Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-08-21
Vice President and Senator
Curtis Ex0nerated.
| NAMES IMPROPERLY USED
Neither in Any Degree Connected
With Indian Contracts.
COMMITTEES UNANIMOUS VOTE
Finding Announced From Sulphur,
OKLA, With Senator Cores Ap-
proval-Inquiry Continues.

SULPHUR, Okla. August 20.-The
select committee appointed by the
House Of Representatives to investigate
Indian land affairs and the so-called
McMurray contracts. and which also
has been investigating the Gore bribery
charges. tonight issued the following
statement:
"The committee has heard and care
fully considered all OF the testimony
submitted and is unanimous in the
opinion that there is and was no war
rant for any person to use the names
of Vice President Sherman and Sem
ator Charles S. Curtis in connection
with any improper relation with any
Indian contract whatever.
after hearing scores of witnesses who
appeared following the testimony OF Sem
ator T. p. Gore. Senator Gore said he
had been approached by Jake l.. Hamon
and that Hamon. acting in the interest OF
]. F. McMurray, had offered him (Sena-
tor Gore) $25.OO0 or $4,000 as bride to
promote i'm Congress the contracts by
which McMurray was to receive 10 per
cent attorneys fee on the sale of 100000
coo worth Of Indian lands.
Cores Statement Disputed.
toned Senator Curtis and Vice President
Sherman as being Interested" in the
deal. Mr.. Sherman being named as the
man higher up" Hamon. on the stand.
denied he had ever said anything about
the contracts to Gore.
The committees report was signed by
pon TOT x-nS or10 II prrrE 0
Dakota: {. Is. Miller, Minnesota: +. w.
Saunders. Virginia. j. ii. Stephens.
Texas, and Phillip p, Campbell. Kansas
In giving its decision today the COM
mittee announced it had received from
Senator Gore a statement relative to
Vice President Sherman and Senator
Curtis. and that the committee com
mended" Senator Cores statement.
This statement from Senator Gore was
read and inserted in the official record
of the investigation:
ITO the investigating committee:
II feel in duty and in honor bound to
make the following statement. 1t Is also
dictated by considerations OF common
justice toward the parties concerned:
Neither the name of Vice President Sher-
man nor Senator Curtis was mentioned by
me on the floor of the United States SEN
ate. That the name of either OF these
parties was alluded to by Mr.. Hamon
was steadfastly withheld from the public
No public mention of their names was
ever made, either directly or indirectly.
by me until was required and Obliged TO
do so. testifying as q witness under oath,
and detailing the conversation which oc-
CURED between Mr.. Hamon and myself.
I then made formal protest against intro
ductng their names, but the committee
in the proper pursuit of its duties required
me to make full answer without reser-
No Desire to Inculpate.
.Their names were disclosed not with
any view of inculpating them nor with
any view of suggesting guilt. but merely
in order that the truth, and the whole
truth, might be related with reference to
the details OF the conversation on the
question. The public must realize that
the name of any man could be used or
misused I'm the same connection, either as
an argument or otherwise, and no public
OFFICIAL can have immunity and protection
against such an injury and injustice.
I'm my last remarks in the Senate ]
said that the integrity of no man can
be impeached upon the testimony of an
interested or untrustworthy witness
THAT was my conviction then. That
is my conviction now. 1 am sure that
in the court Of public opinion no judg-
ment or verdict has been returned
either against the Vice President or
Senator Curtis on account of the mis-
use of their names in the manner above
referred to.
THE investigation is now practically
concluded. Many witnesses have been
examined. a volume of evidence has
been adduced and there is no testi-
mony tending to establish any inn
proper connection on the part of either
official with the approval Of the So
called McMurray contracts.
while the public has had no reason
| ton. yet l would venture to suggest, and
IL i may be pardoned, would request
that the committee at the earliest prac-
ticable moment make an authoritative
finding and statement to the effect that
no evidence has been presented tending
to establish any improper conduct on
the part of either Vice President Sher-
man or Senator Curtis respecting the
subject of this investigation"
Senator Gore. who has attended all the
committees sessions. left today for Pax
| ton, ILL.,, to fill a lecture engagement.
| Representative E. w. Saunders OF Vir-
ginia, a member OF the committee, left
| for his home.
Investigation to Proceed.
The committee announced. however.
| that the investigation had not been con-
cluded McMurray will continue his
testimony. Monday. Much of McMur-
| rays testimony today related to Richard
c. Adams. an attorney of Washington.
| After President Taft had permitted TO
| be made public a letter In which he ex-
pressed a belief that the Indian enroll
ment should not be reopened and only
1 the Indians now on the rolls should be
| allowed participation in the division of
| the lands McMurray had many of tho
| Indians send kilograms to Adams COM
mending the Presidents attitude and in
| cidentally recommending the McMurray
| contracts.
| These kilograms afterward were turn
/ ed over to the Attorney General by for
mer Senator John l.. Thurston. McMur-
| rays counsel. this being the unsolicited
| sentiment OF the Indians. he declared.
| The witness said Mr.. Thurston probably
was mistaken when he said the kilograms
/ were unsolicited
/ McMurray also stated 1t to he his be-
| lief that President Taft and the Attor-