerable Indian of
81 years, then took the stand and told
the committee that one George W.
Scott, whom he believed acted in the
interest of McMurray, had offered him
one-fourth of the profit to be realized
from the land deal, provided he in
duced the tribe to withdraw all op-
position. This offer referred to new
contracts held by McMurray which are
the cause of the present investigation.
$4,000 OFFERED
The amount of the bribe mentioned
by D. c. McCurtain, who is a son of
the chief, is the same as that which
Senator Gore alleges was rendered
him on May by Hamon to put
through the pending contracts, which,
according to Senator Gore, would re-
suit in the selling of 900 acres of
| coal, asphalt and timber lands owned
by the Indians, to a New York syndi-
| cate on a basis that would give Nc
! Murray and his associates an 'attor-
ney's fee" of 10 per cent, or $S,eOOOOO
The presentation of the charges
| against McMurray followed another
| day of sensational. testimony, in which
Senator Charles Curtis of Kansas, and
! Congressman B. S. Mcclure of Okla
| hOma, appeared on the stand TO retute
statements that they were interested
/ in the deal.
The name of Vice President Sherman
was again mentioned and conferences
| held by President Taft over the Nc
Murray contracts were referred to.
EXCESSIVE FEES
Both President Taft and Vice Presi-
dent Sherman, according to Senator
Curtis. had declared that the 10 per
cent attorneys fees asked for was eX-
cessive. The opinion was unanimous
at the presidents conference, he SAID,
that in the sale of the land no attor-
AANNNSNb
government by treaty already had
stipulated to sell the land on it's own
responsibility
Something of a spirit of Indian war
council was presented when Chief Nc
Curtain known as the Governor,
suuatted himself in a chair before the
committee and, brushing the flies off
his head with a large handkerchief,
gave his testimony.
THE CHIEFS TESTIMONY
"a long time ago. he said, "many
of the Choctaws protested against the
big fees that would be allowed under
the McMurray contracts. l myself
sent a protest to the secretary of the
interior. Just before the adjournment
of the last congress George w. Scott
came to my home and asked me to
sign a letter. / refused to do so. Then
he came again and told me he wanted
me to write letter to the secretary
of the interior withdrawing my protest
against the McMurray contracts.
''When | said ] would not do that
he said he was authorized to give me
one-fourth of the profits if I did. Yes
he said, I'VE are going to get 10 per
cent fee out of it and you viii get one
fourth. Now you sign the letter and
it will be a great bargain
81 absolutely refused to do 1t, and
he went away"
"A good many of your tribe did sign
the contracts with McMurray, didn't
they?" asked Congressman Miller.
LOST FAITH
"Yes, they did that because they are
losing all faith in the government.
They have lost all faith in govern
ment officials and in their tribal Of
ficials, too It's because they have
been given so many promises and the
promises have not been kept The
government promised it would sell the
land and distribute the profits in 1906.
1t has not done so yet. The Indians
are becoming disheartened over the
governments promises and that's why
they signed the contracts. They
thought it would be better to get some
of the money than none at all"
Are they in a hurry to get money!
Eyes, they certainly are, they need
it, They are poor, for they have been
living on promises for so long"
why do you Indians have so many
lawyers?"
"can you estimate how much your
tribe has paid out in attorney fees in
the last ten years?"
"Our tribe in that time has paid out
about 100000
Among the developments of today
were:
DAYS DEVELOPMENTS
Senator Curtis told of having been
summed to the White House to dis
cuss with President Taft and Vice
President Sherman the merits of the
McMurray contracts. President Taft
had expressed the belief that the 10
per cent fee was too high and his
visitor agreed with him.. This. the SEN
ator thought, sufficiently refuted the
imputation that he was interested" In
the deal The senator knew McMurray
for years, and had never known OF
his attempts To Influence legislation"
Senator Curtis also testified that he
also knew of no animosity existing
between himself and Senator Gore ex-
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