Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1910-06-29
SENATE SENSATION
Blind Senator Gore Exposes
Bribery Attempt.
CONCERNING ATTORNEY FEES.

Affecting Congressional Legisla-
tion-Legislators Stirred - Lobby
Observation-Disclosures viii be
Ordered.
Washington, Special. = Senator
Gore of Oklahoma disclosed in the
Senate Friday what he interpreted as
an effort to bride him in connection
with legislation affecting the fortune
in attorneys fees claimed by j. i.
McMurray of Oklahoma for services
rendered to the Choctaw and Chick
asaw nations in land and town site
cases.
The charge created a sensation in
the Senate which later extended to
the House. The latter body in con-
sequence sent back to conference the
general deficiency bill which carried
an item relating to contracts between
the Indians and their attorneys.
AS a reult of the d%enouement, Sen
ator Gore finally involve a member
of the Senate committee on Indian
affairs, a member of the House com
mittee on Indian affairs, two former
Senators-one from Nebraska and
the other from Kansas-but whsoe
names were not made public in de-
bate.
1t is not improbable that an in
vestigation will be ordered. Mr.. Gore
was compelled to address the Senate
three times before that body was Jul
ly aroused to the seriousness of the
charges which he made. His first
effort was in connection with the
adoption Of the conference report IN
the deficiency bill, which had been
presented by Senator Hale. AS passed
by the Senate, that measure contain
ed an amendment which would render
null and void contracts made by the
Choctaw and Chickasaw nations and
by individual members of these tribes
with their attorneys, unless the con-
tracts were approved by Congress.
This provision was in accordance
with a resolution introduced by Mr..
Gore on May 4 last. 1t was designed
to prevent Mr.. MclMurray from OBJ
tanning fees which. it is said, would
aggregate $~3,OOO,O00 and which Mr..
Gore complained had not been earn
ed by the attorney.
Mr.. Goge explained that on May 4
last he had offered a resolution sim,
liar in terms to the amendment he
had placed in the deficiency bill in
the Senate and that it had been re-
ferred to the committee on Indian af-
fairs. On the following day Senator.
Hughes had been directed to make a
favorable report on the resolution, he
said.
son May g." exclaimed Mr.. Gore,
ga man came to me with an improper
suggestion. He was a representative
Of Mr.. McMurray, a resident of my
home town, and had been my friend
in time of need. He assured me it
would be to my financial interest if
I would call on the Senator from
Colorado and advise him not to re-
port the resolution. There was a sug-
gestion hat $4,000 or $4,000 would
be available if the contracts were not
prohibited. I am informed that a
similar proposition was made Thurs
day to a member of the House of Rep
r%esentatives."
Mr.. Gore also charged that an Eek
Senator from Nebraska and an e1-
Senator from Kansas are interested
in these contracts and declared that
a large lobby was maintained in
Washington in that interest. He said
that he felt in honor bound to con-
tinue these efforts ''to prevent this
steal from those defenseless Indians
in Oklahoma"