The daily morning journal and courier., 1902-03-28

O. w. Knox, Friend of Senator Han.
 Committee of Inquiry Quickly App
 pointed.
 Washington, March 27.-A genuine
 day by the presentation by Mir. Rich
 ardson of Tennessee. the democratic
 leader, of charges alleging the corrupt
 use of fund of S500,000 in connection
 with the sale of the Danish West In-
 dies. The charges were contained in
 an alleged secret report of Captain
 Walter Christmas, a semi official rep
 resentative of the Danish government,
 which declared that he had employed
 corrupt means to bring the negotia-
 tions for the sale of the islands to a
 consummation
 The report, extracts frorh which MT.
 Richardson read, mentioned the names
 of Abner Mckinley, and his partner,
 Colonel Brown, C. w Knox, who was
 described as Ian intimate friend of
 Senator Hanna;'' Richard F. Evans,
 who was said to represent 'Mr, Gard
 ner and his friends in the house. and
 two press associations, the names of
 which were not given, as having been
 interested in the matter. The charges
 against members of congress were not
 specific upon the basis of this report.
 MT. Richardon asked the adoption of a resolution for the appointment of an
 Investigating committee of seven The
 speaker ruled that the matter was privileged after MT. Richardson had amended his resolution so as to specific ally include members of the house.
 Great excitement attended the whole proceedings. MT Cannon of Illinois in
 sisted that MT. Richardson's presenta- tion was fragmentary and that the whole matter should go over until to- morrow in order that members might read the documents presented, which include newspaper extracts affidavits, etc., in the record Christmas, he de- clared, on his own statement was a briber and worse, But the house yot7 ed down the motion to postpone and the resolution after being amended in min or particulars was accepted. The speak CT immediately appointed the following committee to make the investigation: Messrs. Dalzell of Pennsylvania Hit of Illinois, Cousins (Rep.), Mccall of Massachusetts, republicans; Richard son of Tennessee, Dinsmore of Arkan sas and Cowherd of Missouri, demo- crats.
 The resolution presented by MT. Richardson was yer y long, and went in to details, and it's reading created great excitement on both sides of the house. Following are some of it's allegations:
 Whereas One Walter Christmas a subject of Denmark, who is now and who has been for several years, dip lomatic agent and representative of the government of Denmark, authorized and empowered to negotiate with the government os the United States for the sale of the Danish West Indian 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 confidential re port to his own government, and
 Whereas, The said Christmas, agent and representative. as aforesaid. in 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 i itself to pay and turn over to him, the said Christmas, 10 per centum, or about l $500 900 of the proceeds of the purchase l money arising from the sale of said is | lands to the United States when the | same shall have been paid by the Unit ed States to Denmark, for the express | purpose, as has been declared, and set | forth by him in his secret report to his l for the bribng of members | of the United States congress, including i of the house of representa- lives, and other prominent citizens of | this country, and for subsidizing Amer ican newspapers, to the end that the ,,ending treaty between the United | States and Denmark for the sale of the islands by the latter to the former gov ernment may be consummated
 The resolutions further recite that the said secret report stated that the $500 GOO shall be immediately paid to Christmas, if the purchase money is paid by the United States for the cor rupt objects set forth. The pendency of the ratification of the treaty is also set forth.
 In conclusion the resolutions recite | that a select committee of seven mem- DSTS or Iilb utuSt ti ltScilldl llNeS De appointed by the speaker to examine into the charges and the alleged cir contracts. etc, which in any manner have for their object the bribery of members of the United states congress or of the payment of any valuable consideration of any kind 1r character to them, or to any of them, to vote for, or to assist in pro turing, the proposal, adoption or rati- ica ton of the said treaty of the sale If the said islands" MT Richardson said that Christmas was speaking of inviting members of congress- to dine with him at the Hotel , Raleigh in this city. He then quoted rom the report as follows: , Tt was not alone the members of , congress I had to invite. l had as my pecial assistants two men, c. w. Knox, | vho was an intimate friend of Senator , Hanna, and Richard P. Evans, law l -er in Washingto on, who represented ! i fr. Gardner and his friends in the ( louse. These took an active part in ( he personal agitation, since they talk ( d with a large number of members of ( ongress and agitated for the purchase C