The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-08-12
! BABY INDIANS
PLAYED A PART
Even the Papooses "Signed"
Contracts to Help McMurray
With His Deal.
UNB0UNDED FAITH IN
MAN WHO WORKED THEM
Confusion of Business Evident
ly Intentional to Afford Fees
for Attorneys.

M'ALESTER, Okla, Aug, lit
was brought out in the congressional
investigation Of the Gore bribery
charges today that baby Indians as
well as adult ones had "signed the
McMurray contracts providing for the
sale of $30,o00,000 worth of land on
10 per cent "attorney fees" basis.
The names of the little "papooses y
were signed by the parents or
guardians, witnesses testified. 1t was
incidentally developed that race sui
eide is far from threatening among
the Indians. as families Of six TO nine
children are common
J. NJ. Perkins. a Choctaw, testified
that he had nine children, all of whom
had Fsigned' the contract.
"We were led to believe that the
contracts were a good thing said
Perkins.
"We considered that McMurray
knew better than our congressman and
senator's how to go about selling the
land We believed that by signing
the contracts we would realize quicker
on our claims against the government,
That S why I and the children signed
DR.. j. H. Miller, choctaw by in
termarriage, testified that he and his
eight children had signed the con-
tracts.
Not Poor People.
The present great wealth of the
Oklahoma Indians was brought out In
testimony. Although the Choctaw and
Chickasaw tribes of Indians are fight
ing for their individual shares of the
land now held for them by the gov
ernment, they are at present accounted
among the richest people in the world.
1t was said their per capita interests
in the claim against the government Is
$4,000. besides which they are already
rich in lands.
Indian witnesses took the stand and
told of measuring their land by the
One Indian testified his family
owned 1900 acres. Of which 1000 acres
were under cultivation with cotton,
corn and potatoes. The land is rented
out, he said, giving hi him o0tS!ra one,9uaaFteff ef
the corn, without labor to him.
Ormsby McHarg, an attorney for the
Choctaw tribe, testified that 'some
aspersionsn had been cast on him be.
cause he was employed as the Indians
counsel in Washington, whereas he
llyed In New \ 1Ofk- ne Sild he re-
ceived salary of $4,000 a year,
Big Task Ahead.
Acting under the secretary Of the
interior, McHarg said he had lnvesti'
gated the Indian situation IN Okla
homa.
"I found the situation as confusing
as ingenious men could make it, tes.
titled the witness. HI was instructed
BY the department of the interior to
blaze away and clear up the confu'
sion. am now engaged in formulating
What his plan was McHarg did not
say He declared his contract specifi
cally provided for his residing in New
York.
If the McMurray contracts were ap
proved. Mr.. McHarg said. he would re
sign at once, as he would regard it as
duplication of service. He said the
Choctaw tribe already paid out $4,000
a year for attorneys.
Choctaws at Washington, took the
stand and denied charges made against
him in the testimony Of Congressman
G. D. Carter.
Carter testified that Richard c. Ad
ans of Washington had said Wright
was "interested" in the McMurray
contracts Wright declared he had al
WAYS opposed the contracts.
Wright said he never had received
any assistance from McMurray except
that last winter in Washington Nc
Murray had Endorsed his note for $500