The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-08-10
Scme Interesting Evidence In
troduced by Senator Gore in
Oklahoma Probing.
INDIANS WERE URGED
TO GET BUSY THEMSELVES
We're Told McMurray Could
Easily Buy Senator's and
congressman.

McALESTER. Okla. Aug. 9.-W1nile J.
F. McMurray was in Washington last
May urging the approval of his contracts
by which he and his associates would
be able to secure 10 per cent attorneys
fees on the sale of $50 900 900 worth of
land owned by the Indians. the Indians
themselves were being urged to send teie-
grams TO Washington recommending the
sale.
A few days before May 6. on which
Senator Gore charges he was offered a
bribe of $4,000 or $4,000 to induce con-
gress to approve the contracts. McMur-
rny telegraphcd to Oklahoma: "Send not
less than fifty letters and kilograms and
keep up the work for a week at different
towns: looks better here. We will win,
! know"
This evidence was brought out In the
investigation Of the land deal before the
Gore said he introduced It TO show the
activity at Washington at the time the
brbe is alleged to have been made
Smooth Work Done.
Many Choctaw Indians went on the
stand TO show that shortly after Nc
Murray sent his telegram. they were Wis
agent Scott asked the Indians to sign
kilograms approving the sale of the 450.
600 acres of coal and asphalt land on tho
Indians kilograms were addressed %
Richard G. Adams, an attorney at Wash
ington. who was supposed by the Indlans
10 give the messages TO President Taft
The Indians readily sent the kilograms,
they testified, because they were impa-
tent at the delay of the government in
disposing OF the land according to treaty
promises.
References to Vice President Sherman
and Senator Charles Curtis of Kansas
City were made in letter introduced by
- t,.1 haa xsnll ft,n1 htf
Congressman G. e. Creaeer that he and
Richard Adams had called upon Presi-
dent Taft and that the president had
claimants might enter and his approval
OF settling the Indian land question.
President Taft, 1t was said wrote a
letter to that effect and declared his
willingness 10 have it given wide pub
lication,
Attitude Of President
After the letter was made public.
George Scott wrote to Mr.. Adams ut
dent that his course is to be commended:
he has placed himself ON record In his
letter TO you as against the opening OF
the rolls and as to the settlement of our
our demands With Mr. McMurray there
to state our claims. with Mr.. Curtis and
Mr. Sherman. who. understand better
than others what we want, and with the
assistance Of the president. II begins to
look like We are coming into our own"
Senator Gore said he had not intro
duced the letter because Of the men tion
of Vice President Sherman and Senator
Curtis, The latter together with Presi-
dent Taft. 1t already. had been shown
In previous testimony. had declared them
selves against the 10 per cent clause In
the McMurray contracts.
Much amusement was caused by the
testimony OF james II. Logan. zone day
last November" said Logan. "a certain
Tom Sengun called on me TO have me
sign the McMurray contracts. j asked
him how McMurray was going to do any
thing.
He said. Well. Mac has got powerful
influence at Washington He can afford
to spend lots OF money. For instance.
II he makes SS 900 900 out OF these con-
tracts. Ire can AFFORD to spend $1,000 900
to get 1t. Out OF his 10 per cent he can
give ! per cent to one senator, I or . 10
another. a couple Of per cent TO some
congressman and still he will have q for
tune left In that way he Will get the
land sold. tell you somebody is going
To get lot out OF this anyway and we
might as we'll let McMurray have it"