The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1910-08-11
lMBERG, S. c., THURSDAY, AUGUST II, 191
MAY AID INDIANS.
Cores Charges May Lead to Saner
Legislation.

McAlester, Okla, August THAT
a new era of wholesome legislation by
congress has dawned for the Indian
as a result of the congressional in
vestigation into the McMurray con-
tracts is the belief among senator's,
congressman and other government
officials assembled here.
The committee appointed by the
house of representatives, headed by
Congressman Charles H. Burke, of
South Dakota, to inquire into the
charges of Senator Thomas P. Gore
that he had been rendered a S25,
or $4,000 bribe to help pu- the Nc
Murray deal through congress, ar
rived here to-day from Muskogee and
tomorrow will continue it's hearings.
McAlester is the home town of
J. F. McMurray, the attorney, who,
with others, holds the contracts. Sen
ator Gore, D. F. Gore, the senator's 5
brother, and J. L. Thompson, the
senator's secretary, have been inter-
ested spectators at all the sessions.
Congressman B. F. Mcclure, of Okla
homa, and Senator Charles Curtis, of
Kansas, both of whom were named by
Mr.. Gore as having been the men
mentioned by Hamon as being Gin
terested" in the land deal, have left.
Curtis Denied 1t.
Senator Curtis strongly denied hav-
ing any relations with Hamon. Mr..
Mcclure, who testified concerning
meeting Hamon in Washington and
IN response to direct question denied
that he had ever been improperly ap-
preached in regard to the McMurray
contracts, told the committee he was
ready to reappear at any time. The
name of Vice President Sherman, who
according to Senator Gore, was men
toned by Hamon as the man higher
up," has been eliminated from the
Investigation so far as Senator Gore
is concerned.
The senator said he had no object
in mentioning Mr.. Sherman's name
other than to relate all of what Ha-
mon had said to him.
May Call McMurray.
Since McMurray also has been
charged on the stand with having
rendered a $4,000 bribe to Choc-
taw delegate to Washington to with
draw opposition to old contracts that
were subsequently disapproved by
President Roosevelt in 1908, it is be-
lieved McMurray will be called to
testify.
What are known as the present Nc
Murray contracts consist of about lO,-
900 documents secured individually.
The story told on the stand by
Green McCurtain, the venerable In
dian chief of 10000 Choctaws, made
a deep impression. McCurtain related
how his tribe, year after year, had
waited for the government to sell
their lands and how at last the In
dians, becoming discouraged, had be-
come the prey of attorneys, whose
promises were more glowing than
those of the government.
Cost Tribe Dear.
It cost his tribe in the last ten
years, McCurtain related, 100000 in
attorneys fees besides a share in the
s75O,OOO fee paid to the McMurray
firm several years ago in the citizen
ship cases involving the Choctaws
and Chickasaws.
CONGRESSMAN J. H. Stephens, OF
Texas, member of the present in
vestigating committee, in a speech in
congress referred to the s75O,OOO fee
as "a scandal and declared the at
torneys should have been made to pay
back the money.
1T is evident that the whole In
dian situation needs to be gone over
by the government" said an official
to-day. THE Indians are the wards
of the government, yet they have be-
come the prey of attorneys. For in
stance, one attorney received $4,000
a year for representing one tribe and
he resides in New York.
I'm instances where the govern
ment interests and those of Indians
conflict only should attorneys be en-
ployed. Other cases for settlement
can be arranged by treaty. This in
vestigation should enlighten congress
on what should be done.''
Strained Relations.