New-York tribune., 1900-05-21
dc sho,,d NOT he acquired by the

In witness whereof we have hereunto set
our hands and seals. the day and date herein
before stated IN duplicate.
w CHRISTMAS DIRKIMcK KIN SI HoLMEEkEp MEsEe IseaIl'
witnesses; srrpv RICHARD +. EVANS iseaiI-
FRANK II; THOMAS.
March IL 1900
New-York City y Y. March ls. 1900.
In consideration of the services rendered and
10 be rendered. Captain w. V. Dirkinck- Holm
field. by Richard p. Evans. attorney and coun-
selor at law as forth in the foregoing agree
ment l. Carl Fischer Hansen. hereby agree to
become surety for the payment to said Richard
p Evans Of the fee and compensation named in
said agreement, and authorize him to draw upon
me for the amount due him when the same shall
be payable under the conditions and stpuations
Of said agreement.
Z. A STERN '-''--->
March I3 1900
Borough of Of Manhattan, County of Ne"-York. City Of
hereby certify that the signature of the fore
going surety is the genuine signature Of Carl
Fischer Hansen. and signed by him In my
JAMES ]. THORNLEY,. JR.
state Of New-YoTk. Borough Of Manhattan City and
On this 18TH day Of March, A. D.. 1900. before
me personally came and appeared Captain w.
V. Christmas Dirkinck- Holmfeld and Carl
Fischer Hansen. to me known and known TO be
the two individuals described in the foregoing.
and who executed the foregoing agreements, and
JAMES J. THORNLEY,. JR.
Certificate fled IN New-York County.
BIG COMMISSIONS PROMISED.
Hansen appeared as the special counsel for
the Government OF Denmark" in the matter. as
ieurety. generally. His share understood
TO be very large in the contingency of success.
The fact that Christmas was TO get from two
and a hale 10 three millions from the sale.
while Denmark get only million, does
not appear to have impressed any OF his part
ners with the fishipess Of the whole enterprise.
unless it was as cleverly concealed from them
as ii from Representative Gardner. of New
Jersey, who induced to introduce the bill
in the House appropriating S4OO0.0oO for the
purchase. According to the version of the affair
which was current to-day In Washington, Gard
ner was convinced that the Administration fa-
vored the measure. and that he could distinguish
himself as the father of the purchase" This
version continues follows:
Members of Congress who urged to sup
port the measure were told that Germany was
negotiating for the islands and that it would
be necessary for the United States Government
TO act at once or show a disposition to treat
in the matter, or Germany would acquire posses
sion Of the West Indies. The statement was
made that Germany proposed to cede to Den
mark the Province of Schleswig- -Holstein in ex-
change for the islands. In this statement Christ
and Hansen took advantage Of the ig-
norance of American Legislators concerning af-
fairs in Germany
CAPTAIN CHRISTMAS'S RECORD.
Christmas is about forty-fve years DID, and
comes from a prominent Danish family. He
a lieutenant in the Danish navy for time
and then resigned. He then Joined the Siamese
army, and made captain He fought
against the French at the battle of Bangkok.
Altogether he has had very adventurous
career and this abortive project for the sale
OF the Danish Islands TO the United States on
commission originated with him. He first or
Eanized his syndicate in Copenhagen. and
claimed to have secured a promise from the
King that the sum Of S1.000.000 would be
cepted for the islands. and that any amount
realized and above that sum would go to
the agency consummating the sale. According
to Captain Christmas, he first went 20 Germany
and attempted TO negotiate the islands to that
Government. Among those whom he claimed
to have interested in his project was Admiral
Tirpitz of the German ravy and number Of
a large number of contracts Were signed 10 Sc
the consummatiOn Of the deal, and all
seemed TO be going favorably TO Christmas and
his scheme until the Government refused to
consider the proposition, the principal reason
being that the purchase of the islands by Ger
many might be regarded by the United States
an infringement of the Monroe Doctrine and
would lead to complications which the value
OF the islands would not Justify.
Then Christmas came to the United States
with his alleged option and after "syndicat
ing himself sufficiently he has disappeared,
probably to try operation at Paris.
The house jefferson Seligman. No. II East
Sixty-ninth-st.. closed for the summer when
visited by a Tribune reporter last night and it
said there that Mr.. Seligman had gone 10
Europe about two weeks ago. Neither Washing
ton Seligman nor Carl Fischer-Hansen could be
found last night.