Arizona republican., 1910-08-10
INDIANS M|SAPPREHENOEO
They Thought the Messages
Were to Be Given to the
President Another Let
ter Which Gore Says Is
No Reflection on Sherman

McAlester. Okla, Aug. 9.-While ]. F.
McMurray, was in washington last
May urging the approval of his con-
tracts by which he and his associates
would be able to secure 10 per cent
attorneys fees on the sale of $30,000.
600 worth of land owned by the In
dians. the Indians themselves were be-
ing urged to send kilograms to Wash
ington recommending the sale.
A few days before May 6. on which
Senator Gore claims he was offered
bribe of $25,0O0 or $4,000 70 induce
congress to approve the contracts, Nc
Murray telegraphed to Oklahoma,
Send not less than fifty letters and
kilograms and keep up the work for a
week at different towns; it looks bet
ter here, we will win, 1 know"
This evidence was brought out before
the congressional committee today.
Senator Gore said he introduced it to
show the activity at Washington at the
time the bribe was alleged to be Of
fered
Many ChOctaw Indians took the stand
to show that shortly after McMurray
sent the telegram. they were visited by
George w. Scott, McMurray's agent.
Scott asked the Indians to sign tele-
grams approving the sale of 100000
acres of coal and asphalt land on the
ten per cent basis. The Indians sent
out telesrams addressed to Richard c.
Adams, an attorney. in Washington.
who was supposed by the Indians to
give the messages to President Taft.
The Indians readily sent the kilograms,
they testified, because they were i'm
patient at the delay of the government
in dispOsing of the land, according to
treaty promises
References to Vice President Sher-
man. Senator Charles Curtis were made
in a letter introduced by Mr.. Gore. 1t
had been explained by Congressman
Creager that he and Richard Adams
called upon President Taft. and that
the president announced his disap-
proval of settling the Indian land ques-
tion. Mr.. Taft it is said wrote a let
ter introduced by Mr.. Gore. 1t had
been explained by Congressman Crea-
ger that he and Richard Adams called
upon President Taft that the president
announced his disapproval of the plan
to reopen the tribal rolls so that more
claimants might enter and his approval
of settling the Indian land question.
Mr.. Taft it is said, wrote a letter to
that effect and declared his willing
ness to have it given wide publication.
After the letter was made public
George w. Scott wrote Adams at
Washington. please say to the presi-
dent that his course is to be commended
He has placed himself on record in the
70 81
and as to the settlement of our affairs.
His office win give prestige to our
demands With McMurray there to
state our claims with Curtis, and Sher-
man, who understand better than 9TH
ers what we want and with the assist
ance of the president, it begins to look
like we are coming into our own"
Senator Gore said he had not intro
duced the letter because of the men
ton of Vice President Sherman and
Senator Curtis The latter, together with
President Taft, had already been shown
in the previous testimony to have de-
clared themselves against the ten per
cent fee.
Much amusement was caused by the
testimony of James r. Logan. "One
day last November" said Logan, "a
certain Tom Saguin called to have me
sign the McMurray contracts. L asked
him how McMurray was going to do
anything.
He said. Mac has got d powerful
influence at Washington. He can af-
ford to spend lots of money. For in
stance, IF he makes s3,000,O00 out of
the contracts, he can afford to spend
million to get it. Out of his 10 per
cent he can give one per cent to some
congressman, and still have a fortune
left. In that way he will get the land
sold 1 tell you somebody is going to
get a lot out of this anyway, and we
might as well let McMurray have it.