Bisbee daily review., 1910-08-07
Venerable Indian Chief of the ChOCtaWS Also Tells Com mittee He Was Offered
 Bribe by Agents
ACCUSED MEN HAVE
 NOTHING BUT DENlALS
Indians Never Needed Law yer, as Government Was
 Bound to Sell Land

MJSkOGEE, Aug. 6.-Both Ham mon and McMurray are named as would be bribers in the Oklahoma Indian land case before the special congressional committee McMur- ray holds contracts with Choctaw and Chickasaw Indians, to promote which in congress Gore charges he was offered a bribe.
 D. c. McCurtain, a Choctaw In- dian, and delegate to Washington for his tribe, charged that McMur- ray n 1906 offered him a bribe of szy.000 to withdraw opposition to the old tribal McMurray contracts. subsequently disapproved by Roose- welt
 Greene McCurtain. Chief of IS.OOO Choctaws, a venerable Indian of 62 years took the stand and told the committee that one George w. Scott. whom he believed acted in the interest of McMurray. offered him one fourth profit realized on the land deai. provided he induced the tribe to withdraw all opposition. This offer referred to the new con tracts held by McMurray. the cause of the present investigation. The amount of the bribe mentioned by Me Curtain. son of the chief. is the same which Gore alleges was ten dered May by Hammon to put through pending contracts.i which according to Gore would result in selling 450.0OO acres of coal. asphalt and timber lands owned by the h. dians, to a New York syndicate. This would give McMurray and as sOcates, attorneys fec of 10 per cent, amounting to S3.OOO.OOO.
 Presentation of charges against McMurray followed another day of sensational testimony, during which Curtis of Kansas and Mcclure of Oklahoma, appeared on the stand to refute statements that they were ''interested' in the deal. Sherman was again mentioned, and confer ences held with President Taft over the McMurray contracts were re. ferred to Both Taft and sherman. according to Senator Curtis. de clared that 10 per cent attorneys lees asked was excessive. The opinion was unanimous at the presi- dents conference, it is said. that in the sale of land no attorneys as sistance was needed, as the gog- ernment by treaty had already stip- uiated 10 sell the land on it's own responsibility.
 Tn spirit of an Indian war coun- cil was presented when Chief Me Curtain, known as Governor. :, squatted in a chair before the com mittee. brushing flies off his head with a large handkerchief, while he gave testimony
 Long time ago." he said. many Choctaws protested against the big fees allowed under the McMurrav contracts. Myself sent a protest to the secretary of the interior. Just before the adjournment of the last congress, George W. Scott came 10 my home and asked me to sign a letter. l refused. He came and told me he wanted me to write s letter to the secretary Of the interior and withdraw my protest against the Me Murray contracts. When I said I would not, he said he was author ized 10 give me one-fourth of the profits if I did. Yes, he said. we are going 10 get 10 per cent fee. you get one fourth. Now you sign the letter and it will De a great bargain
 T absolutely refused and he went away"
 Good many of your tribe did sign contracts with McMurray. dion't they?" asked Congressman Miller.
 Yes. they did that because they were losing all faith in the gov ernment. They lost all faith in government officials and their tribal officials, too. Because they had giv- en many promises and the promises were not kept The government promised 10 sell the land and distri- bute the profits in 1906. Not done yet. Indians becoming disappointed over governments promises. tEat's why they signed contracts. Thought they had better get some money than none at all. ;"
 Are they in a hurry to get She money?';