The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1910-08-18
CECIL lyon MADE
TO REVEAL SHARE
in BIG FEE GRAFT
His Friendship With Roosevelt
Vainly Thought to Be Worth
a Money Considera-
ton.

E
ton.
Sulphur, Okla. Aug. 16.-What part
Cecil A. Lyon. republican national COM
mitteeman for Texas. took in the ac4
tivity at Washington for the approval
of the old tribal McMurray contracts
for the sale of indian lands was des-
ecribed by Mr.. Lyon in the hearing
before the congressional investigating
committee today. These contracts were
.disapproved by President Roosevelt in
1905. The contracts, which are the
cause of the present investigation, Mr..
Lyon said he had no interest in.
Asked if he thought he was asked to
join in the old contracts because of
his political influence and acquaintance
with President Roosevelt, Mr.. Lyon
said:
1T was entirely possible"
In 1905 Mr.. Lyon salt he Joined with
j. f. McMurray's law firm in the con-
tracts by which a 10 per cent attor-
neys' fee vas to be obtained for the
sale of the land. Mr.. Lyon went to
Washington, and in company with
Francis Leupp, commissions of indian
affairs, discussed the subject with
President Roosevelt. There was some
discussion concerning making the In
@dians stockholders in the land, but this
plan was not gone into.
Was It possible that your cennee-
-tion with the president and your po-
litical influence induced McMurray to
mar Burke.
"It is possible, but I f1atter myself
that it vas partly my business abil-
dty."
"But it was known that you were a
welcome visitor at the White House?'
Eyes, I believe So"
ut was known then. that you We're
"a good friend Of the president and that
you called on him often? That was
publicly known, wasn't it?"
Yes, 1 suppos so"
do you think this prompted McMur-
ray to ask you to join him, that is, be-
cause of our political influence n
your friendship with the PRESIDENT"
LAS I said, 1t may a been partly
this, out I f1atter myself 1t was be
eau of my business experience"
Told Garfield of 1t.
Mr.. Lyon continued: st told Score
tary Garfield thai my employment In
the matter was to BIZ open and above
board, n If there was anything not
exactly proper with the contracts I
would AVE nothing to do with them"
Mr.. Lyon testified he made efforts to
nave investigated certain indictments
against the McMurray law firm. The
indictments had been returned in con-
nection with the Indian affairs. 1t was
represented to Mr.. Lyon, he said. that
the indictments were unjust.
The attorney general later recon-
mended to the president that the in
dictment be dismissed. The indictments
subsequently We're dismissed.
What was your idea in bringing the
matter to the attention Of the authors
ties at Washington"
well, we a a president then, as
we have now, who believes in a square
deal, and if these Indictments were
not fair they should have been inves-
tigated."
Hired Out Afterward.
Ibid you enter into the Indian land
contract dea with McMurray prior to
or after the indictments were dis
missed7"
IT think afterward. I took up the
McMurray contracts purely as a bust
ness deal. After the were disapproved
I had nothing further to do with them
there. I had absolutely nothing to do
with the present contracts McMurray
has.
ION the floor of the House, during
the last session, Representative Muir
ply, Of Missouri, unjustly attacked me
by saying that McMurray, in lobbying
for the present contracts, vas ably as
sisted by myself. That statement by
Mr.. Murphy was made either in ignor-
ance or a desire to ~misrepresent. I have
.HfuOIS uDIilIlS Will lle COlllIdCIS uOW
under Investigation"
McAllester, Okla, Aug. 16.-It was
brought out in the congressional in
v~estigation Of the Gore bribery charges
today that baby Indians, as well as
adult ones, had signed" the McMurray
contracts providing for the sale of $780,
100000 worth of land on a 10 per cent
attorney fee" basis.
The names of the little "papooses'
-,npa cJ-rA1 nv tho Norn1oto nr nc ~
dians, witnesses testified. 1t was incl
denta1ly developed that race suicide is
far from threatening mong the In
tdians, as families Of six to nine chill
adren are ommon
Nine in One Family Sign.
]. M. Perkins, a Choctaw. testified he
had nine children, all Of whom hat
Signed" the contract.
W. We're led to believe that the con-
tracts were a good thing" said Per
kins. I'VE considered that McMurray
knew better than our congressman anc
senators how to go about selling thu
land. We believed that by signing the
contracts we would realize quicker OF
our claims against he government
That's why I and the children signed
up"
DR.. j. H. Miller, a Choctaw by inter,
marriage, testified that he and hi:
eight children had signed the con-
tracts.
The present great wealth of thu
Oklahoma Indians was brought out IL
testimony. Although the Choctaw ant
Chickasaw tribes of Indians are fight
ing for their individual shares of thu
land now held for them by the govern
ment they are at present accounted
among the richest people in the world
Indian witnesses took the stand an
told of measuring their land by tn
thousand acres. Another testified tha
his family owned 1000 acres of which
1000 acres were under cultivation
with cotton, corn and potatoes. TIL
land is rented out, he said, giving hin
.one-quarter of the cotton crop ant
,one-third the corn. without labor t.
him.
Before Carter left the stan McMur
rays attorneys gained from him testi
mony tending to how that MCGUIRE
in Indian matters, had supported meas
ures in congress opposed to the interes
of McMurray.
ADAHoIIp,c M0TER00kc