Arizona republican., 1910-08-13
FLOWED
 LIKE WATER From the Indians Into the
 Pockets of Lawyers HAD ID COME ACROSS"
At Every Turn Thought They Had Attorneys Employed by the Year to Do What Dilatory Gov ernment Had Promised.

Sulphur, Okla, Aug. 12-Lawyers' expense accounts, running as high as $300,000, a single fee already paid amounting to $75O,OOO, and contingent fees still pending aggregating about $5O0,000. figured today in the investl- 1 gation of Indian land affairs by the special committee appointed by the house of representatives. It was point ed out that the Indians never received large amounts of money due without having to come across in the shape of fees, though they employed lawyers on yearly salaries. Extra fees were constantly paid for the employment of special counsel A special fee of $780, 900 was paid several years ago to J. F. McMurray, and his law partners, after they had prosecuted what is known as the citizenship" cases, while it is stated they kept off the rolls 9O.OOO elaimans who wanted to participate in the claims against the government
 By winning the suit, it was explained that the value of the property of the Indians who remained on the rolls was enhanced $1G,OOOOO0 on basis of $5,- 900 each. The sale of the property and the division of the proceeds are still being fought for by Indians.
 This testimony developed in the ex- animation of George A. F. Scott. a Choctaw. Scott was active in secur- ing signatures to the McMurray con tracts, to promote the approval of which in congress, Gore charges that on May he was offered a bribe of from s25,000 to $5O.O00. McMurray's contracts, Scott testified, if carried out entirely would dispose of about $5o,- 000,0 worth of property which on the 10 per cent attorneys fee' basis would result in a net profit to McMurray of s5,O0O,00O. The fee, according to Gore and the members of the committee, who interrogated the witnesses, would be paid for services the government had already promised to give the In dians without cost.
 Scott also showed that the cost of employing McMurray would be in ad- dition to S30,00O now paid annually to regular attorneys. Scott's contention was that the attorneys on regular sal ary were not as active as the contin- gent fee attorneys.
 Scott appeared after his name had been frequently mentioned by previous witnesses. It was he who it was testi- fled, had sent telegrams to Washington urging the approval of the contracts. He had been working for McMurray without any written or verbal agree ment, he said, as to sharing the fee, and he had induced many Indians to  the Indians despite the opposition of Green McCurtain, the chief of the Choctaws.
 One telegram to Richard Adams, an attorney at Washington, referred to Vice President sherman and Senator Curtis of Kansas as understanding better than anyone else what the In- dians wanted"
 Questioned as to what he meant, | Scott said he understood that Messrs. l Sherman and Curtis had long been fa- miliar with Indian affairs, and thought l they were the ones to be applied to, 1 it had been shown that both sherman and Curtis had protest | ed against the 10 per cent fec. They l thought it was too high and unneces- | sary. Before becoming connected with McMurray, Scott was treasurer of the Choetaw nation.
 On cross examination, the witness said the department of the interior | complained concerning the method of cashing warrants for money | due against the nation. He said he had sometimes favored friends by | making payments when authority was in dispute.
 Did you ever make any payments | after you received notice from the de- | partment not to do so until an act au thorizing you to make such payments | had been approved by the president?' asked MT. Miller
 "Yes, I believe I did, when the act | itself was in dispute
 Then you admit that you deliberate | ly violated an order of the depart | ment" i
 q understand that it was the opin- | ion of some lawyers that I had a right | to make payments"
 Did you ever consult a lawyer as to that right?'
 T may have"
 What lawyer did you consult?"
 T don't know"
 Probably you consulted McMurray's l law firm, who at that time was act ing as special counsel for the Indians ?"
 If I consulted a lawyer I may have McMurray's firm"
 In a political campaign among the Chocfaw tribe Scott said McMurray once made a contribution of s1.000
 Did McMurray ever give you money |