The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-03-28
Fund Of $500, 900 Alleged to Haze
Been Used to Accomplish Sals.
COMMITTEE TO INVESTIGATE
MIR. Richardssn Offered Resslstiss . Msttss
Of Privilege, and Hssss vs..S Ds~a ths
Resolution to Pass tie Matter Over
fer the Day-Rsvsaas Cater
Bill Made the centia-
uing Order.
(By Associated Press.)

(By Associated Press.)
WASHINGTON, D. c.. March s7.-A
genuine sensation was caused in the
House to-day by the presentation by
SIR. Isihcardson. of Tennessee. the DEM
ocratic leader, OF charges alleging tho
corrupt use Of fund Of $500, 900 in con.'
nec.tion with the sale of the Danish
West indies. The charges were cons
| tanned in an alleged secret report OF
| Captain Walter Christmas to the Dam
! ish Government, which declared that he
| had employed corrupt means to BRING
the negotiations for the sale OF the Ls.
| lands to consummation-
| The report, extracts from which NIr.
| Richardson read, mentioned the names
! Abner Mckinley and his partner, Cob.
Brown; C. W. Knox, who was described
as ''an intimate friend of Senator
| Hanna" Richard 2. Evans, who was
| said to represent ..Mr. Gardner and his
friends in the House, and two press ass
sociations, 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, Mr.. Richardson
asked tho adoption Of q resolution for
| the appointment Of an Investigating com-
rnittee of seven. The Speaker ruled that
| the matter was privileged after Mr.. Rich-
ardson had amended his resolution SO
as to specifically include members OF
| the House..
GREAT EXCITEMENT.
| Great excitement attended the wholes
proceeding. Mr.. Cannon. of Illinois. ms
sisted that Mr.. Richardson's presentation
| was fra gmentary and that tha;whole mat
| ter, should go over until to-slorrnW, I'm
order that members mishtiread the idocu-
ments presented, which included news
paper extracts. af6davits, etc, IN the
record. Christmas, he declared. on his
own statement, was q briber and worse.
| But the Housed voted down the motion
! to postpone. and the resolution, afters:
being amended in minor particulars, was
adopted. The Speaker Immediately q
pointed the following committee to maa i
| Investigations:
| Messrs. DaIzelI Rep3. Pennsylvania
Hitt (Rep), Illinois; Cousins (Reps). Iowa
Mccall Rep.). Massachusetts; Rtchartt-s
son (Dem), Tennessee: Dinsmore (Dem.1 =.
Arkansas, and Cowherd Dem.) Mis-.
souri,.
The army appropriation bill was suo-
sequentIy passed, and a rule was adopted
to make the bill to retire officers OF the
Revenue Cutter Service a continuing or
der until disposed of. the order not to
interfere with appropriation or revenue
bills or conference reports.
THE RESOLUTION
the resolutions presented by MIR. Ricn-ss
ar6son are in part as follows:
.sWhei cas-, one Walter Christmas, su b.:
ject OF Denmark, who is now. and who
has been for several years. diplomatio.
agent and representative OF thu Govern
ment of Denmark, authorized and ems
powered to negotiate with the Goyern-s
| ment OF the United States for the saIas
OF the Danish West Indian Islands to
the United Sta tes, and who was also tho
agent of the United States for the pur-
chase OF said islands, has submitted a
secret and confidential report to his own
government; and,
Whereas, the said Christmas, agent
and representatives as afore said. 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 obi gated it,
| self to pay and turn over to him. the
said Christmas, ten per centum, or about
five hundred thousand dollars, OF the prp-s
| ceeds Of the purchase money arising
from the sale OF said Islands to the
United States when the same shall have
been paid by the United States to Den-5,
| mark for the express purpose, as has
been declared and set forth by him In
his said secret report to his government
for the bribins of members of the UniteMs
| States Congress, including members OF
the House of Representatives and other
prominent citizens of this country, and
for subsidizinE American newspapers to-
the end that the pending trEaty between
the United States and Denmark for the.
| sale Of the islands by the latter to the
former government may be consump.
ma ted = 55sss
In conclusion, the resolution recitees
that select COMMITTEES OF seven meme
bers of the House Of Representatives baa
appointed by the S seaker to examine
into the charges and the alleged circum-
stances, contracts, etc, which in any
manner have for their object the bribery
or attempted bribery of members OF the3
| United States Congress or OF the p ya-s
ment OF any vaInaEle conside aIion of ;Lnys
kind or character or to any OF them. to-
| vote TO rorS assist In procuring the pro-ss
posed adoption or ratification OF thsstid
treaty Of sale OF the said islands
HAD a COPY
The Republican leaders hurriedly CON-
suited during the reading OF the resolu-s
lStions. and when the readings had been
fconcIuded Mr. Payne. the majority leader
| Immediately made the point Of order that
| the matter presented was not privileged
THE resolution. MI. Payne SAID con-S
Itemptuously, was based upon an alleSeAS
INSTANTLY Mr.. Richardson met this Win 3
| the statement that he had Saseopy OF the
secret report to the Danish G0yssnnant.
.sOn my honor as q member OF this
House. said he.s.1 have noW on
Idesk what Durports 70 be- ana what 1@
believe is that secret confidential r.
port Assuming the full Representatives. 3
my words. I believe have nlnaistAha1les
| evidence that this report vas u1ad1Nt0s
the Danish Government by asQuAN1.ssies5
not real. agent OF that Goya.nnaent.ssssss sss#
f5ss..When did the AentlsDaoA o14o3a -