The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-08-07
Investigation Of Senator
Cores Charges Turns Up
More Sensations
CECIL LYON OF TEXAS IS
BROUGHT into THE CASE
Indian. Testiies Before the Com
mittee About Offer of Bribe
Made to Him

Muskogee. Okla, August 6.-Not only
Jacob Harmon but D. F. McMurray
was named would-be briber In
the investigation of the SSo,000000 Ok
lahoma Indian land deal before the
special congressional committee today
McMurray is the holder of the con-
tracts with the Choctow and Chickasaw
Indians to promote which in Congress
Senator Thomas Corr charged he was
offered a bribe.
d. C. McCurtain. a Choctaw Indian
and delegate to Washington for his
tribe. charged that McMurray in 1906
offered him bribe of $4,000 to with
draw opposition to the old tribal Nc
Murray contracts which were subse-
quently disapproved by President
Roosevelt.
Green McCurtain, chief of $4,000
Choctaw Indians and a venerable In
dian of 62 years, who has gray hair and
bronzed cheeks, took the stand and told
the committee that one George w.
Scott. whom he believed acted in the
interest of McMurray, had offered him
a quarter of the profits to be realized
from the land deal provided he induced
the deal.
This offer referred to new contracts
held by McMurray which are the cause
of the present investigation, he said
The amount of the bribe mentioned
by D. c. McCurtain was the same as
told by Senator Gore that had been
offered him through the pending con-
tracts which, according to the senator,
would result in the selling of 450, 900
acres of coal, asphalt and timber lands
owned by the Indians to New York
syndicate on basis that would give
McMurray and his associates an attor-
ney's fee of 10 per cent. or ss,o0o,o0o.
| Sensational Testimony
| The presentation of the charges
| against McMurray followed another day
of senfational testimony during which
Senator Charles Curtis of Kansas and
Congressman B. S. Mcclure of Okla
homa appeared on the stand to refute
statements that they were interested
in the deal.
The name of Vice President Sherman
and conferences held by President Taft
over the McMurray contracts were re-
ferred to indirectly in dispatches as
published by ths Associated Press.
Senator Curtis declared that the 10
per cent attorneys fee asked for was
excessive
The opinion was unanimous at The
conference with the President, he said,
that in the sale of the land no assist
ance from attorneys was needed and
the government by treaty had already
stipulated to the Indians they could sell
their own lands on their own responsi-
bility
Something of spray of Indian war
councils was injected into the investiga-
tion when Chief McCurtain, known as
the governor OF his tribe, instead OF
taking chair squatted In front of the
tribunal. He continually brushed the
flies off his head by waving a large
red handkerchief. He gave his tesci-
mony in characteristic Indian fashion.
McCurtain ON the stand
"A long time ago." said he, 1.-The Choc-
taws protested against the big fees to be-
allowed under the McMurray contracta
J, myself, sent protest to the senator.
tust before the adjournment of the last
Congress George W. Scott came to my
home and asked me to sign a letter I
refused to do so. He then came again
and told me he wanted me to write a let
ter to the Secretary of the Interior with
drawing my protest against the McMur.
ray contracts. When l said | would nc4
do that he then said he was authorized
to give me a quarter of the profits if +
did"
9 Yes he said, ''the Indian continued.
we are going to get q 10 per cent fee
out of 1t and you will get quarter Of the
tenth or be scalped by the white Indians
You sign the letter and 1t will be great
bargain / refused absolutely TO do it,
He went away sore"
"A good many of your tribesmen did
sign the contracts with McMurray, didn't
they?' asked Congressman c. b. Miller.
with broad smile.
Yes, they did that because they have
lost all faith In the agents. They have lost
all faith in the tricksters who have cheat
sd them out of everything. 1t is because
they have been given so many promises
never fulfilled that they were suspicious
of the new deal, profiting by the ex-
perience OF 1906 The Indians are dis
heartened over the agent system, which
fieeces them right and left. IL would be
better to get some of the mony direct
from the government than none at all out
of the agents.
The Indian chief then ceased relating
his experiences upon promptings of the
chairman, who with difficulty confined
him to answers.
why don't the Indians employ law
yers?" the chairman asked.
as powers of attorney we exercise as
members OF the Five Civilized Tribes af-
fcHd more protection" he replied.
Conference With Taft
Among the developments of the day was
one related by Senator Gore wherein he
said he had been summoned several times
to discuss the McMurray contracts by
Vice President Sherman and President
Taft who desired to get to the merits of
the proposition He said Mr.. Taft had
expressed the belief that the 10 per cent
fee was too high and his visitor agreed
with him.
The senator said this statement should
refute the implication that he himself was
interested in the land deal.
The senator said he had known Nc
Murray for years and had never known of
rs attempting to influence legislation In
he Oklahoma legislature.
s Senator Curtis said there was an ounce
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