Omaha daily bee., 1910-08-21
COMMITTEE LISTENS TO MANY
STATEMENT


SULPHUR, olSl., Aug 2O.-Ehe select
co mmit,ee appointed by the house OF rep
resentatves TO investigate Indian land af-
fairs and the so-called McMurray con-
tracts and which also has been investlgat.
ing the Gore bribery charges. tonight issued
the following statement;
THE committee has heard and carefully
considered all of the testimony submitted
and is unanimous in the opinion that there
is and was no warrant for any person 10
use the names OF Vice President Sherman
and Senator Charles S. Curtis in connec-
ton with any improper contract what
ever"
This is the opinion OF the committee after
hearing scores OF witnesses, who appeared
following the testimony Of Senator T. r.
Gore. Senator Gore declared he had been
approached by Jake l.. Hamon. and that
Hamon, acting In the interest of j. F. Nc
Murray had offered him (Senator Gore)
$4,000 or $4,000 as a bribe to promote in
congress the contracts by which McMur-
ray was to receive 10 per cent attorneys
fee on the sale of sSO,OOooOO worth of In
dian lands.
The senator testified Hamon had men
toned Senator Curtis and Vice President
Sherman as being interested" in the deal
Mr.. Sherman being named as the man
higher up
Hamon, on the stand, denied he had ever
said anything about the contracts to Gore
In giving it's decision today the commit
tee announced It had received from Sen
ntor Gore a statement relative to Vice
President Sherman and Senator Curtis, and
that the committee Commended Senator
Cores statement.
This statement from Senator Gore, which
was read and inserted in the official REQ
ord of the investigation, follows:
ITO the Investigating Committee: feel
In duty and in honor bound to make the
following statement. 1t Is also dictated
hy considerations of common Justice toward
the parties concerned.
Neither the name OF Vice President
sherman nor Senator Curtis was mentioned
by me on the floor OF the uniated States
senate"
Fact withheld from Public.
That the name OF either OF these parties
was alluded to by Mr.. Hamon was stead
fastly withheld from the public until this
investigation began.
mo public mention OF their names were
made, either directly or Indirectly by me
until was required and obliged to do SO
testifying as witness under OATH and de-
failing the conversation which occurred be-
tween Mr.. Hamon ana myself, l then made
formal protest against introducing their
names but the committee in the proper
pursuit OF It's duties required me to make
a full answer without reservation.
Their names were disclosed not with
any view OF inculpaung them, nor with
any view OF suggesting guilt, but merely In
order that the truth and the whole truth
might be related with reference to the de-
tails of the conversation in question. The
public must realize that the name OF any
man could be used or nisused in the same
connection, either as an argument or other
wise, and no public official can have inn
munity and protection against such an In
jury and injustice
In my last remarks in the senate said
that the integrity of no man can be i'm
peached upon the testimony of an interested
or untrustworthy Witness That was my
conviction then. That is my conviction now.
am usre that in the court OF public opin-
ion no Judgment or verdict has been re-
turned either against the vice president or
Senator Curtis on account OF the misuse OF
their names in the manner above re-
ferred to.
THE investigation is now practically con-
Icluded. Many witnesses have been ex-
amined, volume OF evidepce has been
adduced and there is no testimony tending
TO establish any improper connection ON
the part Of either official with the approval
OF the so-called McMurray contracts.
Request Finding of Committee.
while the public has had no reason to
suspect any such improper connection, yet
/ would venture to suggest and II / may
be pardoned, would request that the COM
mittee at the earliest practicable moment,
make an authoritative finding and state
ment TO the effect that no evidence has
been preseneed tending TO establish any i'm
proper connection on the part OF either
Vice President sherman or Senator Cur
tbs, respecting the subject Of this invests
CATION"
Senator Gore, who has attended ali the
committee sessions, left today for Peoria.
H.. to fill lecture engagement Repre-
sentative E. w. Saunders OF Virginia, q
member Of the committee, left for his
home
The committee announced. however, that
the Investigation had not been concluded.
McMurray will continue his testimony on
Monday. Much OF McMurray's testimony
today related 10 Richard G. Adams. an at
torney at Washington. After President Taft
had permitted 10 be made public a letter
lin which he expressed belief that the
Indian enrolment should not be reopened
and only the Indians now on the rolls
should be allowed TO participate In the
division OF the lands. McMurray had many
OF the Indians send telegrams to Adams
lcommending the presidents attitude and
incidentally recommending the McMurray
contracts.
says ThurstOn Was Mistaken.
These kilograms were afterwards turned
over 10 the attorney general by former
Senator John M Thurston. McMurray's
counsel this being the unsolicited" senti-
ment OF the Indians The witness said Mr..
Thurston probably was mistaken when he
said the kilograms were unsolicited
MoMurray also stated It 10 be his belief
that President Taft and the attorney gen
eral we're not aware that Adams was In
McMurray's emploY, II Ve- alAA brought