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Show VICE-PRESIDENT NOT INTERESTED Finding of Committee Probing Gore's Charges Fully Exonerates Ex-onerates Sherman. SENATOR CURTIS ALSO HELD TO BE GUILTLESS Senator Gore, in Statement, Implies That Hanion Lied in Approaching Him. By Associated Press. SULPHUK, Okla., Aug. 20. Tho select committee appointed by the houso of representatives to .investigate Indian In-dian land affairs and the B0-callcd Mc-Murray Mc-Murray contracts and -which also has been investigating the ' Gore bribery charges tonight issued tho following statement: v "Tho committee has heard and carefully care-fully considered all of 'the testimony submitted and is unanimous in the opinion that there is and -was no warrant war-rant for any person to use the names of Vice-President Sherman and. Senator Sen-ator Charles Curtis in connection with any improper relation with any Indian In-dian contractu. -whatever." This is the opinion of tho comniit-tco comniit-tco after hearing scores of witnesses who appoarod following tho testimony of Senator T. P. Gore. Senator Gore declared he had been approached by Jake L. Hamon and that Uamon, acting act-ing in the interest of J. P. McMurray, had offered him (Senator Gore) $25,-000 $25,-000 or $50,000 as a bribo to promoto in congress the contracts by -which McMurray Mc-Murray wns to receive 10 per cent attorney's at-torney's fees on the salo of $30,000,-' 000 worth of Indian lands. Question of Veracity. The senator testified Hamon mentioned men-tioned Senator Curtis and Vice-President Sherman as being "interested" 'in the deal, Mr. Sherman being named as tho man "higher up." Hamon, on the stand, denied ho had ever said anything about the contracts to Gore. The committee's report was Higcd by Representatives Charles Burke, South Dakota; C. B. Millor, Minnesota; E. W. Saunders, Virginia; J. H. Stephens, Texas; and Philip II. Campbell, Camp-bell, Kansas. Tn giving its decision today the committee com-mittee announced it had rcccivod from Senator Gore a statement relative to Vice-President Sherman and Senator Curtis and that the committee "commended "com-mended Senator Gore's statement." This statement from Senator Gore, which was read and inserted iniJhc official record of tho ivcstigationr'Tol-lows: ivcstigationr'Tol-lows: t Gore '3 Statement. ( "To the investigating committee: "I feel in duty and in honor bound fo make tho following statement; also, in consideration of common justico toward to-ward the parties concerned. Neither the name of Vice-President Shcrmnn, nor Sonator Curtis was mentioned by me on the floor of the United States Senate. That tho name of cither of these parties was alluded to by Mr. Hamon was steadfastly withheld from tho public until this investigation began. be-gan. "No public mention of their names was over mado cither directly or indi-, rectly by me until I wns required and obliged to do so testifying as a witness undor oath and detailing tho conversation conversa-tion which occurred between Mr. Hamon Ha-mon and myself. I then made formal protest against introduciug their names out the committee in the proper pursuit of its duties required me. to make a full answer without reservation. Told Only the Truth. "Their names wero disclosed not with any view to inculpating them, nor with any view of suggesting guilt, but morely in order that the truth" and the whole truth, might be related -with roferonco to tho details to tho conversation conver-sation in question. The public must realize that the name ot any man could bo used or misused in tho same connection cither as an argumont or otherwise, and no public official cau havo immunity and protection against such an injury and injustice. "In my last remarks in tho senato 1 said that 'the integrity of no man can boi impeachod upon the testimony of an interested or untrustworthy wit-news'; wit-news'; that was my conviction then. That is my conviction now. I am sure that in th'o court of public opinion, no judgment, or verdict tins been returned either against the vice-president or Senator Curtis on account of the misuse mis-use of their names. ' Significance of Evidonce. "The in ostiiration is now practically practical-ly concludod. Many witnesses have b'ecn oxnminod, a volume of evidence has boon adduced and there is no 'testimony 'testi-mony tending to establish any improper connection on the part of either official with tho approval of the so-called McMurray Mc-Murray contracts. While the public has had no reason lo suspoct any such improper connection, yet I would venture ven-ture to suggest., nnd if I may bo pardoned, par-doned, would request, that tho commit-too commit-too at the earliest practicable moment mako an authoritativo finding and statement to tho effect that no evidonce has boon presentod touding to establish estab-lish anv improper conduct on tho part of oitfier Vice-President Sherman or Sonator Curtis, respecting tho subjoct of this investigation." McMurray StUl Testifying. Tho committee announced that the investigation had not been concludod. McMurray -will continue his testimony on Monda3'. Much of McMurray 'a testimony tes-timony today related to Richard C. Adams, an attorney of Washington. Aftor President Taft had permitted to bo mado public a lettor in which ho cx Continued on Pnga Two. -i- - "r"T-'ws" V VICE-PRESIDENT ' NOT INTERESTED Continued from Paco Ono. pressed a belief that tho Indian enrollment en-rollment should not be reopened and that only tho Indians now on the rolls should be allowed to participate in the division of tho lauds, McMurray had many of the Indians send telegrams to Adams commending the president's at-titudo at-titudo and incidentally recommending tho McMurray contracts. These telegrams worG afterwards turned over to the attorney general by former Sonator John M. Tlhurston, McMurray Mc-Murray 's counsel, this being the 11 unsolicited" un-solicited" sentiment of the Indians. Tho witness said Mr. Thurston probably was mistaken when he said the telegrams wero "unsolicited," McMurray also stated it to be his belief that President Taft and the attorney at-torney goneral were not aware that Adams was in McMurray's employ. It was also brought out that when McMurray Mc-Murray received his $750,000 fee in the citizenship cases, a claim for 300,000 of the fee was made by M. A. Low, an attorney of Topoka, Kns., nnd W. T. Evans, an attornoy of St. Louis. Still Moro Denials. McMurray said ho had talked to both of these men concerning his case, but he had not agreed to give them part' of his fee, and they received no part. McMurray denied ho ever had made any loans' to Representative C. E. Crea-ger Crea-ger of Oklahoma, but admittod that Creagor had asked him for a loan. Before leaving Senator Gore, said: "Tho investigation is ncaring completion. com-pletion. I am entirely satisfiod .with the result. It will evontuate inhnito good to the people of Oklahoma, both to the white man and to the red ninn. The affairs of the Indian will be wound up, and without .charge or cost to him. "Whatever sacrifice may have .been entailed on my part I submit choorfully. A public official must discharge his duties, du-ties, at any cost and at any sacrifice I am content. Whatevor abuso and calumny may havo been poured out on me is but ono of those things which must be expected by a public official in the pursuit of his duty." |