The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-08-05

Muskogee. Okla, August 4.--What
happened in the private Office of United
states Senator Thomas P. Gore at noon
last May 6 io.med the basis of sensa-
tional charges involving the nance o.
Vice-President Sherman, Senator Ch1,.
Curtis, OF Kansas; Congressman B. $.
MCGUIRE, OF Oklahoma, and others II
a hearing oerore a special consi=s-
stonal Investigating committee here
ro. day.
Durt..s the shlrty or forty mirutess
soIEas conference iield In that -ofics cs SER
ator Gore testified that he had been
approached by Jake L. Hamon former
Chairman OF .he oklahoma Terrt-oriai
Republican Committee and also former
chairman of the Oklahoma State Re
publican Committee, and that he had
been offered a bribe of $4,000 or Soo,-
600 to remove his opposition to certain
Legislation pending in Congress so that
s.. 100000 might be paid to ]. f. No
Murray. an attorney at McAlester.
Okla, and his associates.
The money was to represent at
tcrney's fees. OF 10 per cent. of $780,
100000, which was to be secured from
a New York syndicate for 100000 acres
of coal and asphalt lands now owned
by the Choctaw- and Chickasaw In
dians in this state
Vice President Sherman's name was
mentioned by Mr.. Hamon. Senator Gore
testified, as being interested in the
land deal to the extent of favoring the
approval by Congress of what are
known as the McMurray contracts
with the Indians.
Nore "Overtures.'
What happened IN another private
room in Washington. and also where
I d. n >
"overtures' relative to the land deal,
was told by Congressman c. f. Crea-
ger, of the Third Oklahoma District.
Congressman Creager supplemented the
testimony of Senator Gore. He said
that on June 16 last he had been In
vited by Hamon to meet him in pri-
vate room at the Occidental Hotel, in
Washington. Having gone there, Mr.
Creager testified, he was Informed ne
could have a substantial Interest" In
the land deal if he would withdraw
his opposition to the approval of the
McMurray contracts by Congress.
Asked the question Were any figures
mentioned as to how much you were
to receiver" Mr.. Creager replied: NO,
did not let it go so far as that. i
made it plain I was not open to being
influenced In that way. I had already
gone on record as being firmly opposed
to the granting of such an enormous
fee for attorneys
Congressman B. S. Mcguire, who is
charged by Senator Gore as "being in
was said by Mr.. Creager in his testi-
mony to be an occupant of the same
suite Of rooms at the hotel with Ha-
mon.
Clerks of Senator Gore testified to
having been invited by McMurray and
Hamon to "frog leg" suppers at Wash
ington, at which the Indian contracts
were to be talked over'' These invi-
| tations, it was declared. We're all
turned down."
On one occasion. one of the clerks
testified, Hamon said Senator Gore was
lawfully hard on his friends
Was Offered $4,000.
Senator Gore IN his testimony as
serted that the offer OF bribery went
so far that Hamon said the $25,000 OF
\ $4,000 would not be paid over In the
form of check or marked money, bul
| that ut would be all clean. hard cash
The committee that heard the charges
| was appointed by resolution OF the
House Of Representatives to investi-
gate the McMurray contracts, which
are declared to have been made by Nc.
Murray individually with 10000 Indians
each Of whom agreed to turn over II
/ per cent. Of his profits from the sale
Of lands, provided the contracts were
approved by Congress-
The committee, headed by Congress
man Charles II. Burke, of South Da.
kota, chairman, is composed OF Con,
eressmen Philip P, Campbell. Of Kan.
sas; Charles B. Miller, John Fl, Ste.
j phens OF Texas, and r. W. Saunders
Of virginia. Its initial session was
/ held to-day. Congressman Creager's
appearance on the witness stand fol
4 lowed series of sensational state.
lContlnued on Third PageI