The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-08-07
Offers $25, 900 to D. G..
McCurtain, Of Choc-
taw Tribe.
STORY is TOLD ON
WITNESS STAND
Holder of Contracts Is Dragged
In With Jake L. Hamon as
Would-Be Briber-Amount
Offered Same as That Said
to Have Been rendered
to Senator Gore.

Muskogee, Okla, August G.-Not
only Jake l.. Hnmon, but j. F. Nc
Murray, too, wns named nstn would
be briber In the investigation of the
e3O,OOO,OOO oklahoma indian land deal
before the special ngrcssionni COM
mittee.
Mr.. Mcaiurrny In the holder of the
contracts with the Choctnw and
Chicknsnw Indians, to promote which
In Congress, senator rhomns +. Gore
ID. G. McCurtain, "A Choctaw indian
und delegate to Washington for his
Territory, charged that alcMurrny, In
1905, offered him brine OF s2o,0OO to
withdraw opposition to the old tribai
McAiurrny contracts which snbHe-
quently were dlsapproved by Prexi-
dent Roosevelt.
Green McCurtain, chief of $4,000
ChoctBws. and a venerable Indian Of
Eixty-two years. then took the stand
and told the committee that one
George w. Scott. whom he believed
acted In the interest of McMurray, had
offered him one-four,h of the profits
TO be realized from the land deal, pro-
vlded he induced the tribe to with
draw all opposition to the deal. This
offer referred to new contracts held
by McMurray. which are the cause OF
the present investigation.
Similar TO Cores OHer.
The amount OF the bride mentioned
by D. C. Mccurtain. who is a son Of
the chief. is the same as that which
Senator Gore alleges was offered him
- a.
put through the pending contracts
which. according to Senator Gore.
would result in the selling of 10000
acres of coal. asphalt and timber lands
owned by the Indians to a New York
syndicate on basis that would give
McAiurray and his associates an TAT
torney's fee" of 10 per cent. or $4,000
900.
Tho presentation of the charges
against McMurray followed another
day OF sensational testimony, during
which Senator Charles Curtis, of Kan
sas, and Congressman b. s. MCGUIRE.
OF Oklahoma. appeared on the stand
to refute statements that they were
interested in the deal.
The name of Vice President Sherman
again was mentioned, and conferences
held by President Taft over the Nc
Murray contracts were referred to.
Both President Taft and Vice-Presi-
dent Sherman, according to Senator
Curtis. had declared that the 10 per
cent. attorneys fee asked for WAS ex-
cessiye. The opinion was unanimous
at the Presidents conference, he said.
that in the sale of tho land no attor-
neys assistance was needed. as the
government by treaty already had
stipulated TO sell the lands on It's own
responsibility.
A long time ago" said Chief Nc
Curtain in his testimony, many of
tho Choctaws protested against the
big fees that would be allowed under
the McMurray contracts myself
sent a protest to the Secretary Of the
Interior. Just before the adjournmen,
of the last Congress George ". Scott
came to my home and asked me 10
sign letter. l refused to do so Then
he came again and told me he wanted
me to write letter 10 the Secretary
Of the Interior withdrawing my pro.
test against the McAIurray contracts
When said would not do that, he
Bald he was authorized to agree -
give me one-fourth of the profits IL I
did.
Would Give One-Fourth,
Yes. he said. we are going n
get 10 per cent. fee OUT OF Ct and
You will get one-fourth of the tenth
Now. you sign the letter and II viii
be great bargain absolutely re.
fused to do 1t. and he Wen. away.,
good many of your tribe did
Sign the contracts with NIcAlurray
didn't they?" asked Congressman G n
Miller. =
Yes. they did that because thev
are losing all faith in the government
They have lost all faith in the gov.
eminent officials and in their triba
ofhclals. too 1t is because they nave
neen given SO many promises and the
promises have not been kept. The
government promised it would sell
the land and distribute the prodts ir
1906. 1t has not done so Vet The
Indians are becoming disheartened
over the governments promises anc
that's why they signed the contracts
They thought 1t would be better to
get some of the money than none Of
It." =
Are they in a hurry to get money!,
Yes. they certainly are. They neeo
1t. They are poor. for they have been
living on promises for so long"
why do you Indians have SO many
lawyers?"
because we want to get the
money"
Can you estimate how much you,
tribe has paid out In attorneys fees
+ IN the last ten years?"
"Our tribe in that time has paic
out about 100000"
Among the developments Of the da.
We're: Senator Curtis told or having
been summoned by telephone to tho
White House to discuss there with
President Taft and Vice Preslden
Sherman the merits of the McMurraS
contracts. President Taft had az,
pressed the belief that the 10 per cent
fee was too high and his visitor greco
with him. This. the Senator though
sufficiently refuted the imputatior
that he was "interested,' In the LAND
deal. The Sentaor knew McMurray 70,
(Contlnued on Second Page,1