Los Angeles herald., 1910-08-10
INDIANS TELL Of
MESSAGES URGING
SALE OF PROPERTY
ChoCtaWs Testify as to Requests
Received from McMurray
in Washington
GORE INTRODUCES LETTER
Witness Declares Attorney Could
Afford to Spend $1,000,000
in Order to Get Contract
GORE INTRODUCES LETTER
ASSOCIATED Press)

McALESTER, OKLA, Aug. 9.-While
j. F. McMurray was in washington
last May urging the approval of his
contracts by which he and his asso-
clates would be able to secure 10 per
cent attorneys fees on the sale of
100000 worth of land owned by the
Indians, the Indians themselves were
being urged to send kilograms to
Washington recommending the sale.
A few days before May s, on which
Senator Gore claims he was offered a
bribe of $25, 900 or $4,000 to induce con-
gress to approve the contracts, McMur-
ray telegraphed to Oklahoma, Send
not less than so letters and kilograms
and keep up the work for week at
different towns; looks better here. We
will win, I know,
This evidence was brought out in the
investigating OF the land deal before
the congressional committee today.
Senator Gore said he introduced 1t to
show the activity at Washington at
the time the bribe is alleged to have
been offered.
INDIANS on STAND
Many Choctaw Indians were on the
stand to show that shortly after Nc
Murray sent his telegram they were
visited by George w. Scott, McMur-
rays agent. Scott asked the Indians
to sign kilograms approving the sale
of the 100000 acres of coal and asphalt
land on the 10 per cent attorneys fee"
basis. The Indians kilograms were
addressed to Richard C. Adams, an
attorney at Washington, who was sup
posed by the Indians to give the mes
sages to President Taft The Indians
readily sent the kilograms, they testi-
fed, because they were impatient at
the delay of the government in dis
posing of the land, according to treaty
promises.
References to Vice President Sher-
man and Senator Charles Curtis of
Kansas were made In "a letter intro
duced by Senator Gore. 1t had been
explained by Congressman G.. E.
Creager that he and Richard Adams
had called on President Taft and that
the president had announced his dis
approval Of plan to reopen the tribal
rolls so that more claimants might en-
ter, and his approval of settling the
Indian land question. President Taft,
1t was said, wrote a letter to the effeit
and declared his willingness to have
1t given wide publication.
SCOTS LETTER
After the letter was made public
George w. Scott wrote to Mr.. Adams
at Washington, 'tPlease say to the
president that his course is to be COM
mended; he has placed himself on rec
ord in his letter to you as against the
opening of the rolls and as to the set
tlement of our affairs His office will
give prestige to our demand. With
McMurray there to state our claims,
with Mr.. Curtis and Mr.. Sherman, who
understand better than others what we
want and with the assistance of the
president 1t begins to look like we are
coming into our own"
Senator Gore said he had not intro
duced the letter because of the mem
ton of Vice President Sherman and
Senator Curtis, The latter, together
with President Taft, 1t already had
been shown in previous testimony had
declared themselves against the 10 per
cent fee clause in the McMurray con-
tracts. Much amusement was caused
by the testimony of James r. Logan.
zone day last November said Lo-
gan, "a certain Tom Saguin called on
me to have me sign the McMurray
contracts. / asked him how McMurray
was going to do anything.
HE said, We'll, Mac has got power
fu1 influence at Washington. He can
afford to spend lots of money. For
instance, If he makes $3,000,000 out OF
these contracts, he can afford to spend
81, 900 900 to get it. Out of his 10 per
cent he can give 1 per cent to some
and still he will have q
fortune left. In that way he will get
the land sold. / tell you somebody
is going to get lot out of this any
way, and we might as well let NC
Murray have it,