The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-08-05
Sensational Statements Made by Sena-
tor Gore of Oklahoma During lnves-
tigation of Alleged Effort to
Graft Indians
SYNDiCATE'S REPRESENTATIVE, He SAYS,
ALSO OFFERED BRIBE or $4,000
Names of Curtis of Kansas, MCGUIRE of Oklahoma
and Employee of Department of
Justice Involved

MUSkOGEE, Okla, Aug. 4-What
happened In the private office of Unit
ed States Senator Thomas p Gore al
Washington at noon on May 6 last
formed the basis Of sensational charge!
involving the names Of Vice President
Sherman, Senator Charles Curtis OF
Kansas, Congressman B. S, Mcclure OF
Oklahoma and others, in hearing be
fore special congressional investi
cation committee here today
During conference held in that of
been approached by Jake i. Hamon
former chairman of the Oklahoma ter
ritorial Republican committee, and also
former chairman of the Oklahoma state
Republican central committee, and SAID
that he had been offered q bribe OF
$4,000 or $4,000 to remove certain
legislation pending In congress so that
S3,000,000 might be paid to }, +. Ne
. MURRAY, an attorney OF McAlester
Okla, and his associates.
The money was to represent GATOR
ney's fees' Of 10 per cent on 10000,
600 which was to be secured from 4
New York syndicate for 100000 acres
the Choctaw and Chickasaw Indians IN
this state.
Grave Charge of Gore.
Vice President Sherman s name was
mentioned by Mr.. HamoD, Senator Gore
testified, as being interested In the
land deal to the extent of favorlng the
approval by congress of what are
known as the McMurray contracts with
the Indians.
What happened in another private
room in Washington and also where, II
was alleged. Hamon made more over
lures. was told by Congressman C. r.
Creaqer of the third Oklahoma dis
trict. Congressman Creager supple
mentcd the testimony of Senator Gore
He said that on last June 10 he had
been invited by Hamon to meet hun IN
a private room at the Occidental hotel
In Washington.
Having gone there, Mr.. Creager testl'
: fed, lie was Informed he could have =
substantial interest IN the land deal
if he would withdraw has opposition to
the approval OF the McMurray con
tracts by congress.
Asked the question "Were any
figures mentioned as TO how much you
were to receivel" Mr.. Creager re
"No: 7 did not let it 90 so far as
1n2t. L HlaOc II DIllu was H'" ~f~@
10 being influenced in that way.
~ had alrnndy gone on record as
being firmly opposed to the granting
Of such an enormous fee to attorneys.
Mcclure Close at Hand.
Congressman Mcclure of Oklahoma
who was charged by. Senator Gore as
being interested in the McMurray
contract. was said by Mr.. Creager, il
his testimony, to have been, 1T Tho
time Of his visit. an occupant of Tho
same suite of rooms with Hamon ano
McMurray at the hotel.
Clerks Of Senator Gore testified tt
having been invited by McMurray ant
Hamon to "frog Leg suppers al
Washington. at which the Indian con
tracts were to be ''talked over These
invitations, it was declared, were al
"turned down.
On one occasion, one of The clerks
testified, Hamon said Senator Gore
was Hawfully hard on his friends"
Senator Gore, in his testimony, as
serted that the offer of bribery went
so far that Hamon said the $4,000 o.
$4,000 would NOT be paid over IN thu
form of check or marked money. bu
that f'it would be all clean, hare
cash.
Personnel Of Committee
The committee that heard tb'
charges was appointed by resolution
of the house of representatives to in
vestigate the McMurray contracts
which arc declared to have been mad,
by McMurray individually with 10,
600 Indians, each of whom agreed Il
turn over 10 per cent of their prof
from the sale of their land. provided
the contracts were approved by con
gress.
The committee, headed by Congress
man Charles II. Burke of South Da
bota, chairman, is composed of Con
pressmen Philip P. Campbell of Kansas
Charles 3. Miller Of Minnesota. JOIN
j. Stevens Of Texas, and +, w
Saunders Of Virginia It's initial ses
sion was held today.
Congressman Creager's appearance
on the witness stand followed a sere
of sensational statements. Among Sen
ator Cores assertions were the fol
lowing;
That Hamon told him that ma,
"higher up' in the government wa
interested in the approval of the con
tracts, and that. therefore. there wa
no reason why Senator Gore should no
be; that when asked who was the maj
higher up. Hamon had replied the vice
president.
That Hamon told him Senator Curti
of Kansas was interested in tn,
deal
That Hamon told him Congressman
McGuire OF Oklahoma was "interest
odA III the deal.
That Hamol told him an employee o