The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1910-06-29
3d. SUMTER. s. O. WEDNESDAv 1nNr % ,o,o
New Series-VOl. XXI. 10. &c.

Learning that the house had not
Yet agreed upon the conference report.
Mr.. Gore hastened to the other cham
Der, where, he told friends of the
| efforts that had been made to cor
rupt members. when the confer
ence report was brought up in the
house Representative Murphy. of
Missouri, called attention to the sit
uation. He declared that an attor.
ney had been lobbying in the capitol
for long time in the interst Of leg
islation which would validate his con-
! tracts with the Indians.
Name the attorney" demanded
| several members.
u. F. McMurray," replied Mr..
Murphy.
The attorney was seated in the gall
lery at the time.
| Ihe house almost unanimously re-
1ected the conference agreement.
| When the action of the house was
reported to the senat, Mr.. Hale NOV
ed that the senate further insist upon
its amendments to the bill, and aked
for further conference.
Mr.. Gore reentered the chamber
at this juncture and obtaining recog-
milton reiterated his protest against
the provision inserted in conference.
| Another sensation was created
when he declared that the friend in
need" had told him during the con-
versation of May that "a member of
this senate, a member of the Indian
affairs committee, and a member Of
the house committee on Indian af-
fairs were interested in these con-
tracts"
Mr.. Gore said that he had Just seen
Mr.. Tawney, one of the house con-
ferees, and had asked him who had
suggested the provision which was
substituted for the original senate
amendment.
And Mr.. Tawney named the very
same representative who was men
toned to me on May as being in
terested in these contracts" exclaim-
ed the Oklahoma senator. Il under
stand that this member of the house
and Mr.. McMurray practically live
together in the same hotel in this
| CITY" = -~.
Senators looked aghast at the dis
closures made by the Oklahoma
member. The charges which had been
mild at first piled up in such an
alarming manner that even the rush
for the last days of the session was
not sufficient to minimize the general
interest displayed. The chamber was
filled when Senator Bailey exclaimed:
| Il think the senator from Oklaho-
ma owes it to himself and the senate
to give us the name of the senator
who was represented to him as be-
ing interested in these contracts"
| Mr.. Gore declined, however, to
mention any names, but said that he
hoped there would be an investiga
ton Of the whole matter before which
he might make the disclosures.
| The bill was then returned to con-
ference. Mr.. Gore had prepared a
resolution providing for an investi-
cation but he withheld it upon as
surance being given by Mr.. Hale that
the interests Of the Indians would be
properly safeguarded.
This is one of the biggest steals
ever attempted to be put through
congress" said Mr.. Murphy.
After naming Mr.. McMurray as the
man who had been trying to put this
| scheme through, he said McMurrav
had been "ably assisted by Cecil Ly-
on, chairman of the great Republican
committee of Texas and national Re-
| publican committeeman from that
State"
These gentlemen" continued Mr..
| Murphy, have travelled over the In
dian territory and have procured con-
tracts from individual Indians. You
are giving to these men who are hold
ing the contracts from $4,000, 900 to
Sl6,OOO,OOO and presumably more and
they have done nothing that is worth
a single dollar for it,"
| Mr.. Murphy, who was once an at
| torney for the Creek Indians. tonight
| figured the ultimate amount that
| would accrue to McMurray and those
| associated with him under the ten
| per cent. contract at $2O.S6O.OO
'This." said Mr.. McNIurray. "is un-
| der the general survey estimate and
is exclusive Of the percentage they
would get from the pine lands which
ar" reserved from allotment"