The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-05-02
DANISH WEST INDIES
Sharp Contest for Them Going
On Under the Surface.
THIEVES FALLING OUT
Gives Honest Men and the
Monroe Doctrine a Show

New York, May 1.-The Times publishes
an elaborate articles declaring that Sec
rotary of War Roots address at the
Grant dinner last Friday night, in which
he limited at the possibility of war to
maintain the Monroe Doctrine, was called
forth by an intrigue concerning the Dan
ish West India islands. 1t appears that
H. H ROBBERS. of the Standard OIL com
pany, made a verbal agreement with
sale of the islands he should receive
commission of 10 per cent of the purchase
price. Captain w. Won Christmas Dirck-
inck-Hohenfeld has also been acting as
agent of the Danish government. All ac
counts agree that Denmark is very anx-
ious to get rid of her West Indian pos
sessions. Mr.. Rogers and Captain Christ
mas having quarrels, and the former
having negotiations that did not recog
nize his rights as agent, Captain Christ
mas advised Secretary Hay of a plan to
exchange the islands with Germany for
territory in Europe. He states that I'M
India islands matter before June l, a
scheme viii be carried out to exchange
the islands with Germany for the whole
or a part of North Schleswig, which,
with Holstein was taken from Denmark
by Germany in 1867 and which country
has always been the fondest hope of all
Danes to recover.
The sudden appearance in this country
of Secretary White, Of the American en-
bassy in London, has also to do with this
matter Of the sale of the Danish West
India islands, according 10 the Times.
Mr.. White was the agent of the United
States in Denmark during the negotia-
tons and to him the Danish government
named the price it wanted for the
islands, between 100000 and s4OOo,0o0.
Mr.. White, it is said, failed to tell the
state department that the United States
would have to buy the islands during
this session of congress or abandon all
hope forever of getting possession of
them, and he also did not impress upon
the state department the fact that fail
ing the negotiations with the United
States, Germany was sure to get posses
sion, either through cession or lease. 1t
the state department while congress is
still in session that Mr.. White was sum
moned here.
1t was not until the early part of 1899
that negotiations concerning the Danish
West Indian islands were taken I'D. AT
that time Captain Christmas was So
journing in Germany as retired captain
Of the Danish navy. He has noI% lust
returned from trip to the Danish West
India islands. where he has been max
ing maps of the harbors and fortifica-
tons. He was approached by a syndi-
of Germans. who asked him to use
his influence in Copenhagen to obtain
from the Danish government a contract
with Germany by which the latter could
purchase the island of St. John Captain
Christmas was not slow in asserting that
this would be next to impossible, for the
reason that the United States would
neither allow Denmark to sell the islands
to foreign power, nor would It allow
Germany to purchase it, because of the
Monroe Doctrine. In his report, Captain
Christmas attaches the proposition of the
syndicate TO his papers. This shows that
the head of the syndicate was Admiral
Won THROW of the Royal German navy,
and that he and others of the syndicate
had. in anticipation of the ceding or sale
OF the island to Germany, bought I'D op-
tons of all land adjacent to the harboros,
and so, in the event Of the acquisition of
the island by Germany, he and the mem
bers of the syndicate stood in the DO
Stion Of virtual owners of the land. and
could dictate terms to the purchasing
power
When the impossibi'ity of this scheme
was pointed out to Admiral Won THROW.
he asked Captain Christmas to obtain
other concessions for the syndicate.
among them to form German colony on
the island under the Danish flag. and
permission 10 use the harbor as a coaling
station for German vessels. CAPTAIN
Christmas, while apparently falling in
with their scheme laid the whole matter
before Minister Hoering in its true light.
The outcome Of this was that the permits
sion was denied. on diplomatic grounds.
| the Danish government recognizing that.
should any such complications arise. the
sale of the islands 10 the United States
/ would be next TO impossible. This led
10 captain Christmas coming to America.
captain Christmas according to the
Times had an interview with President
Mckinley and pointed out the Importance
OF purchasing the islands As a conse-
quence, Secretary White was sent from
London TO negotiate directly with Den
mark His mission became known TO Mr.
Rogers. Insisting on his 10 per cent COM
mission. and declaring that he would
prevent a sale 10 the United States IN
less he received $209,eo0 Rogers became
involved in a quarrel with Captain
Christmas. ThereuDon. the captain re-
vealed 10 Secretary Hay the entire story
OF German intrigue It seems that Den
mark is now disposed to make the deal
with Germany II has been said by those
Who are close to the Danish government
| that King Christian viii not allow the
United States 10 plead the Monroe Doc
trine as bar 20 negotiations with Ger
many for the ceGing of the islands 10
other countries. He viii maintain that he
| has already given the Monroe Doctrine
sufficient consideration in that he offered
! a number OF times TO sell the islands TO
the United States, and every time the
negotiations have fallen through on ae-
count Of the failure OF congress TO ratifv
/ the agreement.
Z