The Washington herald., 1910-08-09

McAleFter. Okla. Aug. Sat the hear
ing before the Congressional committee
to inquire into the contracts of J. F. Nc
Murray with the Choctaw and ChIcka-
saw Indians and the charges OF attempt
ed bribery made by Senator Gore here
this morning IL was brought out that the
Indians are anxious and willing to give
10 per cent or several times that pro-
portion Of what is coming to them FOR
the purpose Of having tribal affairs set
tied at an early date. Some Of the IN
dams on the stand to-day testified that
they approached J. F. McMurray and
solicited him to take UP the work of
hurrYing a settlement.
w. G. Holleman, w. V. Mcclure. Jack
Anderson, and c. c. Choate. all Choc-
taws. testified that the Indians felt it
was necessary to pay a fee to get what
the government had been promising TO
them for so many years in the way of
settlement and that they were not par
ticular about the percentage they paid
If they could only get some returns.
Was 10 Get One-fourth,
The astounding feature OF the days pro
ceedings locally was the testimony Of
D. c. McCurtain, son Of Gov. McCurtain,
when he was recalled and stated that he
had an agreement with the firm Of Man
field. McMurray & Cornish that he was to
have one-fourth Of the fee they received
and the share thereof coming to him was
SlS1,50O This was the first time this was
ever heard here. although all the parties
have resided in this city for many years.
He said when he demanded IL, Mr.. Cor
nish told him he had no contract. This. /
he said was two years before McMurray /
offered him S25. 900 not to oppose the ap- /
proval of the contracts
". G.. HOlleman testified that he had
been employed TO secure contracts among
the Indians. and that it did not require
any argument TO get their signatures. for
they were willing to do anything to get
settlement
Judge c. B. Stuart, OF this city. leading
counsel for Gov Haskell in the town
lot cases. was called by Senatol. Gore to
show that he was not in the conference
with Jake Hamon in Senator Cores room
at Washington. and when he said he had
not been Mr.. HamOn interposed the state
ment that he had not so testified.
Saw HamOn in Hallway.
This was admitted. and Judge Stuart
then said he had seen Hamon in the
hallway as he was entering the Senator's
room.
Representative c. E. Creager was ac-
CrrSpd tho fuxacffootf,,, 60 I,.. ~ -
ing sought money from J. F. McMurray
after he had introduced a bill providing
for the she OF Indian lands.
The charge was made by Hamon. who
in demanding the recall Of Creager to the
witness stand declared Creager had made
his pleas for money in the guise of loans
and that he wished to cross-examine the
witness.
The bill Hamon referred 10 provided for
the sale of the surface lands TO private
individuals and for the sale Of the min
eral deposits 10 the government Under
the arrangement McMurray, with his
contracts. 1t was asserted. would have
obtained 10 per cent OF the money paid
BY the government
Chairman Burke said he did not believe
Creager could properly be recalled. as
he already had been excused as a wit
ness. Then Hamon demanded the privi-
lege Of calling other witnesses TO prove
his charges. The demand was taken un-
der advisement by the committee
Retens Bribe ORer.
D. c. McCurtain retold of the bribe
offered him by J. F. McMurray in the
lobby Of the Raleigh Hotel, in Washing
ton. saying McMurray made the offer on
the condition that he (McCurtain), as a |
delegate OF the Choctaws. would with
draw his opposition TO the contract.
McCurtain said;
i told my father, Green McCurtain. OF
the offer made to me when I returned
home and two years later told Edgar A.
Moore. Six or eight months ago I told
r. 2. Hill. my law partner. The offer
was made in the year 1906, but the first
Senator Gore knew OF II was when I told
my story on the stand at Muskogee
Saturday"
McCurtain said he opposed the contract
entered into between the Choctaws and
McMurray's law firm
In January. 1908. he said he told Nc
Murray ne would not accept the s25 900
OFFER. and in February President Roose- |
welt disapproved the bill which would
given McMurray a Sl.000.600 fee.
Has Promise of Big Fec.
McCurtain said he had been promised
a fourth of a $4,000 fee that the firm Of
McMurray Mansfield. & Cornish was 70
receive, but that he did not receive #
and he told them he thought they had
acted shabbily Il was brought out that
McMurray was interested in two classes
Of contracts-one employing him as at
torney in the land sales and one 20 re-
sist the payment Of taxes by Indians.
Dennis T. Flynn, as an attorney for
McMurray. at the request of the com
mittee, explained the manner in which
the Chickasaws and Choctaws. in a pow
WOW at Sulphur. decided on the appoint !
ment OF the McMurray firm. and how a |
committee Of fifteen Indians was ap-
pointed to circulate the contracts among !
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