The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1910-08-08
CONGRESSIONAL INVESTIGATION
COMMITTEE TRANSFERS IT.
S"f SELF TO MALEsTER.
BETTER.tAWS FOR INDIAN
Moro Wholesome Legislation Sccms in
Prospoct as Result Of Charges Now
being Looked Into by Representa-.
tivos Of National Govcrnment-Rc.
view Situation.

McAlcstcr. Oklu.. Aug THAT n
new era Of wholesome legislation by
congress has dawncd for the Indians
as result of the congressional In
vcstigation into the McMurray con-
tracts. is the belief general among
senators, congressman and other gov
crnmcnt officials assembled here.
Tho committee appointed by the
house OF representatives and headed
by Congressman Charles n. Burke Of
South Dakota to inquire into the
charges of Senator Thomas r. Gore
tfat ne had been rendered u $4,000
or sDOOOO bribe To help put tho Nc
Murray deal through congress. arrived
here today from Muskogec and tonor-
row, Will continue It's hearings here.
McAlcstcr Is the home town of j. i.
McMurray. the attorney who holds the
contracts. II is expected that more
light will be thrown on Senator Cores
declarations. Also more evidence, 1t Is
believed. will be Forthcoming concern
Ing j. l.. Hamon, who Is charged by
Senator Gore with having offered the.
bribe to secure the approval of tlrc,
contracts by congress. The testimony
given by Congressman &. u. creager
OF Oklahoma that he might obtain an
interest" In the contracts IL opposi-
tion were removed. together with the
Gore charges. is not believed to be the
end cf the disclosures
Mr. Creagcr's testimony was regard
I'd as supplementary to that Of Senator
Gore. Hanon, who entered general
denial of all the charges made by Mr..
s Creager. Senator Gore. ID. r.. Gore. the
senator's brother. and j. l.. Thompson,
the senator's secretary. has been All
Interested spectator at all the sessions
Congressman b. S. Mcclure of okla
honia and Senator Charles Curtis of
Kansas. both Of whom were named by
Mr.. Gore AS having been mentioned
by Hamon as Interested" in the land
deal. have left.
Senator Curtis strongly denied hav-
ing any relations with Hamon MIR.
Mcclure, who testified concerning
meeting iamon In Washington and
who. In response to direct questions
denied lie had ever been improperly
approached" In relation to the McMur-
ray contracts. told the committee that
he was ready to reappear at any time.
The name OF Vice President Sherman,
who. according to Senator Gore. was
mentioned by Hamon as the man
higher up" has been eliminated from
the investigation 50 far as Senator
Gore Is concerned The senator said
lie had no object in mentioning Mr..
,,,,s. Iut IN. snI., IA
all that iIamon had said To him.
Since McMurray also has been
charged OH tho stand with having ten
dered $4,000 bribc to Il Choctaw
delegate to Washington to Withdraw
opposition to old contracts that were
subsequently disapproved by President
Roosevelt IN 1908. 1t is believed Me-
Murray will be called to testify. What
are known AZ the present McMurray
contracts consist of about 10000 docu-
ments secured Individually from the
Indians.
The story told on the stand by
Green McCurtaln, chief of $4,000 choc-
taw Indians and a venerable fighter of
pioneer days. made a deep impression.
Mccurtain related how his tribe had
waited year after year for tho gov
erninent to sell their lands and, at last,
the Indians. becoming discouraged, had
become the prey to attorneys, whose
promises were moro glowing than
those Of the government, II cost his
tribe In the last 10 years. McCurtain
said $30OOO0 In attorneys fees, be-
sides share in the $750,000 fec paid
m In uaa rs,
ago In the citizenship cases involving
the ChoctaWs and ChickasaWs,
Congressman J. II. .Stephcns OF
Texas. member OF the investigating
committee, in il speech In congress re-
ferrcd to the $75O.000 fee as a scan
dal' and declared the attorneys should
~havc been made to pay back the
money
1T Is evident that the whole Indian
situation needs to bc gone over by the
government" said an official today.
THE indians are wards Of the gov
crnlnent, yet they have become the
prey Of attorneys. For Instance, one
attorney received $4,000 year for
representing one tribe, and he resides
In New York Only In instances
where the interests OF the government
and the Indians conflict should attor-
neys be employed. Where the sale
Of the land N concerned, the govern
ment itself has agreed. by treaty, Ia
dispose CT the land and give the pro-
ceeds to the Indians. The evidence
& that has developed certainly will en-
tighten congress on what ought to be
done VI
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