Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1902-04-03
SENSATION BY
RICHARDSON
DEMOCRATIC HOUSE LEADER
CHARGES BRIBERY.
~ DANISH INDIES DEAL
Says Half Million Dollars Was Used
in Corrupt Transactions and Names
Prominent Men in Charges-Sena-
tor CuarIes Speaks for Anti-Oleo
Bill.

Washington, March PA genuine
sensation was caused in the house
yesterday by the presentation by Nj
! Richardson of Tennessee, the demo
cratic leader, Of charges alleging the
corrupt use of 100000 in connection
with the sale of the Danish West In
dies. The charges were contained in
an alleged secret report of Captain
Walter Christmas. to the Danish gov
eminent in which he declared he had
employed corrupt means of bringing
negotiations for the sale of the islands
to contamination. The report, eX-
tracts from which Mr.. Richardson
Mckinley and his partner Colonel
Brown, and c. w Knox, who is de-
scribed as an intimate friend of SEN
ator Hanna" Richard P. Evans, who
is said TO represent Mr.. Gardner and
his friends in the house." and two
press associations. the names of which
are not given, as having been interest
ed in the matter.
The charges against the members of
congress are not specific. Upon the
basis of this report, Mr.. Richardson
asked the adoption of a resolution for
the appointment of an investigating
committee of seven. The speaker
ruled the matter privileged after Mr.
Richardson had amended his resolu-
| ton SO as to specifically include the
members Of the house. Great excite
ment attended the whole proceeding.
Mr.. Cannon of Illinois insisted that
Mr.. Richardson's presentation was
fragmentary and that the whole mat
ter should go over until today in or
der that members might read the doc
uments presented, which included
newspaper extracts, affidavits, ETC., in
record. Christmas, he declared, on
his own statement was a briber and
worse, but the house voted down the
motion to postpone and the resolution
after being amended in minor partic-
ulars was adopted The speaker i'm
mediately appointed the following
committee to make the investigation:
Massrs. DalzeIl (rep., Pa, Hit (rep.,
I'D. Cousins (rep., la, Mccall (rep.,
Mass.), Richardson (dem., TENN,
Dinsmore Cdem,, Ark, Cowherd
dem, Mo-.
The army appropriation bill subse-
quently passed without material
amendment.
Quarles Talks on OEeo.
IN the senate Mr.. Harris Of Kansas
and Mr.. Quarles of Wisconsin spoke
on the oleomargarine bill Senator
Harris supported the measure, but
urged the amendment which he pro-
posed, tC place tax of 10 cents per
pound on adulterated butter and reg
ulating the manufacture and sale of
renovated butter, ought to be adopted.
Senator Quarles vigorously denounced
the OleOmaTgarine industry as at pres
ent conducted as a fraud and insisted
million dairymen, but also of the
whole American people, the pending
bill ought to be enacted into law.
Taking advantage of the latitude the
debate offered by the senate rules,
Senator Patterson of Colorado sharply
criticized the methods by which Gen.
Funston captured AguinaldO, and
sought to show that Funston's state
ment that he had not violated the ar
ticles of civilized warfare were not
accurate. The senate adjourned until
Monday.