The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1910-08-05
CHARGES BY GORE
WITHOUT SHADOW
OF FOUNDATION
viCe-President Denies SenSa-
tiOnaI Story From Oklahoma
SENATOR CHARGES BRIBERY
Says He Was offered Big Sum by
Politicians Interested in Indian
Land Deals.

Big Moose, n. ~ Aug. 0.--Nlce
President james S. Sherman on his
arrival here last night from Utica re-
ceived a telegram saying that his
name had been mentioned by Senator
Gore at Muskogee as one OF those in
terested in the $3,000,000 McMurray
Indian contracts. He gave out this
statement:
The story that comes to me about
the charges made by Senator Gore at
Muskogee today is absolutely without
the slightest shadow of foundation
Muskogee, Okla, Aug 5.-Vice
President James S. Sherman was nam
ed yesterday as one of the prominent
political leaders alleged to be inter
ested with ]. F. McMurray, a Mac
Alester attorney, in getting fee OF
more than 100000 from manipula-
tion of lands of the Indians in Okla
homa. United States Senator Thorn
as P. Gore, the blind statesman, ap-
pearing before the special House
Committee appointed to investigate
his charge that a bride of $4,000 had
been offered to him to cease his op-
position to the scheme, testified that
the would-be briber had said Mr..
Sherman was connected with 1t and
remarked: This lots OF money
you see" Senator Charles Curtis of
Kansas, who has indian blood Con-
gresham Bird s. Mcguire OF Okla
bona and others we're also named IN
the same way.
Jake l.. Hamon. formerly Chairman
Of the Republican committee in Okla
bona, was declared by Senator Gore
to have offered the $4,000 bride Ha-
mon was also accused by Congress
man c. L. Creager OF having APP
preached him with an offer of a bride
Clerks of Senator Gore also declared
that attempts had been made by Ha-
mon and McMurray to influence
them. Congressman Mcclure was de
clared to have occupied suite in
a Washington hotel with McMurray
and l1amon.
Testimony was given as TO at
tempts to get President Taft to APP
prove the McMurray contracts. but
he was said TO have declined on the
ground that the fees were not just.
Senator Gore said that at noon last
May he had a thirty or forty
minutes conference I'm his Office In
the Senate Office building with Ha-
mon and that he had then received
the offer of from $4,000 to $4,000 10
stop certain legislation pending In
Congress so that S3000,O0O might be
paid to McMurray and his associates.
The money was to represent "attor-
ney's fees Of 10 per cent OF 100000
600 to be paid by New York syndi-
cate for 100000 acres OF coal and as
phalt lands now owned by the Cho-
ctaw and Chickasaw Indians. Ac-
cording to the Geological Survey
these lands contain mineral deposits
worth Sl60000,00O.
Congressman Creager said on June
rs last he had been invited by Ha-
mon to meet him In a private room at
the Occidental Hotel In Washington.
Having gone there. Mr.. Creager testi-
fed he was informed he could have
a substantial interest" In the land
DEAL II he would withdraw his OPP
position to the approval OF the Nc
Murray contracts.
Asked the question: Were any
figures mentioned as to how much
you were to receive" Mr.. Creager re-
Piled NO | did not let Il go so far
as that made Il plain that was
not open to being influenced In that
WnV"