Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-08-04
Vice President and Members OF Congress Said to
Have Been Connected With Interests That
rendered Brbe to Senator.
BIG SENSATION IN NATIONAL CIRCLES
Officials in Position to Profit by Approval Of
McMurry Contracts Willing to Pay $4,000
to Secure One Mans Influence.

Muskogee, Okla, Aug. a.
Vice President Sherman was
named by Senator Gore in con-
nection with the McMurray In
dian land contracts, the inves-
tigation of which was begun
here today.
Gore, after declaring he had
been approached by Jacob
Harmon with an offer of a
bribe of $4,000 to remove all
congressional opposition to the
contracts, asserted Harmon
had said the man higher up"
in the government was inter
ested' in the contracts.
RELUCTANT TO SPEAK.
Gore at first said he was re-
luctant to name the man men
toned as higher up" but later
on, being pressed by Congress
man Burke, chairman of the
committee, declared Harmon
had used the name of Vice
President Sherman.
- Roosevelt Did Not Approve.
In telling the story Gore said: 'In
1908 President Roosevelt refused to ap-
prove certain contracts which McMur-
ray had secured with the Indians as
tribes. Under the law the contracts
made with the tribes of Indians were
not valid until approved by the presi-
dent. In the same year McMurray pro
cured contracts individually with about
10000 Indians, whereby the Indians
were to give 10 per cent of the gross
receipts in the sale of their lands.
Asked for His Support.
'McMurray came to my Office at
Washington and wanted me to support
his contracts. l told him 1 would not
do so. but on the other hand thought
it would be absurd for the Indians to
ices which the government was in duty
bound to perform. The McMurray in
terests then went to Roosevelt, and I
sent telegram to the president urg-
ing him not to approve the contracts.
Secretary BnIlinEer Again.
'It was notable how active were the
McMurray interests. When l called on
Secretary BaIlinger to protest against
the contracts, I vase told not to talk
so loud, as ex-senator Long of Kansas
was present, and he was interested in
the contracts. | had introduced in. tie
senate a resolution requiring that all
contracts made with the Indians should
be approved by congress before they
became valid May last the commit
tee having it under consideration in
structed Senator Hughes to report it
favorably.
HammOn Pays Call.
THE very next day Jake Harmon of
Lawton, Okla, came to my office. He
said he had a telegram to visit me,
and he was interested in the McMurray
contracts. Then he mentioned an Off
c1al very high up in the government,
and when | expressed astonishment,
Harmon said, Well, you see there's a
lot of money in this thing If you say
the word I'll arrange for the s5O,OOO
Therell be no checks in this deal, and
no marked money 1t will all be new,
clean money.
Big Fee In 1t.
Harmon said, There's lot of mon
ey tied up in this deal and big fee for
somebody.
He then explained he wanted me to
withdraw my bill CORES bill was
against the McMurray contracts) or at
least to have it reported unfavorably
1t seems he did not know it had al
ready been reported favorably
Other Members Interested.
When l scoffed at the offer of a
bribe, even if it were raised to $780,
600, as Harmon suggested it might be,
my visitor CHammon) in my office at
Washington went on to say that other
members of congress were interested
in the contracts. He said Senator Cur
tbs was interested and Congressman
Mcguire of Oklahoma, and then he
mentioned the name of a man higher