Los Angeles herald., 1910-08-09
Hamon, Accused by Gore Makes
Complaint Against 0kIaho-
mas Congressman
MANY INDIANS ON THE STAND
AborigineS Say They Were Willing
to Pay Big Commission
to Sell Lands
(ContInued from Page one,

tracts and asked Adams to call on
President Taft and urge him to sell
the land without delay.
"Who did you think Adams was?'
"Why, 1 thought he was somebody
with influence who would go to the
president and congress and tell them
what we wanted. We were not so
anxious to give up 10 per cent. but we
thought it would be better to sell on
that basis than not to get anything at
all. We were in the dark as to how
matters stood at Washington, but we
thought Adams would be able to fix
things all right"
More of the 10000 Indians who signed
the contracts are to be interrogated to-
morrow.
TAX CASE CONTRACTS
w. T. Holman, a Choctaw Indian,
testified he had been employed by j.
F. McMurray, holder of the contracts,
to go out among the Oklahoma In
dians and induce them to sign the
papers. At the same time, Holman
related, he was paid "a dollar head"
for securing contracts appointing Nc
Murray to act in tax cases. In this
way McMurray procured 10000 con-
tracts to sell land.
The terms were 10 per cent attorneys
fees, or 5000 900 profit for McMurray
deal in congress Senator Gore contends
he was offered a $25, 900 or $4,000 bribe.
Holman testified that he himself had
signedsthe 10 per cent contract because
he, in common with other Indians, had
become discouraged on the govern
ment's promise to sell the land.
Il would have given 20 per cent to
McMurray," said Holman, ''if he could
have got us the money quickly"
He said he believed some of the In
dians would have been willing to have
given McMurray 75 per cent.
McNIURRAY'S DENIAL
In a statement to the committee and
without going on the stand McMurray
declared today that the contracts came
to him originally against his desire.
He said the Indians at war council
had demonstrated their impatience at
the governments alleged slOWness in
selling the land and had called upon
him to take the job at 10 per cent,
which he did with reluctance. Nc
Murray will go on the stand later.
Questioned further HOLMAN testified
that it was the belief of the Indians
that their property was worth from
$50, 900 900 to $4,000 900 with the under
standing that McMurraV was to get 10
per cent of this.
rs it the belief of the Indians that
McMurray has some power at WASH
ington by which he would be able TO
get money more quickly than if you
left it to the government asked Con-
gresham E. A. Saunders of Virginia.
I'VE did not know how he was going
to do it, but thought he knew how,
was the answer.
Did lou think McMurray was a
magician?"
I'VE thought he knew how to do it"
rs it actually the belief among the
Indians that they have to pay some
body else to get what the government
has said rightfully belongs to them?"
THAT has become the beliet-that
they have to give up good portion OF
what they get in attorneys fees
A S75O,OOO FEE
D. c. McCurtain, a Choctaw Indian
and an attorney for his tribe, went on
the stand and reiterated his charges
that McMurray in 1905 in the lobby of
the Raleigh hotel at Washington had
Offered him a $4,000 bribe to withdraw
tribal opposition to old contracts which
were disapproved by President Roose-
Welt. He declared he had once been
employed by - Murray While ne was
a delegate to Washington for his tribe,
but he asserted the work for McMur-
raw was in behalf of and with the con-
sent of the Indians When the bribe
was offered he as not associated with
McMurray and he did not share in the
$75O,OOO attorneys fees from the In
dians by McMurray in the citizenship
cases several years ago.
Chairman Burke said he did not be-
lfeve Creager could properly be recalled
as he has already been excused as a
witness Then Hamon demanded the
privilege of calling other witnesses to
nrove his charges. The demand was
taken under advisement by the COM
mittee.