Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-08-05
Hamon and Congressman
Creager on the Witness
Stand.
SEE FLAWS in TALE
Vice President Sherman Will
Not Be Summoned to Tes-
tify at Hearing.

Muskogee, Okla. Aug. 5.-Chair-
man Burke of the investigating COM
mittee authorized the statement
Sherman would not be summoned be-
fore the committee. 1t was stated
no evidence had been introduced ta
show Sherman could throw any light
on the investigation.
Curtis Says Taft Knew.
Topeka, Kan, Aug. 5.-Senator Cur
tis, who left this afternoon for Musk0
gee to testify before the Investigating
committee, said he would tell the COM
mittee President Taft sent for Vice
President Sherman and himself and
after discussion of the Oklahoma In
dian matter the president decided ne
would refuse to approve of the con-
Il acts for the big fee claimed in the
rale of the Indian lands.
Resume SittIngs.
Muskogee, Okla, Aug. 5.-The
committee Investigating the Indian
land contracts resumed its sittings
today with prospects of another in
teresting session. 1t was expected
Congressman Creager, Jake l..
Hamon. Congressman MCGUIRE and
rcssibIy Senator Gore would be
called. Creager's recall will be for
the purpose of cross examination as
10 his statements late yesterday that
he had been approached by Hamon
in behalf of McMurray, who held /
contracts from the Indians to sell |
lands on a 100000 commission.
HnmOn Denies.
q nil
to testify. In interviews he has al |
ready denied Cores allegations. |
Congressman Mcclure was charged |
by Gore with being interested in the +
approval of the McMurray contracts.
Senator Curtis of Kansas, also named |
in connection with the scandal, will |
be called tomorrow or Monday.
Creager on stand.
Muskogee, Okla, Aug. 5.-Resuming |
the witness stand before the special |
congressional investigating committee |
today, Congressman Creager again tes-
titled concerning his meeting with Ha-
mon, charged by Gore with being the
promoter, with McMurray who held |
contracts for the sale of Indian land.
He said his talk with Hamon in Wash
ington lasted only about two minutes.
Denies Cores Statements.
He denied he told Gore an attempt
had been made to influence him, ad-
mitted he and McMurray were friend
ly, and that he was the author of a
bill providing for the sale of Indian
lands, and admitted McMurray assist
ed in framing the bill. He denied Nc
Murray ever made an improper pro- !
-; = 70 Nbl ,
tain favorable legislation.
On other Business.
Creager said if his bill had passed
the attorneys fees would not have
been granted. Efforts were made to
show that at the time the McMurray {
contracts were under discussion Ha-
mon was in Washington representing
Governor Haskell of Oklahoma. Gore
had introduced a bill providing
among other things, the investigation
of conditions which led up to the in
dictment of Haskell in the Muskogee
town lot cases.
Not Interested I'm Contracts. i
Hamon entered a general denial
of Cores bribery charges. He denied
being himself interested in the Nc
Murray contracts and said he was in
Washington in the interest of Gov
ernor Haskell of Oklahoma. He also
denied ever offering Congressman
Creager an interest" in the deal s
He denied he ever mentioned to Gore
that Sherman, Curtis and former
Senators Long and Thurston were In
terested in the McMurray contracts.
In Interests of Haskell :
Hamon entered into details Of /
Cores charges and denied every one. +
He said he had not seen McMurray .
for a year prior to the date Gore
fixed as the time of having been Of
fered the bribe; that at the inter
view he had with Gore he tlod the
senator he was there in HaskelPs in
terest.
Story Told Congress.
The story Senator Gore told was in 1
substance identical with the one with
which he threw congress into excse
ment June "a, during the closing days
of the session, but yesterday upon ]
cross examination he divulged names r
that he suppressed in his speech from T
the floor of the senate
The list of names mentioned in con-
nection with the Indian contracts up J
to the time the investigators adjourn
ed was:
Vice President James SchooIcraft
Sherman.
Senator Charles Curtis, Kansas. n
Congressman Bird S. Mcclure, Okla r
homa il
Former United States Senator ches- T