Los Angeles herald., 1910-08-09
Hamon, in Gore Investigation,
Says Congressman Made
Demand on MCMurray
MANY TRIBESMEN TESTIFY
Declare They Were Willing to Pay
Big Commission to Sell
the Property
ASSOCIATED Press)

McAIESTER, OKla., Aug. o.-A
charge that Congressman c. e. Creager
of the third Oklahoma district had So
licited sums" of money from J. F.
McMurray, holder Of the Indian land
contracts, which are being subjected
to a congressional investigation, was
made by Jake L. Hamon before the
special committee appointed by the
national house of representatives to-
day.
The charge developed in connection
with the inquiry into Senator Thomas
p. Cores declaration that he had been
offered a 5000 or $4,000 bribe to help
put through" congress the McMurray
deal by which he asserted McMurray
and his associates would be able to Sc
cure $3,O00000 or 10 per cent, as at
torneys' fees, in the sale of 100000
acres OF coal, asphalt and timber
lands now. belonging to the Indians in
this state.
CREAGER'S INTEREST
Senator Gore said Hamon had offered
the bribe in McMurray's behalf and
Congressman Creager also had testified
that Hamon had "suggested' that he
(Creager) might secure an interest
in the contracts if he helped to re-
move all opposition to their approval
by congress and President Taft.
Appearing before the committee to-
day Hamon made the counter charge
against Creager. He said the con-
gresham had solicited money from
McMurray during the pendency IN
congress of q bill that had been drawn
up by McMurray and which Creager
introduced.
This bill provided for the sale of
the surface lands to private individuals
and for the sale Of mineral wealth to
the government. Although the NC
Murray contracts were not referred
| to in it, the bill, Hamon said, was so
termed that McMurray might have
been enabled to put in claim for the
attorneys fees. The measure, now
ever, was not passed.
INDIAN DAY
"I want Mr.. Creager recalled to the
stand to answer these charges" said
Hamon. "I want him to explain why
Just after he introduced that bill he
went to McMurray and under the guise
of loans demanded from McMurray
large sums of money. I think it will
throw considerable light on the Indian
land situation at Washington if Crea-
ger is recalled and is asked about his
repeated demands from McMurray."
On being informed by Congressman
Charles H. Burke, chairman of the
committee, that it was doubtful if
Creager would be recalled, Hamon
asked to be allowed to testify to his
charges. His request was taken un-
der advisement.
LONG WAIT
1t was Indian" day at the hear
ing. Many Indians testified that they
had signed the McMurray contracts
allowing 10 per cent attorney fees be-
cause they had become impatient at
the government. Afterward, they said.
they concluded they had to employ
attorneys to fight the government in
order to secure what money had been
promised.
It was pointed out that S5 per cent
of the Choctaws and Chickasaws had
signed the 10 per cent agreement. This
represented a large portion of the no.
900 Indians in this state, which con-
tains more than one-third of all the
Indians in the United States. That
McMurray's agents had gone among
the Indians and had asked them to
sign the contracts and to send tele-
grams to President Taft urging him to
approve the sale of the land on 10
per cent attorneys fee" basis, was
the burden of most of the Indians tes-
timony.
awe have become used to the 10 per
cent idea,' declared Parke Anderson,
ChoctAw. "Most of the Indians in
this state have to pay 10 per cent on
all debts and borrowed money. We
have become so dependent on attorneys
that they have a hand in almost ev-
erythinng we do"
"Do you mean to say that to sell
your land you were willing to give
McMuray $3,000 900, or enough to hire
all the attorneys in Oklahoma?" asked
Congressman G. B. Miller.
Eyes; we have waited so long for
the government to act that we would
give 25 per cent if that would cause
quick sale. We need the money to
develop the land on which we live"
1t was estimated by C. c. Choate, a
Choctaw, that if his land was sold
through the McMurray contracts his
share would be $4,000, with a reduction
of $500 in fees.
"Now," he said, 'I would rather have
$4500 while I am living than to wait
until the government acts and get $4,000
when l am dead"
"Why is it that while you have at
torneys on a regular salary, and ap-
proved by the government, you employ
special attorneys?"
Because our regular attorneys get
paid whether they work or not. while
the special attorneys, on contingent
fee, work because they expect to be
paid"
VETERAN FIGHTTR
A singular incident was presented by
Charles Lalafore, Choctaw, who, as
captain of police, had participated in
many a battle of the plains. He had
only one eye, three of his fingers were
shot off and his body was covered with
bullet wounds. Asked about the activ-
ity of McMurrays agents, he related
that he had been approached by George
w. Scott, acting. for McMurray, and
had been induced to sign a telegram,
the wording of which he himself had
not dictated, this being telegram adj
dressed to Richard c. Adams of Wash
ington, an attorney and a Delaware
Indian.
The substance of that telegram was
that the Indians approved of the con-
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