Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1911-03-01
GORE CHARGES FALL
FLAT; NJ MURRAY
EXONE RATED
HARMON ALONE GUILTY
OF IMPROPER CONDUCT
House Committee Finds No Evi-
dence of Corruption of Con-
greSSmeni Former Senators
Were Legally Employed,
IBy Morning Journal Special Leased wirsl

committee of the house appointed last
summer to investigate Senator Cores
charge of attempted bribery In con-
nection with j. w. McMurray's In
dian attorney contracts In Oklahoma
made its final report TO the house to-
night. The majority of the committee
finds that Jake l.. Hamon actually
did, about May 6, 1910. make an im-
proper proposal to Senator Gore re-
specting the McMurray contracts and
that about June 16. 1910, he APP
preached Representative Charles f..
Creager with an improper proposal on
the same subject.
The committee finds no evidence,
acting by authority Of, or with the
consent or knowledge OF McMurray.
The committee exonerates McMur-
ray of any connection with an attempt
improperly to influence members OF
the house or senate. IL does find,
however, that he used more than 'un-
due influence" to secure the support
of Chief Green McCurtain and his
son, ID. c. McCurtain, in getting these
contracts, by transferring contln-
gent interest of $25,000 In the con-
tracts to ID. c. McCurtain.
The committee finds that no MEM
Der of the house or senate had any
interest whatever in the McMurray
contracts. The intimation that Rep
resentative Byrd $. Mcclure. OF Ok
lahoma had some such interest Is
found to be without fact and to have
arisen from the friendly relations ex-
listing between Mr.. Mcclure and Mr..
McMurray
The connection of Former Senator
Chester ]. Long of Kansas and For
mer Senator John M. Thurston. Of Me-
braska, with the McMurray contracts
is held to have been entirely proper,
being slmpiy the interests of attor-
neys properly employed. Beth were
employed In a legal way after they
had left the senate.
with reference to the findings In
relation to the employment OF Former
Senator Thurston and Former Senator
Long says the report the commit
tee Is of the opinion while they were
lawfully employed to represent Mr..
McMurray in the matter of his con-
tracts, McMurray undoubtedly was
actuated in engaging their services
by the fact that they had served in
the senate and therefore occupied an
vantageous positions in the matter OF
assisting him to secure the approval
of his contracts or procuring such
legislation as might be necessary TO !
secure their approval"
The committee also finds that a
lobby existed in Washington during
the last session in the interest OF the |
McMurray contracts; but does not
find any evidence that II resulted re- |
sorted to corrupt practices that i'm
proper overtures were made TO MEM /
bers Of congress except In the case
have proceeded with McMurrays
knowledge or approval
The majority report of the commit
tee is signed by its chairman Charles
III. Burke of South Dakota and by
Representative Clarence II. Miller, Of
Minnesota and representative Philip
p Camblell Of Kansas. Representa-
tive f. w. Sanders of Virginia acqules-
ced in the findings and the report
but does not sign the entire majority
report.
Representative John Il. Stevens OF
Texas, presented a minority report.
The committees Investigations, car
ried on in oklahoma and In Wash
ington, went into all phases OF the
Indian attorney question. The Nc
Murray contracts. which were reject
ed by President Roosevelt and which
is was proposed that congress should ,
were supposed to involve .
contingent fees of about s3.00Q,000.
The committee found that fees had ,
been paid to attorneys amounting to {
nearly $4.000,000 and some Of them
wer exorbltant" and In contravention ,
Of public policy, notwithstanding tile 1
'act that they had the direct or indl- 4
.ect approval of congress"
The minority report, signed alone I
~ Representative stephens, of Texas, /
avs the statements made by Senator
iore to put the house on Its guard I
md prevented the approval of the !
dcMurray contracts, thus defeating I
these outrageous contracts which, II
atifled, would have despoiled the In
lians of several million dollars" I
Mr.. Stephens report maintains that 9
here was powerful lobby engaged O
" McMurray. who says the minority ,
eport admits having in his employ o
ormer United States Senators Long OF :
Kansas. and Thurston of Nebraska,
nd also Richard G. Adams, an at :
prney at Washington.
"The duty OF these employees said
he report. would compel them To
obby through congress mt that sos
ion the very kind of an amendment
hat Representative Mcclure says he
ecelved from either McMurray or
Governor Johnson and had Mr.. Taw-
ey offered IL as an amendment TO ]
bill before conference committee =
Mr.. stephens says Senator Gore was ;
pproaehed by Jake l.. IIamon sub. i
tantlally as charged by Gore; that ]
Iamon probably was acting by nu- Il
iorlty or with knowledge OF Me- I