The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1902-04-03

OF Corruption
The House of Representatives ha
been the scene of genuine sensatio
IN regard to the negotiations for til
purchase of the Danish West Indie
which was said to have been consun
mated last month, and now awaits fin,
completion by the payment of $4,000
600. The charge is made that l
per cent. of this amount was used i
the bribery Of parties who intereste
themselves in promoting the negotis
hons, including members of Congress
Investigation into the charge tina
certain members of the House an
Senate and other men in high place
may have been influenced by imprope
considerations in advocacy of the pur
chase of the Danish West Indies will
be had as the result of q clever cou
engineered by the Democratic leader
Mr.. Richardson, In the House today.
For an hour or more the House wa
thrown into state of great excite
ment as the result of the Democrat,
demand for investigation of certain
charges made by Captain Christmas
who had some sort of connection with
the DANISH government in the eaily
negotiations over these islands.
The disclosures made by Major
Richardson, based ON secret report
of Christmas to the Danish govern.
ment, came as complete surprise to
the Republicans and for time Speak
er Henderson and the House leaders
houndered around uncertain what they
should 10.
Major Richardson's right to consid.
or the point he raised as one of per-
sonal privilege in order to get the mat
ter before the House was questioned, j.,
and an effort was made to prevent the
consideration of his investigation reso-
luton, Sp aker Henderson first send
ing orders to the House leaders to
vote agalnstit but so forCibly was the
matter presented that the Republicans
had to change their tactics and join
with the Democrats in calling for an
investigation.
There are suggestions of improper
influence used upon some members of
Congress, though it is fair to say that
these allegations are very general in
their character. The particular point
made by the Democrats is that the
State department. was in possession of
knowledge of these Christmas charges
when the purchase treaty was before
the Senate and the members of that
body were not informed of these
charges tending to throw suggestions of
taint upon the negotiations.
In the secret report of Captain Wal
ter Christmas to the Danish govern
ment he declared that he had employ
ed corrupt means to bring the negotla-
tions for the sale of tie islands to
contamination. The report, extracts
from which Mr.. Richardson read,
mentioned the names of Abner Nc
Kinley and his partner, Colonel Brown,
@. w. Knox, who was described as can
intimate friend of Senator Hanna;"
Richard p. Evans, who was said to
represent "Mr. Gardner and his
friends in the House, and two press
associations, the names of which were
not given, as having been interested in
the matter.
Upon the basis of this report Mr..
Richardson asked the adoption of a
resolution for the appointment of an
Investigating committee of seven.
Great excitement attended the whole
proceeding. Mr.. Cannon, of Illinois,
insisted that Mr.. Richardson's pre-
sentation was fragmentary, and that
the whole matter should go over in Or
der that members might read the docu-
nents presented, which included news
paper extracts, aflidavits, etc., in the
Record. Christmas, he declared on
his own statement, was bri5er and
worse. But the Houss voted down
the motion to postpone and the reso-
luton, after beng amended in minor
particulars, was adopted. The Speak
or Immediately appointed the follow
ing committee to make the investiga-
tiOn:
Messrs. Dalzell, Republican, Penn
sylvania; Hit, Republican, of Illinois;
Cousins, Republican, of Iowa; Nc
Call, Republican, of Massachusetts;
Richardson, Democrat, of Tennessee;
Dinsmore, Demobrat, of Arkansas,
and Cowherd, Democrat, of Missouri.
The resolutions presented by Mr..
Richardson are IN part as follows:
Whereas, one Walter Christmas,
a subject of Denmark, who ia now and
who has been for several years, q
diplomatic agent and representative of
the government of Denmark, author
lied and empowered to negotiate with
the government of the United States
for the sale of the DANISH West In.
dian Islands to the United States
and who was also the agent of the
United States for the purchase of said
islands has submitted secret and con-
fidential report TO his own government,
and,
Whereas, said Christmas, agent
and representative, as aforesaid, ia his
said report to his government declares
and sets forth among other things, the
fact that the government of Denmark
has contracted, agreed and obligated
itself 10 pay or turn over to him, thu
said Christmas, 10 per cen.um, o.
about five hundred thousand dollars O
the purchase money arising from th'
sale OF said islands to the Unitet
States when the same shell have beer
paid by the United States to Denmark
for the express purpose, as has beel
declared and set forth by him IN hi
said secret report to his government,
for the bribing of members OF tn
United States Congress, includin
members of the House of Represents