The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1910-08-18
CRABBER COT RICH
More Charges In the Indian
Lands Scandal.
HE NOW OWNS 10000 ACRES
Eept a List Of Indians Who Held
Allotted Lands, and at Their
Death Secured 1t Cheap
Through Guardians.

Sulphur, Okla. Aug 16.-"Every
lnch of land owned by Indians Is look
I'd upon as the legitimate prey Of the
and grabbers.
This statement was made by mem
Der OF the committee appointed by the
house Of representatives 10 inyesti-
gate Indian land contracts. Besides
he charges of Senator r. p. Gore that
he was offered a $4,000 bride to
boost" the McMurray contracts In
congress. the committee Is inquiring
INTO Indian land conditions.
Some of the land grabbers'
schemes certainly will be called to the
attention Of congress- said a com
mitteeman. zone man. we have learn
ed. has become rich. He kept a list
II Indians who owned allotted land.
whenever an Indian died he rushed
into court. had guardian appointed
and with the conniyance OF the guard
ian demanded that the land be sold
lnder a 1dlculously low valuation for
A few hundred dollars He has bought
whole sections OF land.
This man. who Is only one of many
starting with no capital. now owns
10000 acres. for which he paid the In
Hans no adequate compensation. As
there are in Oklahoma something Ike
20. 900. 900 acres of Indian lands. II
seems imperative that congress take
prompt steps to prevent further land
grabbing"
More details Of J. T. McMurrays
alleged activity at Washington to pro
mote his 10 per cent attorney fees
IN contracts for the sale Of $4,000,
300 worth of Indian lands were related
before the congressional investigating
committee.
W. B. Johnson. former United
States attorney. testified that certain
Indictments against McMurray. In
1905. were ordered dismissed by the
attorney general The indictments
were returned against McMurray and
others in connection with 100000
expense account which McMurray's
firm had filed against the Indians In
prosecuting citizenship cases. 1t was
alleged in the indictments that the
expense account had been padded. "
At the time the indictments were
being Investigated. Cecil \. Lyon, ma
tionaI Republican committeeman for
Texas. was in Washington. Mr.. Lyon
previously had testified he had urged
the attorney general to investigate the
indictments. but he declared he never
asked that they be dismissed. The in
dictments later were ordered dismiss
ed. Mr.. Lyon then became interested
with McMurray in what are known as
the old tribal contracts. and talked
with President Roosevelt In regard to
them.
During your term Of Office how
many indictments were returned"
Mr.. Johnson was asked.
About 5000"
How many Of the indictments were
dismissed"
only one-that against McMurray
After the McMurray indictm.nt was
returned I was Called to Washington
took all the papers there. After nine
days Assistant Attorney General Rus
sell told me the indictments were to
be investigated also met Mr. Lyon
He said he had been summoned to
Washington by telegraph. When
got back home | was told that the In
dictment against McMurray had been
dismissed"
Cub Ream, an Indian, testified he
had been prevented from getting the
position Of delegate to Washington for
the Chickasaw tribe because he was
opposed to the McMurray contracts.
w. Fl. Paul, a Chickasaw, told OF
having received a share Of $4,000 for
getting the McMurray contracts
signed
Attorneys for McMurray put on wit
nesses In favor OF the contracts.