Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-08-09
SHERMAN'S NAME
IN A TELEGRAM
Vice President Shown as Friend
of Indian Land Attorney
Claims.
GORE HAS THE PAPERS.
McNIurray Urged Sending of Many
kilograms to Influence Official
Action at Capital.
GORE HAS THE PAPERS,


of Indian land deals today, had read
kilograms in which the names of Vice
President Sherman, and Senator Cur
tis, of Kansas, were named. One read:
Sherman "'Understood."
with McMurray there to state our
claims, with Curtis and Sherman who
understands better than anybody else
what we want and with the assistance
Of our president, it begins to look like
we are coming into our own" This
telegram was dated Kinta, Okla, May
2 last, and was sent to Richard c..
Adams, attorney at Washington, by
George w. Scott, McMurrays agent
among the Indians.
Wanted kilograms Sent.
Another telegram from McMurray at
Washington was read. 1t ordered that
McMurray's agent among the Indians
to send fifty kilograms urging con-
gIess to approve the contracts allowing
100000 attorneys fees"
HamOn Makes Charges.
McAlester, Okla, Aug. "a charge
that Congressman c. E. Creager of the
Third Oklahoma district had solicited
sums" of money from J. F. McMurray,
holder of the Indian land contracts
that are being subjected to congress
sional investigation, was made yester-
day by Jake l.. Hamon before the spe-
ciaI committee appointed by the house
of representatives
The charge developed in connection
with the inquiry into Senator Cores
declaration that he had been offered
a s25, 900 or $4,000 bribe to help put
through congress the McMurray $780,
100000 deal.
Appearing before the committee Ha-
mon made the counter charge against
Creager He said the congressman
had solicited money from McMurray
during the tendency in congress of a
bill which had been drawn up by Nc
Murray and which Creager introduced.
This bill provided for the sale Of the
surface lands to private individuals and
for the sale of the mineral wealth to
the government.
Although the McMurray contracts
were not referred to in it, the bill, Ha-
mon said. was so termed that McMur-
HlSHl nave DSSA " poN IL
a claim for the attorneys fees. The
measure, however, was not passed
Wants Creager Recalled.
81 want Mr.. Creager recalled to the
stand to answer these charges" said
Hamon. "T want him to explain why,
Just after he introduced that bill, he
went to McMurray and, under the guise
of loans, demanded from McMurray
large sums of money. l thinkF will
throw considerable light on the Indian
land situation at Washington if Crea-
ger is recalled and asked abouC his re-
peated demands of money from Nc
Murry."
On being informed by Congressman
Charles H. Burke. chairman of the COM
mittee, that 1t was doubtful if Creager
would be recalled. Hamon asked to be
allowed to introduce witnesses to tes-
tify as to his charges. His request was
taken under advisement.
1t was Indian day" at the hearing.
Many Indians testified they had signed
the McMurray contracts allowing 10
per cent attorneys fees because they
had been impatient at the government.
AS the governments wards, they said,
they had to employ attorneys to fight
the government in order to secure what
money had been promised.
That McMurray's agents had gone
among the Indians and asked them to
sign the contracts and to send tele-
grams to President Taft urging him to
approve the sale of the land on a 10
per cent attorneys fee" basis was the
burden of most of the Indians testi-
mony.
CreaEer Replies to Charges.
Muskogee. Okla, Aug. 9.-In reply
to the charges made by Jake l.. Ha-
mon at McAlester that Congressman c.
E Creager had attempted, under the
guise of loans, to obtain $4,000 from j.
F. McMurray, Mr.. Creager last night
said:
There is some foundation for the
statement of Mr.. Hamon, but he must
have stated the case in an entirely
different manner than it was given to
him by McMurray.
Before leaving Muskogee in Novem-
Der / tried TO trade certain property
for 80 acres of farm land worth $10,-
600. agreeing to pay the difference, S4,-
600. I found that l could not meet the
requirements of the transaction, so |
made application to the state for loan
from the school fund.
I'm December. after my arrival at
Washington, 1 received letter from
Guthrie denying my request. Mr.. Nc
Murray happened to be in my Office at
this time and 1 explained the situation
to him and asked if he knew where
could get the money. He replied that if
he had the money on hand he would be
clad to make the loan himself