The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-08-04
BLIND SENATOR
NAMES SHERMAN
------------.--
Will be Asked to Give Names Of
Men Who Offered
Brides.
INDIAN LANDS AT STAKE
Nav Are Preset to Attend Investi-
CATION Which Opens in Musk
ogee-Personal of Com
mittee.

MCsKOGEE. OKLA, Aug. Sen
Vce-President sherman as one OF the
men Interested In the McMurray In
dian land contracts, through which 1t
was intended TO put through a 49,.
100000 deal. and in connection with
which the blind Senator alleges that
he was offered bride OF $4,000 to
lend his support to measures to put
the deal through
Jacob Hamon, former Republi-
can committeeman from Oklahoma,
was named as the man who had Of
fered Gore the bride. The money was
offered him In Washington May 6.
Gore said. and when he refused to
accept the s25. 900 bride ii was raised
TO $4,000.
Senator Cores first charges were
made on the floor of the Senate in
Washington end no names we're men
toned.
Mr.. Gore told his story in fun to-
day to the special congressional COM
mittee investigating the charges,
MISKOGEF, OKLA. August A.
Senator Thomas H. Gore was the first
witness called before the congress
sionaI committee which opens here
| to-day in it's investigation into the
| charges made by Gore during the last
| session of Congress that he mad been
| offered bribe of $4,000 to have
| certain Choctaw and Chickasaw In
| dian coal land contracts approved
A trf pFfl "a ha
| contracts held by j. G. McMurray
| The first evidence offered was a
| letter written to Senator La Toilette
! by Gore prior to Cores election &c
| the Senate. This letter was merely
| to show the interest he had taken In
! the Indian matters. Gore said.
! The Senator then stated that Nc
! Murray came to his office in Washing
! ton last winter and asked his assist
ance in the matter of Legislation
/ which would provide the payment OF
! fee of 8 per cent. on freeman land
! contracts amounting to S27, 900.
/ In making his charges in Congress
| Senator Gore did not give the names
/ Of the men who offered the bride
/ lie says that during the investigation
he will disclose the details of the
scheme, together with the names OF
! the men back of 1t.
Gore alleges that the contracts
| which he was asked to get approved
would have thrown Indian lands val
| ued at 100000 into the hands Of
| private attorneys.
Many Present.
! Besides the members of the inves
tigating committee, many others In
| terested in Indian lands are now here
| Among these are Cecil Lyon chair
man of the Texas republican Stat
! committee, who was charged by Con
| gresham Murphy with having assist
ed in working for the approval Of tn,
contracts, and Urmsby McHarg. for
mer assistant secretary of commerc,
and labor, counsel for the Croctap
| Indians.
The investigating committee i
headed by Congressman Charles II
| Burke. of South Dakota. Others OF
the committee are: Congressman
| Campbell. Kansas; Miller. Minnesota
Stephens. Texas, and Saunders, Yves
| Virginia
McMurray's counsel will claim tina
, the contracts made with the Indian
| were valid. as the Choctaws are mem
bers OF what Is known as the fiv
civilized tribes. and had the right O
citizenship. and has the right 10 max
! contracts. 1t Will be denied that an.
bride was offered.
After taking evidence at Musk o
gee, the committee will visit McAles
| ter, Oklahoma City and other point
| where efforts will be made to secur
| from the Indians direct informa tiol
| as to the drawing OF the contracts.
Gore said he told McMurray ne wa.
against paying out of the Indian fund.-
any money for attorneys fees. excep
where services were actually required
and rendered. and further notified
McMurray that ne was opposed tc
the individual contracts with Indian!
calling for fees OF 10 per cent of tn.
proceeds of the sale of segregated
coal lands,
| 1t was on these contracts. Gore
charged, that the bribe of $4,000
| had been offered.