The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1910-08-14
WITNESSES AT INVESTIGATION
DECLARE THAT REDS WILL
SOON HE PAuPERs.
PART EASILY FROM CASH
Civilized Aborisine Tells Committee
That Il Oklahoma Lands Were Sold
at Once ard Owners Were Paid in.
Cash the State Would Have TO Sun.
rort Them Within a Short Time.

sulphur. okla, Aug Witnesses
testified before the congressional In
dian land investigating committee to-
! day that ii the Indian lands In Okla
! homa were sold and the 100000. 900
proceeds were turned over To the In
dians in cash. the state within 20
years would be flooded with paupers.
II was asserted that many of the In
I dians WHO signed tile MeMurray con-
tracts. allowing 10 per cent attorneys
fee to j. r. McMurray and his asso-
ciatcs. were irresponsible in financial
affairs. They would soon snuander the
cash, II was declared, and within few
years the country would be confronted
with the problem Of how to take care
of them.
! Except for the appearance on the
stand of Cecil a. Lyon. national repub-
lican committeeman Of Texas. the Wit
nesscs today were all Indians. MIR
| Lyon told Of his financial interest In
tho old tribal McMmrray contracts.
which provided for a 10 per cent fee.
but which were disapproved by Presi
dent Roosevelt in 1908. He said he had
talked with President Roosevelt I'm re-
gard to the contract
! Asked n he had been invited by
McMurray 10 join in the deal because
of his political influence and his ac-
quaintance with the president. Lyon
said he supposed he was. bet he also
attributed the Invitation Ia his business
ability II was his purpose. he said.
soon as the contracts were approved
| by the president to induce the money
i interests of New York and London to
buy the property. which includes about
100000 acres Of coal anI asphalt lands.
As soon as the president disapproved
OF the contracts. said Mr. Lyon. his
connection with sMcAiurray ceased and
hc was not interested IN the present
contracts.
| Would Spend Money.
Although he had signed the present
contracts and was willing that Nc
Murray should receive s3.000,O0 as
| fee for selling the land. and thereby
rendering service which the gov
ernment had promised to do without
cost, j. r Meyers. n chickasaW Indian
by intermarrage. declared that, In his
opinion, many Indians would soon
spend their share of the money and be-
come dependents. or the $4,000 choc-
taws and the 5000 chickasaws who
would share In the proceeds many
would collect from $4,000 to $4,000
each.
Instead of rising this money to inn
prove the farms on which they live,
and which they stil would retain after
their surplus lands were disposed of. a
great many would soon be parted from
their cash
rs that so?" asked Representative
G., b. Miller.
Yes" In 10 years "A lot Of them
would not have anything" was the
reply. "They would become paupers.
/ and. with the national government no
longer TO look to. they would become 4
charge on the state. In disposlng OF
the lands congress ought to consider
that probability At the same time.
there should be a distinction In favor
of those Indians who have become
thoroughly civilized and are as able az
white men to take care of their af-
/ fairs.
Willing to Pay High.
/ Many Chickasaws testified they were
| willing to give Nc Murray as high as
% per cent attorneys fees. II It would
sell the land within year. "Do you
mean to say YOU wauld be willing to
pay McMurray from $4,000 900 To So
000,0 900 for doing something which the
government has promised 10 do for
nothng?" asked Senator Gore of Ben
jamn Dorrlan. a chiekasaw
Yes; We would get quick settle
ment"
I'm the two years since these con.
tracts have been signed have you
known of McMurray having done any
thing at Washington that would hasten
the sale?"
mo. but we felt he had the infln-
ence and the experience 10 work with
congressman there"
Robbers Roost Figures.
Robbers Roost n town OF 50 people
and one store. in southern 0kiaslema,
again figured in the hearing, Wil'iaIn
Eates told of having been visited by
McMnrray's agents, who got him 10
sign contracts. II WAS also the poins
from which a MeMurray agent started
one day to attend ''War eogneil'' Of
Indians, where 500 contracts aare
signed at one time. Near Robbers
Koost Is a place called Desperate
Springs. Cecil Lyon was ON the stand
all morning In previous testimony, ID.
o. Mccurtaln. choctaW chlSf. hal
declared that in 1905. in the lobby nf
~
| I ~, "a. 81 4