The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-08-07
NJ MURRAY ALSO
ALLEGED BR|BER
Sensational Charges Made by
Senator Gore of Oklahoma
Broaden.
CH0CTAW INDIAN TELLS
OF OFFER OF $4,000
Senator Curtis and Congress
man Mcclure Deny Being
interested"
Bv Associated Press.

| 81 Associated Press.
MUSKOGEE, Okla, Aug. 6.-Not only
Ja;te l.. Hnmon, but J. +. McMurray was
named n woud-be brlber in the nves
tiEuti OF the $50 600 900 Oklahoma In
dian land deal before the special con-
sresslonal committee today.
| McMurrav is the holder of the contracts
with the Choctaw and Chickasow Indians
| to promote which in congress Senator
Thomas p Gore charged he was offered
| briDc.
p. c.. McCurtain. a Choctaw Indian
and a delegate to Washington for his
| tribe. charged that McMurray, in 1906,
offered him a brIbe Of s25. 900 TO withdraw
opposition TO the old tribal McMurray
contracts which We're subsequently dis
approved by President Roosevelt.
Chief Gives Testimony,
Green McCurtaIn. chief of $4,000 Choc-
| taws and venerable Indian of 62 years,
| then took the stand and told the com
mlttee that one George w Scott. whom
ne believed acted In the interest OF NJ"
| Murray had offered him one-fourth OF
deal provided he induced the tribe to
withdraw all opposition. This offer re-
ferred TO new contracts held by McMur-
ray which are the cause of the present
| investigation.
The amount Of the brIbe mentioned by
d c. McCurtain, who is n son OF the
tor Gore alleges was rendered him on
May by Hamon TO put through the
pending contracts, which, according to
Senator Gore, would result In the selling
or 450. 900 acres OF coal. asphalt and tim
Der lands owned by the Indians to
New York syndicate on basis that
would give McMurray and his associate
an attorneys fee of 10 per cent, or
Sc 600, 600.
Curtis Enters Denial
The presentation Of the charges agains
McMurray followed another day OF sem
sational testimony, in which Senate
man II. s. Mcclure of Oklahoma ap-
peared on the stand TO refute state
ments that they were Interested In the
deal. The name of Vice President Sher-
man was again mentioned and confer
ences held by President TAFT over the
McMurray contracts We're referred to,
Both President Taft and Vice President
sherman. according to Senator Curtis.
had declared that the 10 per cent attor-
neys fees asked for was excessive. The
opinion was unanimous at the president
the land, no attorneys assistance was
needed as the government by treaty al
ready had stipulated to sell the land on
It's own responsibility.
Something of the spirit OF an Indian
war council was presented when Chief
McCurtain. known as the "sovernor
committee and. brushing the files off his
head with a large hadkerchief. gave his
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 10 my
house and asked me to sign letter.
| refused TO do so. Then he came again
and told me he wanted me to write,
withdrawing my protest against the Nc
Murray contracts.
Charges Are Plain.
when said 1 would not do that. he
said he was authorized to agree TO give
me onefourth Of the profits | did
per cent fee out of It. and you will set
one fourth OF the tenth Now you sign
the letter and II will be n great bargain.
/ absolutely refused to do 1t and he went
away, !H Good MANY Of vour tribe did sign
the contracts with McMurray. didn't
they?" asked Congressman c. B. Miller
Eyes. they did that because they are
losing all faith In the government They
and in their tribal officials. too. It's be-
cause they have been given so many
promises and the promises have not been
kept The promised t roGfe 1t WeuId
1906. 1t hasn't done so yet. The Indians
are becoming dlsheartened over the gov
ernment's promises, and that's why they
would be better to get some OF the money
than none at all"
Indians Want the Money
Are they in a hurry to get money!"
Eyes. they certainly are. They need
II. They are poor. for they have been
living on promises for so long"
why do you Indians nave so many
lawyers?"
because we want TO get the money"
"Can you estimate how much your
tribe has paid out in attorneys fees In
the last ten years?'
"our tribe in that time has paid out
Among the developments of today
were:
Senator Curtis told OF having been sum-
moned to the White House to discuss
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 senator thought. sufl
ciently refuted the imputation that the
was interested" In the land 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 nnimosity existing be-
tween himself and Senator Gore. except
that Mr.. Gore had remarked that Cur
tbs was meddlng too much in Oklahoma
affairs. by fair means and by foul.
Creager Explains Some.
Congressman c. e. Creager Of Okla