The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1910-08-22


committee appointed by the house Of
Representatives to investigate Indian
land affairs and the so-called MeSfrr-
ray contracts. ard which also has been
Investigating the Gore bribery charges
Saturday night issued the Toiiowlng
statement:
"The committee has heard and care
| fully considered all Of the testimony
submitted and is unanimous in the
orinion ttat there i and was no war
ran 'nr any person 0 use tie ism-
.-p.nsident James 5 Sherman epd
Senator Charles Curs,s III eonnec;ien
with any improper relation with any
Indian contract whatever"
This is the opinion of the committee
after hearing scores of witnesses who
appeared following the testimony OF
Senator r. r. Gore. Senator Gore de-
clared he had been approached by Jake
| L. Harmon and that Hamon. acting in
| the interest of ]. F. McMurray. had
Offered him (Senator iforel SOS. coo or
| $4,000 as bribe to prolnota in con
gress the contracts BY which McaIur-
Tray was to receive &c per cent attor
Ineys' fee on the sale Of $31,000,0O0
worth of Indian lands.
The senator testified Haipon had
mentioned Senator Curtis and Vice.
President Sherman as being inter
tested in the deal Mr.. Sherman being
named as the man "higner up" Hamon
on the stand denied he had ever said
Ianything about the contracts to Gore.
The committees report was signed
by Representatives Charles H. Burke,
South Dakota: G. B. Miller, Minnesota;
| E. w. Saunders, Virginia, j. H. Ste
phens, Texas; and Phillip P. Camp
Ibell, Kansas
In giving its decision Saturday the
committee announced it had received
from Senator Gore a statement rela-
| tive to vice.President SherIoan and
Senator Curtis and that the committee
commended" Senator Cores state.
statement.
The statement from Senator Gore,
which was read and inserted in the
official rcord of the investigation fox
Ilows
ITO the Investigating committee:
feel in duty and in honor bound
to make the following statement 1t is
also dictated by considerations of com
mon justice toward the parties con-
cerned:
Neither the name OF Vice-president
Sherman nor Senator Curtis was men
toned by me on the floor OF the Unit
ed States senate. That the name of ell
ther Of these parties was alluded to by
Mr.. Hamon was steadfastly withheld
from the public until this investigation
began. No public mention of their
names was ever made either directly
or Indirectly by me until | was re-
quired and obliged to do SO. testfying
as witness under oath and detailing
the conversation which occurred be-
tween Mr. Hamon and myself ] then
made formal protest against introduc-
ling their names, but the committee in
1.-THE proper pursuit Of Its duties required
me to make full answer without res
lervation Their names were disclosed
not with any view Of inculpating them
nor with any view OF suggestin gguilt,
but merely in order that the truth and
1.-THE whole truth might be related with
Preference to the details of the conyer-
Isation in question The public must
realize that the name OF any man
could be used or misused in the same
connection, either as an argument or
otherwise, and no public official can
Ihave immunity and protection against
such an injury and injustice.
I'm my last remarks in the senate
said that the integrity of no man can
be impeached upon the testimony Of
an interested or untrustworthy wit
mess" That was my conviction then.
That is my conviction now, am sure
THAT in the court Of public opinion no
Judgment or verdict has been returned
either against the vice-president or
Senator Curtis on account of the mis-.
luse of their names in the manner above