The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-08-05

he (Senator Gore), kew the name OF
the employee but would not divulge his
name. or the name Of his informant
especially because the latter would lose
his position.
That Former Senator Long of Kan
sas, acting as counsel for McMurray
had gone to President Taft on April
2S to urge the approval of the con,
tracts, but that the president had said
lit would take a good deal OF argu
ment to convince him that the amount
of the fee asked by McMurray was
iustifed.'
Senator Curtis today sent a telegram
10 the committee denying that he was
in any way interested in the contracts
and offering to appear before the com
mltteeY Chairman Burke said Senator
Curtis would be subpoenaed to testify
Sensational Testimony.
An account of that part of Senator
Cores testimony referring to Vice
President Sherman follows:
Mr. Burke; "In your conversation
with Mr.. Hamon, you stated he named
a very high official that he said was
interested in these contracts. You
omitted his name
Mr.. Gore: 81 say again that should
very much prefer not to name him
am, however, subject to the will Of the
committee. -
to get the facts and we must have all
Of this conversation
Mr.. Gore: ''He suggested that Vice
President Sherman was interested in
the contracts -
Thomas II. Owen, counsel for Mr.
Gore: @ In that connec tion you spoke of
an article appearing in a Kansas City
newspaper that two gentlemen had
called on the president. l wish YOU
would say who was mentioned in that
article -
Mr.. Gore: "In tho newspaper OF
April II, Nice-Presidept Sherman and
Senator Curtis were named as hav.
ing called to discuss the segregation of
coal and asphalt lands. I think before
the senate met the next day the in.
formation came to me-
Senator Gore explained he believed Vice
President Sherman was favorable 10 the
contracts and short time later he intro
duced q resolution In the senate that
would require further action Of congress
before the contracts could be approved.
Creager on Stand.
Congressman Creagcr did not take the
stand until late in the day.
Asked II he had ever met uamon, he
replied: Yes, ! met him by appointment
in his rooms at the Occidental hotel In
Washington. He invited me there. say
Ing he wanted TO talk over n little mat
ter AT that time efforts were being
made TO have the president approve the
McMurray contracts. / already had gone
on record as being opposed TO their ap-
proVal. Well, when ! was got to the
hotel and sitting In a room with Hamon
he began to urge me to withdraw my op-
position. He suggested / might have an
interest In the contracts"
m r.rG 40
mentioned? Did he say how much inter
est you might have?"
Mr.. CreaGer: mo. ] did not let it 20
as Tar as that. l made my language pret-
~ emphatic that / was opposed to the
contracts and would not be influenced
Congressman Stephens; you mean 10
say that you regarded the offer OF such
n character as to arouse your indigna-
tion2"
Mr.. Creager: "Ycs, that's II. regard
cd tt as an offer TO influence my attitude
towards the contracts. 1t was even sug-
gcsted that ] call together all the Officials
| could and defeat the measure opposing
the approval Of the bills"
Congressman Miller. What kind OF
rooms did Mr.. Hamon and Mr.. McMurray
have at the hotel?"
Tried to Silence Creager.
Mr. Creager: "Oh. three or four front
rooms Representative Mcclure of Okla
boma occupied part OF the Hamon and
different times. When hc heard | wns
coming 10 testify before this committed
he urged me not 10. he expressed the
hope that ! would make no statement be-
fore this committed"
Recalled TO the stand. Senator Gore was
asked TO mention the name of the EN-
ploye OF the department of Justice who
had told him that another employc or
an official In that department, was inter
cstcd in the contracts.
That ! could not do" replied Senator
Gore, The matter was impaired to me
In confidence and ] regret that It was
mentioned here at all
Now, senator. intcrposcd Congress
man Campbell. don't you think IL un.
fair to go so far before this committee
and yet not tell all you know? You know
we are here 10 learn the truth. and we
would like 10 have all OF II made known -
mo. ! would rather not. 1t liz well
known that heretofore employees of that
department have lost their positions for
giving information, and j would rather
that this feature OF the investigation be
dropped" I"
Attitude of President.
A +, Phil. attorney for the Choctaw
tribe Of Indians. then questioned tho
| senator as to what he knew Of PresIden,
| raft's attitude toward the McMurray
contracts.
II think some people interested in the
contracts went to- see the president on
April 2S." said the witness
The president stated that former Sen
ator Long had already submitted Tho
matter 10 him and that Mr.. Longs clients
(moaning the McMurray intcrcsts). might
have their day in court ! think the
president said everybody might havo his
day In court. but that II would take a
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