The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1910-08-08
Congressional Investigation
Into McMurray's Contracts
May Result in Wholesome
Legislation for Redskins.
MORE LIGHT ON THE
CHARGES MADE BY GORE
Vice President Sherman'S
Name Eliminated From Fur
Their Hearing but lannon's
Connection Will Be Probed.
SESSIONS RESUMED TODAY

MI new era of wholesome legislation
by Congress- has daWned for the
Indians as a result of the congressional
investigation into the McMuFray con-
tracts Is the belief general among sena-
tors, congressman and other govern
ment officials assembled here.
The committee appointed by the
House Of Representatives and headed
by Congressman Charles II. Burke of
South Dakota, TO inquire into the
charges Of Senator Thomas =. Gore,
that he had been rendered a $4,000 or
$4,000 bride 10 help put the McMurray
deal through Congress, arrived here to-
day from MuskOgee and tomorrow viii
continue its hearing here.
McAlester is the home town OF j. r.
McMurray the attorney who, with
others, holds the contracts.
1t is expected more light Will be
thrown on Senator Cores declarations.
| Also more evidence, il is believed, viii
| be forthcoming concerning Jake L.
HamOn. who is charged by Senator
Gore with having offered the bride 10
secure the approval of the contracts by
Congress.
Is Not the End.
The testimony given by Congressman
| c. Z. Creager of Oklahoma, that Hamon
called him TO a hotel in Washington
and there suggested" he might obtain
an interest" in the contracts il OPP
position were removed, together with
the Gore charges, is not believed to be
the end of the disclosures.
Mr.. Creager's testimony was regard
ed as supplementary to that of Senator
Gore. Hamon, who entered a general
denial of all the charges made by Mr..
Creager, Senator Gore, ID. +. Gore, the
senator's brother. and J. L Thompson
the senator's secretary. has been an
interested spectator at all the sessions.
Congressman B. 5. Mcclure OF Okla
aoma, and senator Chaiies Curtis OF
Kansas, both Of whom were named by
Mr.. Gore as having been mentioned
by HamOn as interested in the land
deal, have left.
senator Curtis Denies.
Senator Curtis strongly denied hav-
| ing any relation with Hamon. Mr..
Mcclure, who testified concerning
meeting HamOn in Washington and
! who in response 10 direct questions
denied he had ever been Improperly
approached in relation to the McMur-
ray contracts, told the committee he
was ready to reappear at any time. The
name of Vice President sherman, who,
according to Senator Gore, was men
toned by HamOn as the man higher
up" has been eliminated from the in
vestigatiOn so far as Senator Gore is
concerned.
The senator said he had no object in
mentioning Mr.. Sherman's name, other
than TO relate all that HamOn had said
Since McMurray also has been
charged on the stand with having ten
dered a S25.000 bride TO a Choctaw
delegate TO Washington to withdraw
opposition to old contracts that were
subsequently, disapproved by President
Roosevelt in 1905, it is believed Nc
Murray will be called TO testify. What
are known as the present McMurray
contracts consist Of about 10, 600 dOcu-
ments secured individually from the
Indians.
Makes An Impression.
The story told on the stand by Green
McCurtain, chief OF $4,000 ChOctaW In
dams, and a veritable fighter OF pioneer
tain related how his tribe year after
year had waited for the government to
sell their lands and how at last the
Indians. becoming discOura ged, had be-
come the prey of attorneys whose
promises were more glowing than
those of the government.
1t cost ais tribe in the last ten
years, McCurtain said, $500, 600 in at
tOrney's fees besides a share in the
$3.50, 600 fee paid to the McMurray firm
several years ago in the citizenship
cases involving the Choctaws and
Chickasaws.
Congressman J. H Stephens Of Texas.
member Of the Investigating com
mittee in a speech in Congress referred
to the S75O,0O0 fee as "a scandal" and
declared the attorneys should have been
made to pay back the money.
1t is evident that the whole Indian
situation needs to be gone over by the
government, said an official today. "The
Indians are wards of the government,
yet they have become the prey OF attOr-
neys For instance, one attorney re-
ceiVed Sl2 900 a year for representing
one tribe and he resided in New York
Only in instances where the interests
Of the government and the Indians con-
flict should attorneys be employed.
Where the sale Of the land is concerned
the government itself has agreed, by
treaty, to dispose OF the land and give
the proceeds TO the Indians. The evil
dence that has developed certainly will
enlighten Congress on what ought TO
be done"