Omaha daily bee., 1902-04-02
PLAN TO STOP ISLAND SALE
Exposition Of Christmas Report on West
Indian Case Explained,
NEILS GRoN TESTHts BEFORE COMMITTEE
Fully Denies Making Any Contract
with Christmas and Refutes
story Of Deal with Abner
Mckinley.

Mckinley.
WASHINGTON, April THE investiea-
tion OF charges made in connection with the
Danish West indies purchase was begun
today before the special committee APP
pointed by Speaker Henderson. Besides the
members OF the committee there was pres
ent Nlels Gron, who brought the charges
to the attention OF Representative Richard
son, and quite a number Of interested Spec
tators.
Mr.. Gron was the first witness sworn BY
Chairman Dalzell. The witness spoke in
good English, with a slight Danish accent.
He said that in February last parties in
Copenhagen who opposed the transfer Of the
Danish West Indies to the United States
conferred with him and brought to his at
tention the Christmas report.
Chairman Dalzell asked who these parties
were. The witness said they we're members
Of the Danish upper house, but he did not
think 1t proper to give their names. Mr..
Gron said he was at present the repre-
sentative In this country of these parties.
Mr.. Gron gave way temporarily to Rep
resentative Alexander Of Buffalo, who de-
sired to make a complete disclaimer OF any
knowledge OF Christmas or the Danish
transaction. Mr.. Alexander said he had
never seen Christmas, had never spoken TO
anyone in or out OF congress as to the DAN
ish treaty and never heard it discus I'd at
any time or place by anyone until at. r the
recent presentation of the matter to the
house.
Acted on OPpositIon's Orders.
Continuing his statement Mr.. Gron ex-
planned how the Danish parties opposing q
sale OF the islands had persuaded him to
come to Washington and place the Christ
mas report before congress and the public
so that the fact would be known. He told
OF having secured a note of introduction to
General Grosvenor Of Ohio, Of arranging to
meet the latter in Washington, his purpose
being, he said, to carry out assurances
given at Copenhagen that he would place
the matter before influential men and thus
bring it to the attention Of congress and
the public.
Gron told in great detail Of bringing the
papers before General Grosvenor. who at
first seemed quite indignant. Mr.. Gron
said, and spoke OF laying the matter before
the proper parties in order that suitable
action might be taken. The witness said
that later General Grosvenor concluded that
1t would be proper to lay the matter before
the secretary of state. This was done and
Mr.. Gron said he learned that the State
department held that 1t could take no ac-
tion and that the authorities here had in no
way committed themselves to Christmas.
offered II to Associated Press.
Gron said that after Grosvenor had de-
cided not to proceed with the matter he
CGron) had prepared a statement for the
Associated Press and had asked Mr.. Crane,
n nauvonahar ynon 81 .A -.
Associated Press to him for the statement
and also to General Grosvenor for assur-
ances as to Gron's standing. He learned
later through Mr.. Crane that General Gros-
venor said he knew nothing about it. He
said he was informed the day after he sub
mitted the statement that the Associated
Press could not use 1t. Afterward, he said,
ne submitted his statement to several
newspapers and more or less Of II was
printed.
The witness then detailed how he had
placed the matter before Representatives
Richardson and Underwood, who had gone
over the papers.
what wac your purpose in bringing Il
before the members - asked Mr.. Dalzeli.
ITO get 1t into the house and bring II
before the American people" answered the
witness.
In response to inquiries the witness took
up various branches OF the case. He said
he represented those constituting the mo
sale" party in Denmark.
Denies Jealousy with Christmas.
He referred to the reports that he CGron)
had himself been trying to obtain a COM
mission for the sale OF the islaRds and that
the whole matter was a quarrel between
Christmas and himself over the commission.
This Mr., Gron denied and in support read
a letter. stating that an old alliance between
certain Danish men and Americans. in the
fall OF 1897, was declared OF eighteen
months ago. He mentioned the names of
l.. H.. Rogers, Charles r. Flint and himself
as the Americans interested at that time
In negotiating the sale OF the islands.
Asked specifically regarding a statement
In the Christmas report to the effect that
the Rogers had agreed to accomplish the
sale of the islands for 10 per cent Of the
purchase money, Mr.. Gron declared there
was no such agreement. He described how
the negotiations conducted by the commit
tees in Denmark and in America had
progressed almost to a successful conclu-
sion just before the Spanish war, when
they were declared of in Denmark.
Tried to Reopen Negotiations.
Mr.. Gron said he undertook to reopen
the negotiations after the war. The am
mittees in Copenhagen and America had not
been dissolved. Christmas came to the
United States in December, 1899. MI. Gron
was closely questioned as to whether a
proposition was made for Christmas and
Rogers and himself to divide the commits
sion. He replied that there were various
propositions.
Asked as to the threat attributed 10 sRoR-
ers in the Christmas report I'm which Rog-
ers was made to say that he had twenty
six votes In the senate and could defeat the
negotiations) Mr., Gron said he never was
present at an interview between Rogers and
Christmas. He never had heard Mr.. Rogers
make such a threat. He denied absolutely
the statement that he (Gron) had signed a
contract with Christmas by which he
(Gron) and Rogers were to have two-thirds
OF the commission.
He never had made any contract Of any
character with Christmas, but the latter
had made over a power OF attorney to him
which later he tGron) repudiated. Mr..
Rogers saw Christmas. be testified, but
once. After that Rogers refused to see
Christmas or answer his letters or tele-
grams.
AS TO the interview, in which Christmas
was made to say that he had negotiations
"a Ahaa. |