The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-01-09
Former Kansas Senator Testi-
fies Before House Committee.
Tells of Contract With McMur-
ray on 10 Per Cent Basis.
DID NOT USE "SHALL."
Imperative Word Not in His
Amendment Draft.
Carbon Copy Different From
What He Gets Credit For.

Washington, Jan. 9.-If the contracts
of ]. F. McMurray with the Choctaw
and ChickaSaW Indians had been ap-
proved by the president, former Sena-
tor Chester l. Long of Kansas would
have received probably half million dol
lars from the sale of the coal lands.
This was disclosed at a hearing be-
fore the house committee investigating
the Gore bribery charge. Gore had
charged that he was Offered $4,000 to
withdraw his opposition to the McMur-
ray contract and a congressional COM
mittee is investigating these charges.
Mr.. Long made a statement to the
committee of his connection with the
MeMurray contracts His contract as
attorney with McMurray, he Said rep
resented a one-tenth interest in the
amount to be received by McMurray as
his commission
A Tenth of Five Millions.
In his testimony before the commit
tee at Muskogee McMurray stated that
he believed he could sell the coal lands
for approximately so million dollars
and that, according to his contracts, he
was to be paid one-tenth of the total
amount accruing from the sale, or B
million dollars.
Mr.. Long Informed the committee
that he had appeared on McMurray S
behalf at a hearing before Attorney
General Wickersham. to whom the con-
tracts had been referred by President
Taft On that occasion, he said he
conducted an examination of McMurray
in order to place the matters in which.
he was interested before the attorney
general. When asked by Chairman
Burke whether his employment was
contingent, Mr.. Long replied that it
was.
Have you any objection to telling
the committee what your percentage
was to be?" asked the chairman.
None whatever" was the reply. Il
was to receive one-tenth of what MT.
McMurray received.
Senator Long said that he had done
absolutely nothing for McMurray since
the investigation started and would do
nothing. in the future unless the con-
tracts were approved.
Did Not Use 'Shall.'
It was also developed in his testl-
mony that he did not draft the snali
approve" amendment to the approprla-
ton bill that started the row which
resulted in Senator Cores making his
sensational speech on the floor of the
senate, in which he alleged a bride OF
So, 900 had been offered him.
Chairman Burke Informed Mr.. Long.
that the understanding had been that
he handed the amendment to Senator
Gallinger,- who was member OF the
conference committee
Mr.. Long said he had drafted an
amendment authorizing the president
to approve contracts with individual
Indians, but that he used the words
may approve" He showed the COM
mittee that this amendment, a carbon
copy of which he had with him, was
quite different from the amendment he
had been credited with having handed
to Senator Gallinger.
Chairman Burke and other members
of the committee obviously were sur
prised. The record contains q letter
from Senator Gallinger in which he
states that the amendment was handed
to him by former Senator Long. The
latter said he had not the remotest idea
when, where or by whom the word
may was changed to shall.
Optional With the President.
Mr.. Long said that his amendment
was open to only one construction-"th the
individual contracts may be approved.
while the one adopted in conference
was open to the additional construction
that the approval was mandatory and
the president must or shall approve.
Mr. Long said that at the department
of justice hearing both the old tribal
contracts for the sale of the segregated
coal and asphalt lands of the Choctaws
and Chickasaws and the individual con-
tracts were under consideration. but it
was understood that McMurray had no
intention of claiming a fee under both.
He said he had suggested in memo
randum an entirely new contract with
the consent of officials of the two tribes
and the government, at fee satisfac-
tory to all of the interests involved.