The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-03-01
BRIBERY CHARGES
 NOT SUSTAINED House Committee Fails to Convict McMurray CORE MADE CHARGES Senator Gore Had Charged Indian At torneys With an Attempt to
 Bribe Certain Members
 of Congress
CORE MADE CHARGES

Washington, February 2S.-The spe- cial committee of the House appoint ed last summer to investigate Senator Cores charges of attempted bribery in connection with J. w. McMurray's In- dian attorney contacts in Oklahoma, made it's 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 improper pro posal to Senator Gore respecting the McMurray contracts and that about June 16S 1910, he approached Repre- sentative Charles F. Creager with an improper proposition on the same sub ject. The committee finds no evidence, however. to show that Hamcn was act ing by authority of or with the con- sent or knowledge of McMurray."
 On this ground the committee ex- onerated McMurray of any connection with an attempt to improperly influence members of the House or Senate.
 It does find that lie used more than undue influence" to get the support of Green McCurtain and son, Dr. C. McCurtain, in getting these contracts by transferring az contingent interest of s25,Ooo in tnel contracts to D. c. McCurtain.
 "The committee says the report, further believes that the mental con ditions existing among members of the Choctaw aud Chickasaw tribes in re- spect to e good faith of the United States g6vernment in dealing with them, hAd been largely brought about through an effort by McMurray and memBcrs of the tribes financially in ter4sted or smpathetically cooper a a1hg with him to create a sentiment which was designed to aid McMurray in Ibbtaining lucrative contracts" The committee finds that no member of the House or Senate had any in- terest whatever in the McMurray con- tracts. The intimation that Represen- tative Bird S. Mcclure of Oklahoma had some interest is found to be without fact, says the committee, and to have arisen from the friendly relations eX- istng between sMcGuire and McMur- ray.
 The connection of Former Senator Chester I. Long of Kansas and Former Senator John M. Thurston of Nebraska with the McMurray contracts is held to have been entirely proper. being simply the interests of attorneys properly en- ployed. Both were employed in a legal way after they had left the Senate.
 The committee finds also that a lobby existed in Washington during the last session in the interest of the McMurray contracts; but does not find any evidence that it resorted to corrupt practices or that improper overtures were made to members of Congress except in the case of Jakel Hamon, who is found to have proceeded without McMurray's know ledge or approval.
 The majority report of the committee is signed by it's chairman Charles H. Burke of South Dakota and by Repre- sentative Clarence B. Miller of Mime. sota, and Representative Philip P. Camp bell of Kansas.
 Representative E. W. Saunders of Vir- ginia concurs in the findings of the com mittee, but does not sign the entire ma jority report. Representative John H. Stephens of Texas, presented a minority report
 The committee found that fees had been paid to attorneys amounting to nearly $4.000,000 and some of them were unconscionable and in contravention of public policy, notwithstanding the fact that they had the direct or indirect ap- rroval of Congress"
 Many Indian claims. antiquated and without meritorious basis" said the re- port. "have been trumped up against Ahe governmSnt by industrious attorneys claim agents and professional lobbyists, until there is now pending in one form or other in the departments and before Congress, claims of this character amounting to many millions of dollars"