The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-04-05


title of honorable which | always took
+ the pains to use.
You said to me that you were acting
| for the administration, and that it was
| in compliance with the wishes of Presi-
dent Mckinley and Secretary Hay and
! for the benefit of my plans that a GER
/ tain bill was introduced in Congress by
Congressman Gardner, looking to the
purchase of the West Indian Islands.
. You told me further that you were one
/ of the leading spirits in the Associated
Press and that as the country demanded
the islands you would permit your bu-
J reau TO express that sentiment. On the
basis of all this you succeeded in eXtort-
ing from ME a contract not to speak of
money that your co-conspirators have
gotten away from me at various
times. OF course my plain duty would
be not only to repudiate my contract
with you, but to sproceed against you
criminally. l do the first now, or rather
affirm my reputation to you of last Sat
urday. the latter l am prevented from
doing by reason of the fact that I leave
for Europe in the course of a few days"
Mr. Hansed said this letter which he
placed in evidence, was in Captain
Christmas handwriting.
Hansen said he had never received any
thing from Christmas. Mr.. Hansen said
Christmas met C. w. Knox in a dining
room and told him he had some islands
to sell Mr.. Knox said he knew a man
who knew Senator Hanna and Christ
mas was to pay Knox $4,000. Hansen
said S. was paid on this promise.
Mr.. Hansen related that Christmas
met in a saloon one Nelkin Y. Walberg,
and told him he had 'some islands for
sale"
Hansen said Walberg replied that was
'just in his line"
Later. Hansen said Christmas let Wal
berg have small sums, $40, SIS and $15.
Mr. Hansen said he did not know Wal
berg, and knew nothing of his connec-
tions with en- international press asso-
citation.
Representative Hit asked if this was
supposed to be the basis for charges af-
fecting the American press.
Mr.. Hansen said it was: that Christ
mas, only connection with the press was
with this Walberg.
Mr.. Hansen also told OF a contract
i.
was to receive $4,000 for services as
cour sell He produced letter from
Christmas, dated March End, stating that
he had offered to make public declara-
tion that no one in Congress was inter-
ested in the sale. The witness said he
was positive that no Senator or repre-
sentative ever had any personal inter-
est If the negotiation or was ever ap-
preached, and he made this disclaimer
broad enough to cover every one in and
out of Congress excepting the specific
cases heretofore cited.
Melville f.. Stone, General Manager of
The Associated Press, then testified He
stated that he had general charge of all
news matter of the association and had
full knowledge of all contracts and bust
ness affairs. In response to Mr.. Dali
zell's inquiries, Mr.. Stone said he had
never met Christmas, had never seen
him, and his only knowledge of the man
was from the general gossip on the sub
ject recently appearing. Mr.. Dalzell
asked If Christmas ever had any contract
with the association. Mr.. Store answered
that there was no such contract: there
could not have been anything of the kind
without his knowledge; the idea of such
a contract was absurd.
He desired to protest, Mr.. Stone added,
against the Juggling in of the Associated
Press, which he considered most i'm
pertinent. He also showed the committee
4 cablegram from Copenhagen, saying
an official note was issued today stating
that the Danish Ministry had no connec-
ton with Christmas and refused to see
him or to receive copy of this report.
August Rvnert a New York attorney
testified that though he agreed with
Christmas to act as counsel he neither
did any work nor received any pay
Richard T. Evans, an attorney of this
city, was next sworn. He said he first
met Christmas through Walberg, who
was described as a music teacher, news
paper man and translator. Christmas
desired to employ Evans in this matter
and Evans made a contract which was
produced, reciting that contingent fee
of $4,000 was to be paid Evans on the
successful conclusion of the negotiations.
The witness said he never offered any
inducement to any one in Congress in
this connection.
Asked what he was to do for the
specified fee, Evans said it was. for or
binary services in advancing the inter
ests of the matter. Certainly, he said,
there was no element of bribery.
Mr. Richardson inquired as to Walberg
and the international Press News Asso-
ciation." The witness said he was a
stakeholder in the Association. and he
thought it probable this was the press
association Christmas claimed to have
bound TO him.
Niels Gron made brief supplementary
statement, saying his sole mission was
to place the facts before Congress and
the public, not to make bribery charges.
The committee then adjourned until
Monday.
canAha-x, r.. Eta. NJ h.r;lla