The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-08-11
INDIANS COULON I
. GET THEIR money
Had Offered to Give Fifty
Per Cent. to Attor-
nevS
COMMITTEE .UNCOVERS
STARTLING EVIDENCE
Had Agreed TO "Whack Up
Among Themselves if Govefn-
ment &cted- Regarding
Another Congressman.

81 ALESTER, OKLA, August IL
The first testimony supporting to
some extent the story told by Sena-
tor Thomas r. Gore regarding the
Chickasaw mad Choctaw land sales
in Oklahoma Is now before the con-
gressionai committee investigating
the charges brought by Gore that he
was offered a bride or $4,000.
Congressman Charles Carter. of the
Fourth Oklahoma district. turned
more light on Cores charges yester-
day, when he testified that Richard
c. Adams, an Indian attorney In
Warrington. had told him that he
tAdams) was to get FIVE per cent of
AcMurrays ten per cent contract
and that Congressman Bird Mcclure
Was also In on the deal.
DIR. f. n. Wright. a delegate sof
the Choctaws. was also to get some
thing. Carter testified Adams told
him. as were several others" whose
names were not mentioned.
Gore testified that Jake Hamon
named Bird Mcclure as one of the
men interested In the McMurray con-
tracts. Chairman Burke. of the In
vestiSating committee. questioned
Carter closely regarding Mcclure and
Carter asserted that ''he would say
frankly that he did not think Nc
Guire should be In congress-"
The witness also told of the con-
versation he swore he had with
Adams regarding the 5 per cent the
latter was to get from McMurray and
testified that Adams said: MACS got
to come across with me this time;
he doubie-croesed me once on a $780,
600 fee and don't you know when
the thing was over Mac Just laugh
ed at ME, I'm not going to take the
short end this time, for he is going
to sign up
should Pay Indians.
Congressman Carter said he be-
lieved bill should be passed provid-
ing for the sale Of surface aud mineral
iands belonging to the Indians and
thongnt II would be good policy for
the government to settle with the
Indians a. early AZ possible.
AS long as the present system of
delay continues men viii seek big
fees and the Indians will want 10 pay
be investigations like this with always
the danger OF involving innocent
men"
The scene of the investigation was
to-day shifted to Sulphur. Okla. a
village OF 3.s00. Boosting a railroad
station and one telegraph Office.
J. H. Miller. OF Antiers. a 'squaw
man." testified to-day that he believed
the 10 per cent. MeMurray agreement
was about the most liberal contract
that Indians had ever made. He said
they had contracted TO pay 90 per cent.
on one occasion and 30 per cent. on
another.
Il believe l could take hold of this
matter. hire the two clerks and wind
up the business In four years." Miller
declared. But the supplemental
agreement with the government has
been broken and solemn pledges ig-
nored. TX any hide Ia to be taken of.
IL should be taken of OF those who are
coming In now and crying that the
rolls should be opened and this desert
waste land as they call II. thrown
open to them."
Miller thought the government
should be willing to take the surplus
coal land and pay the Choctaw nation
what 1t was worth. Miller said they
would probably take $4,000, 900 for the
coal lands. Sill an acre for the remain
der. He also suggested q plan for the
Indians to form a $1,000. o0e company.
issue stock to the trfbesmen and oper-
ating the mines. He believed better
results would be reached through at
torneys working ON a contingent fee.
such as McMurnay. than from those on
salary. The latter. ne said. would
Commit financial suicide II they clear
ed up their work at once"
Miller came to Oklahoma on horse
back In 1870 and now owns 1000 acres
OF land.