Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-04-01
Opposed Sale of Danish West
Indies. @
HIS PLAN OF CAMPAIGN
CIRCULATED THE REPORT OF
CAPT. CHRISTMAS.
Was Sent to This Country to Lay the
Statements Before Congress
and the Public.


committee appointed by Speaker Hender-
son. Beside the members of the commit
tee there present Niels Gron. who
brought the charges to the attention Of
Representative Richardson, and quite
number of interested spectators.
Mr.. Gron was the first witness sworn by
Chairman Daizeli. 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 per-
sons were.
The witness said they were members of
the Danish upper house, but he did not
think it proper to give their names. Mr..
G:on said he was at present the represen
tat1ve in this country of these parties
Representative Alexander's Denial
Mr.. Gron gave way temporarily to Rep
resentatiye Alexander of Buffalo. who de-
sired to make complete disclaimer of any
knowledge of Christmas or the Danish
transaction. Mr.. Alexander said he had
never seen Christmas had never spoken to
any one in out of Congress as to the
Danish treaty and never heard it discussed
at any time or any place by any one until
after the recent presentation of the matter
to the House.
Why Gron Came Here
Continuing his statement, Mr.. Gron eX-
planned how the Danish parties opposing a
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 facts would be known. He told
of having obtained note of introduction
to Gen. 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 1t to the attention of Congress and
the public. Mr.. Gron told in great detail
OF bringing the papers before Gen. Gros-
venor. 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 Gen. Grosvenor con-
cluded that it would be proper to Law the
matter before the Secretary of State. This
was done and Mr.. Gron said he learned
that the State Department held that it
could take no action and that the author
tiles here had in no way committed them
selves to Christmas.
Prepared Statement for the Press
Gron said that after Gen. Grosvenor had
decided not to proceed with the matter he
tGron) had prepared a statement for the
Associated Press and had asked Mr. Crane,
newspaper man, to send some one from
the Associated Press to him for the state
ment, and also to Gen. Grosvenor for as
surances as to Gron's standing. He learned
later through Mr.. Crane that Gen Gros-
venor said he knew nothing about it, He
said he was Informed the day after he sub
united the statement that the Associated
Press could not use it. Afterward, he said
ne submitted his statement TO several news
papers and more or less of it was printed
The witness then detailed how he had
placed the matter before Representatives
Richardson and Underwood who had gone
over the papers.
what was your purpose in bringing It
before members?' asked Mr. DalzeI
To get it into the House and 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 no
sale party in Denmark.
Denies Christmas Statement. -
He referred to the reports that he {Gron)
had himself been trying to obtain a COM
mission for the sale of the islands and that
the whole matter was a quarrel between
Christmas and himself over the commits
sion. This Mr.. Gron denied and in sup
port read a letter sta ting that an old al
nance between certain Danish men and
Americans in the fall Of 1897 was declared
off eighteen months ago He mentioned
the names Of H. H. Rogers, Charles r.
Flint and himself as the Americans inter-
ested at that time in negotiating the sa
Of the islands.
Asked specifically regarding statement
! in the Christmas report to the effect that
| Rogers had agreed to accomplish the sale
OF The islands for 10 per cent Of the pur-
chase money, Mr.. Gron declared that there
| was no such agreement. He described how
! the negotiations conducted by the commit
| tees in Denmark and in America had
progressed almost to successful conclu-
1 sion just before the Spanish war, when
| they were declared off in Denmark.
Mr.. Gron said he undertook to reopen the
negotiations after the war. The commit
| tees in Copenhagen and America had not
been dissolved. Christmas came to the
| United States in December, 1899
Mr.. Gron was closely questioned as to
whether proposition was made for Christ
mas and Rogers and himself to divide the
| commission. He replied that there were
/ various propositions.
| Threat Attributed to Rogers.
Asked as to the threat attributed to Rog-
ers in the Christmas report Gin which
Rogers was made to say that he had twen-
| tysix votes in the Senate and could defeat
/ the negotiations). Mr.. Gron said he was
! never present at an interview between
| Rogers and Christmas. He had never
| heard Mr.. Rogers make such threat. He
| denied absolutely the statement that he
| 0iron) had signed a contract with Christ
mas by which he (Gron) and Rogers were
| to have two-thirds of the commission. He
| had never made any contract of any char
| acter with Christmas, but the latter had
| made over a power Of attorney to him.
| which later he (Gron) repudiated. Mr..
| Rogers saw Christmas. he testified, but
| once. After that Rogers refused to see
| Christmas or answer his letters or tele-
grams.
AS to the Christmas interviews In which
| Christmas was made to say that he had
| had negotiations with Abner Mckinley,
/ which Christmas. in his report, declared
| had been instigated by Gron, the witness
| said that he had no connection with them.
1 Mr.. Hit asked him specifically IL he
4 knew what press associations were re-
| ferred to in the Christmas reports.
| II do not know replied Mr.. Gron.
/ At this point the committee took a recess
| until 2 o'clock
| Representative Dalzell Of Pennsylvania.
! Chairman of the special committee Invest
| eating charges in connection with the Dam
| ish West Indies purchase. has written to
4 all the persons whose names were brought
! into the matter, with q view to securing all
| Information they may be able to give to the
| committee.
Statement by Gen. Grosvenor.