The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1910-08-18
LAWYER PLANNED
GIGANTIC LOOT OF
ANOTHER MILLION
Additional Agreement Brought
Out Which Would Have
Given Him Much Larg-
err Sum.

Sulphur, Okla. Aug. 15.-That J. F.
McMurray had contracts with the In
dians by which. in the sale of their
lands. he would receive not only 3d.
000,00 In attorneys fees, but also
agreements calling for 81. 500. 900 in fees.
in investigation Of the land deal be-
fore the special congressional commit
tee today. Scott acted as an agent for
McMurray.
cot was regarded as one Of the
most important witnesses in the inves-
tigation growing out of Senator Cores
charges that he a been offered a
$780, 900 bride to promote the approval
Of the contracts in congress.
Rich Harvest in Sight.
If all the contracts McMurray held
with the Indians were successfully ex-
ecuted, Scott testified, McMurray would
obtain almost SIS, 600, 900 in fees for the
sale on a 10 per cent fee basis of segre-
gated coal Inc asphalt land valued at
$50, 900. 900 and surplus unallotted land
valued at $40, 600 900 n what is known
as leased districts lands valued at 49,
0O0.0 900. All these lands, Senator Gore
contends. could be sold by the govern
ment without the employment Of paid
attorneys. Telling Of his relations with
McMurray. scott said he had seen
many of the Indians In 1909 and had
- ~ , lag Sol1tIdCI3. oCOll,
himself a Choctaw, said he had
signed the contracts because ne be-
lieved NcMurray will have more in
fuence at Washington than did the
Oklahoma delegation to congress.
did you ever have any official posi-
ton where you were released because
OF your conversation with McMurray?"
asked Chairman Burke.
Lost His Own Position.
yves 7 had haap Sarrafar nv m Groan
McCurtain. chief Of the Choctaws, and
I was asked to resign"
Scott identified q telegram he had
sent last May to Richard Adams, at
torney at Washington. In which Vice
President Sherman and Senator Charles
Curtis. Of Kansas, were referred to as
understanding mere than any one else
what the Indians wanted.
"Both Mr.. Sherman and Mr.. Curtis"
said Scott. long were identified with
Indian affairs. We believed they knew
more about us than did our congress-
men,"
WAS that the emily reason for your
referring to Mr.. Sherman and Mr.. Cur
tis?"
Eyes, we had absolute confidence In
their ability to deal with Indian af-
fairs"
Scott denied he ever had received any
financial aid from McMurray. He in
oioSS~ lac " tltV NoAltt iSNo
based only on his anxiety to get the
land sold. He told OF inducing the In
dams to lend the kilograms to Wash
ington, urging the prompt sale Of the
land. Last May McMurray was In
Washington. he said, urging the ap-
prevail Of his contracts n on May
3, three days before Senator Gore say
the bride wss offered him, McMurray
teiegraphed to Scott in Oklahoma:
"LsOks better here; we will win, I
know"
Interprets tho Telegram.
"Nsw. what did you take that to
meanr" Scott was asked.
Did ysu think McMurray was going
to got his contracts approved soonf"
"Well. 1t appeared he felt encouraged
over the situation at Washington"
Referring to the promise Of the cen-
tracts Scott said: "Out Of these segre-,
gated coal and asphalt land the Indians
thought they ought to get $50. 000, 600,
but we did not ask more than $40, 00o,-t
900. hi surplus unallotted land was
worth about SIS, 008, 900 and the leased
district land perhaps as much.
"McMurray was to get 10 per cent Of
whatever he got out Of 1t. We be-
lieved McMurray was in a position to
expedite the sale Of these lands and
that's why I signed the contracts and
induced others to sign"
NllC ICuool WI tIC Ntia y
willing to pay a big fee" Scott said,
"is that they were afraid the govern
ment would reopen the rolls and a
in 10000 more Indians"
Money for Election.
Scott said he believed the Indians
would give rs per cent attorneys fees
IL they could sell at once. He also de-
clared that the McMurray law firm
contributed $1,000 to the campaign
fund in a tribal election. AS treasurer
of the Choctaw nation, Scott said he
had charge of payment of warrants. He
said 1t was customary first to pay the
warrant Of his friends and hold up
those who were not his friends.
DO yo1 think that Is the proper
way to t's-harge the affairs Of the
nation?"
YES, I thought it was all right: it
was frequently done"
Did you ever visit a town called
Robbers Roost?"
The witness said he had not. A
previous witness declared Robbers
Roost was the center Of operations for
a McMurray agent. Questioned fur
Their. Scott admitted he had received
from McMurray $500 for expenses, but
he had kept an account of what Nc
Murray still might owe him. Scott
| admitted his management Of the finan-
cial affairs Of the Indians vas a sub
tect of complaint at Washington, and
that the secretary of the interior fin
ally took the payment Of warrants out
Of his hands.