The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1910-08-10

tons for giving out information and
/ would rather that this feature of the
investigation be dropped"
Senator Gore testified he and
Hamon long had been friends and
had been interested in business trans
actions at Lawton, Okla, in which
money loans were involved. Hamon is
an attorney of Lawton, which is SEN
ator Cores home town. Hamon is 81
years old and is married.
Warned LaFOllctte.
Explaining what led UP to his op-
posing the approval Of the contracts
with the Indians, Senator Gore in
his testimony asserted that as far
back as 1905 he wrote a letter to
Senator LaFollette calling attention
to the great wealth of the asphalt
lands owned by the Indians.
He said the United States geolo-
gical survey had estimated the min
eral deposits to be worth $160,OOO,-
600. In 1905 he said McMurray had
obtained contracts with the tribes of
Indians for the sale of the lands on
10 per cent. basis. In 1908 Presi-
dent Roosevelt had registered his dis
approval of the contracts.
In the same year McMurray OBJ
tanned contracts individually with 1O.-
600 Indians, there being at that time
no law against the execution of con-
tcracts with individual Indians. It was
this condition that aroused him to
introuce a resolution in congress de-
claring that all Indian contracts must
be approved by congress.
McMurrary's First Visit.
"McMurray then came to my office"
said the senator. II told him I had
no objection to just attorneys fees,
but that I thought 10 per cent. on
land valued by the government at
s160,000,0O0 certainly was too high.
I also said 10 per cent. on $50, 900, 900
was too high, as I was informed that
New York syndicate was ready to
pay the latter for the lands. 1 said
l saw no reason why the Indians
should pay attorneys fees in this in
tant at all since the government by
treaty already had disposed Of the
land and given the Indians the full
profit. I wrote letters to the presi-
ent and various other officials de-
scribing what called an attempt to
plunder and rob these Indians.
"A great many interests were at
work in promoting contracts, the
first time knew that Former Sem
ator Long was acting in hebalf Of
McMurray, being one day when I
walked into the office Of Secretary
Of the Interior Ballinger. I began to
protest against the contracts and was
told not to talk so loud as Mr.. Long
was present and he was interested in
them.
The Casus BeIli.
"On last May 5, my bill holding
up the Indian contracts was reported
out of the committee favorably, the
report being submitted by Senator
Hughes of Colorado. The very next
day McMurray came to me and asked
me to have Mr.. Hughes not to press
the measure. l told him 1 would
press it. I have been pressing it
ever since"
Mr.. McMurray said
Il have never approached any one
In this matter except upon it's merits,
l took the contracts in good faith. I
believe they are legitimate and the
compensation Is not too great. Prac-
tically all the Indians in the Choctaw
and Chickasaw nations want their
land sold.
do not know anything about the
incidents Of which Senator Gore and
Congressman Creager speak. have
gone to them many times but went
to them in person and did not send
an agent"
"Frog Leg" Banquets.
References to invitations to frog
leg" banquets and to alleged asser-
tions by Hamon that Senator Gore
was going back on his friends" were
made In the testimony of D. f. Gore.
private secretary and brother to Sen
ator Gore.
ID. f. Gore stated that he was In
his brothers private office at noon on
May when Hamon appeared.
II stepped into an adjoining office
and left the senator and Hamon alone
except tn t once In a while I went in
and out. When they quit talking in
about 80 or 40 minutes, Hamon came
out into my room.