The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1910-08-10
VICE PRESIDENT WAS NAMED
AS One of the Parties Inter-
eSted in Three.MilliOn
Dollar Rake-0ff.
INDIAN CHIEFS TESTIMONY

ested in the 100000 attorneys
fees for the sale of Indian lands.
Gore also told the congressional
committee investigating his charges
that Congressman Mcclure, of Okla
homa, and Senator Curtis, of Kan
sas, were interested in the contracts
for the sale of the lands for $780,
600, 900.
The incidents to which Senator
Gore estifed happened in his private
Office at Washington at noon on last
May 6.
During the 80 or 40 minutes of
conference held in that Office Sena-
tor Gore testified he had been APP
preached by Jake L. Hamon, former
Chairman of the Oklahoma Terrific
rial Republican Committee, and also
former Chairman of the Oklahoma
State Republican Committee, and
that he had been offered bride of
$4,000 or $500 to remove GER
tain legislation pending in Congress
so that 100000 might be paid to
J. F. McMurray, an attorney at Nc
Allister, Okla, and his associates.
Was a Large Attorney Fee.
The money was to represent at
torneys' fee" of 10 per cent. of $780,
100000 whIcn was to be secured
from a New York syndicate for 450,-
goo acres of coal and asphalt lands
now owned by the Choctaw and
Chickasaw Indians in this Dtate.
Vice President Shermans name
was mentioned by Mr.. Hamon, Sen
ator Gore testified, as being inter
ested in the land deal to the extent
of favoring the approval by Congress
of what are known as the McMurray
contracts with the Indians.
What happened in another private
room in Washington where also, it
was alleged. Hamon made more
"overtures relative to the land deal,
was told by Congressman C. E. Crea-
ger. Of the Third Oklahoma District.
Creager Supplements II.
Congressman Creager supplement-
ed the testimony OF Senator Gore.
He said that on June 16 last he had
been invited by Hamon to meet him
in a private room at the Occidental
Hotel in Washington.
Having gone there, Mr.. Creager
testified, he was informed he could
have a substantial interest" in the
land deal, n he would withdraw his
opposition to the approval of the Nc
Murray contracts by Congress.
Asked the question: Were any
figures mentioned as to how much
you were to receiver" Mr.. Creager
replied: mo, did not let it go so
far as that, / made it plain | was
not open to being influenced in
that way"
81 had already gone on record as
being firmly opposed to the granting
of such an enormous fee to attor-
neys."
McGuire's Name Mentioned.
Congressman b. S. Mcclure, who
was charged by Senator Gore as be-
ing interested" in the McMurray
contract, was said by Mr.. McCreagei
in his testimony to have been at the
time of his visit an occupant of the
same suit of rooms with Hamon and
McMurray at the hotel.
Clerks of Senator Gore testified tc
having been invited by McMurra,
and Hamon to frog leg" suppers a
Washington, at which the Indiar
contracts were to be talked over.
These invitations, it was declared
were all turned down"
On one occasion, one of the clerk
testified, Hamon said Senator Cor
was awfully hard on his friends.
Senator Gore, in his testimony, as
serted that the offer of bribery wen
so far that Hamon said the S25, 00I
or $4,000 would not be paid over IL
the form of check or marked mon
ey, but that ut would be all clean
hard CASH"
= The committee that heard tn
[ charges was appointed by resolution
D of the House of Representatives Il
4 investigate the McMurray contracts
3 which are declared to have beel
e made by McMurray individually witt
10000 Indians, each Of whom agree
to turn over 10 per cent. of his prof
its from the sale OF land, provides
Q the contracts were approved by Con
Q gress.
The committee. headed by Con
gresham Charles H. Burke, OF Sout
dakota, Chairman, is composed o