Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-08-13
McMurray's Fees
Were EXOrbitant

Sulphur, Okla. Aug. 12.-Lawyers
expense accounts running as high as
100000 as a single fee. already paid.
amounting to s7500OO and contingent
fees still pending that would aggregate
about S., 600 figured in he inVestiga-
ton of the Indian land affairs by the
special committee appointed by the
House Of Representatives today. IT
was pointed out that the Indians never
obtained large amounts of money due
them without having to pay large sums
in the shape of fees and although they
employed regular lawyers on yearly
salaries. extra fees were constantly
paid for the employment of special
counsel.
The special fee of $3.50. 900 was paid
several years ago to J. +. McMurray
and his law partners after they prose
cuted what is known as the Citizen
snip case" which it was said kept off
the rolls $1,000 persons who wanted to
participate in the claims against the
government. By winning this suit IL
was explained that the value of the
property to the Indians who remained
on the rolls was enhanced Sl6.O0O,0 ot
on basis Of $1,000 for each of the 81,
600 claimants who were kept off The
sale of the property and the division OF
the proceeds is still being fought for
by the Indians.
rhis testimony developed in the eX-
animation of George T. Scott, Cnoc-
taW.
SuIphtir. Okla, Aug. 12.-That }. f.
McMurray had contracts with the IN
dams by which, by the sale of their
lands he would receive not only $3,0o0,-
600 as attorneys fees, but also agree
rnnrte calling for $1.500000 in other
fees. was testified to by George w.
Scott, before the special congressional
committee today. Scott acted as an
agent Tor McMurray.
Scott was regarded as one of the
most important witnesses in the lnves-
tigation growing out of Senator Gore
charges that he had been offered
bride to promote the approval of the
contracts in Congress.
SuIDhur. Okla. Aug. 12.-Conspicu-
oas among the wtnessse called to tes-
tify before the congressional commit
tee Investigating Indian land deals to-
div was Douglas V. Johnson. chief of
1000 Chickasaw Indians. Johnson, to-
eether with So per cent. of his tribe,
signed the McMurray contracts. by
which. according to Senator L. r.
Gore. a 10 per cent. attorney fee S3.-
O9d. O0o). would be withheld from the
Indians in the sale of 100000 acres OF
their land in this state. This money.
Senator Gore charges. was to have
been paid for services which the gov
eminent has already agreed to render
free to the Indians.
Chief Johnson has made it known
that he signed the contracts because of
impatience at the government de-
Law in disposing of the land.
Another witness ready to testify was
George w. Scott. an agent of j. F. Nc
Murray, holder OF the contracts. Scott
worked out on the prairies. inducing
the Indians to sign the contracts. IL
was he who was mentioned as having
urged the Indians to send kilograms
TO President Taft importuning him tt
annroye of the sale of the land on the
10 per cent. attorney fee basis, which
President Taft subsequently refused
to do. as he was opposed to giving
such q fee.
Cecil A. Lyon. national Republican
committeeman from Texas, also Is
here According to previous testimony
LYON was financially interested with
,, McMrrray in what were known as the
old tribal contracts, disapproved by
president Roosevelt in 1908, but is not
Interested in the present contracts.