The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1910-08-05

was asked TO mention the name of the
employee of the department. of justice
who had told him that another en-
ploye, or an official in that department,
was interested In the contracts.
That / could not do" replied SEN
ator Gore. THE matter was impaired
10 me in confidence and / regret that
it was mentioned here at ALL"
Nov, senator" interposed Congress-
man Campbell, don't you think it I'M
fair to go so far before this commit
tee and yet not tell all you know? You
know we are here TO learn the truth
and we would like to have all OF 1t made
known"
mo I would rather not. It is well
known that heretofore employees or that
department have lost their positions for
giving information and 1 would rather
that this feature Of the investigation
E. L. Phil. attorney for the Chloe,
taw tribe of Indians. then questioned
the senator as to what he knew of
President Tafts attitude towards the
McMurray contracts.
'I think some people interested in
the contracts went TO see the President
on April rs said the witness.
President Taft Opposed.
THE President stated that former
Senator Long had already submitted
clients (meaning the McMurray inter
estsl. might have their day in court.
think the President said everybody
might have his day in court, but that 1t
would take good deal or argument
to convince him that the amount OF
fees asked for in the contracts So
100000 was just. In fact. think the
President made il plain he was OPP
posed TO the contracts"
Senator Gore testified he and Hamon
had been friends and had been interest
ed together in business transactions at
Lawton, Okla. in which money loans
were invested. MI Hamon Is an al
tOrney OF LawtOn, which Is Senator
Cores home town. HamOn is 81 years
old and married. Aside from Republic
can chairmanships, he has been city at
tOrney Of LaWtOn and has practiced
law in Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas.
Explained His Opposition.
Explaining what led up to his oppos-
ing the approval of the contracts with
the Indians, Senator Gore, IN his tes-
timOny asserted that as far back as
1905 he wrote a letter TO Senator La
toilette calling attention to the great
wealth of the coal and asphalt lands
owned by the Indians. He said the
United States geological survey had es-
timated the mineral deposits to be
worth S160, O00. goo.
In 1903. he said. McMurray had OBJ
tanned contracts with the tribes of IN
dams for the sale of the lands on d
10 per cent basis. In 1908 President
Roosevelt had registered his disap
pfONdl OF the contracts IN the same
year Mr. McAIurray obtained contracts
individually with 10000 Indians. there
being at that time no law against the
execution OF contracts with individual
Indians. It was this condition that
aroused him 10 Introduce a resolution
in Congress declaring that all Indian
contracts must be approved by Con-
gress before they became valid.
Had Talk With MeMurray.
''deMurray then came to my office
said the senator. Il told him ] had no
objection 10 just attorneys fees, but
thought 10 per cent on land valued by
the government at S160,O00,000 GER
tainly was too high. Also I said 10 per
cent on 100000 was too high, as
was informed a New York syndicate
the lands. l said l saw no reason why
Indians should pay attorneys fees in
this instance at all, since the govern
ment by treaty already had agreed TO
dispose of the land and give the IN
dians the full profit. ! wrote letters 10
the President and to various other Of
ficials describing what I called an at
tempt TO plumber and rob these Indians.
"A great many interests were al
work in promoting contracts. The first
/ knew that former Senator Long was
acting in behalf of McMurray was one
day when 1 walked into the office of
test against the contracts and was told
not to talk so loud. as Mr.. Long was
present and he was interested in them.
Could Not BE Swerved.
"On last May 5, my bill holding up
the Indian contracts was reported out
Of the committee favorably, the report
being submitted by Senator Hughes OF
Colorado. The very next day McMurray
came to me and asked me TO have Mr..
Hughes not TO press the measure. 1
told him would press ii. I have been
pressing IL ever since"
Mr. McMurray, in an interview, said:
Il have never approached anyone in
this matter except upon its merits.
took the contracts in good faith. ! be
lieve they are legitimate and the COM