Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-03-28
WILL IGNORE CHARGES
State Department Will Have
Nothing to Do With Christ.
mas Allegations.
His CHARGES Regarded As Too
Flimsy to Warrant Any
Action.
Will Not Be Brought to Attention
Of the Danish Govern.
ment.

Washington, March 2S.-lhe s'"sS
department will take no steps 10 pril's
the attention of the Danish govern
ment to the charges against american
statesmen preferred by Captain CHRIST
mas and yesterday brought to the at
tention of the house of representatives
The department regards the charges as
unworthy Of attention by reason OF the
fnsnflcient evidence and obvious error
in the statements of alleged facts. Ihe
department is perfectly aware that
the Danish government does not in
tend to nav one cent of five hundred
thousand claimed by Christmas as his
commission, so none of that money
could be used to corrupt American
statesmen and newspapers.
New York, March 2s.-Carl Fischer
Hansen, of this city, who was attorney
for Walter Christmas, the representa-
tive of the Danish government in the
overtures for the purchase of the Dan
ish West Indian islands in 1900, IS IN
djgnant at the conduct of his client
shown in his secret report to the Dan
fish ministry lately published.
"Ordinarily, legal etiquette, said he,
"would prevent my speaking. But TINS
report is so defamatory and outrageous
that I feel justified in washing my
hands Of the whole affair"
Christmas undertook, according to
Fischer Hansen. to start the sale Of the
islands for the Horring ministry. AS
far back as 1860 the sale had been al
most consummated, but at the last mo-
ment this government had drawn
back. Thus, Denmark could not make
overtures, or do more than to suggest
that overtures would be acceptable.
This Christmas did. He conducted
Secretary White, Of the American en-
bassy at London. to Copenhagen.
"At this point" said he, his services
were ended. Negotiations from there
on were carried forward by the Ameri-
can minister in Denmark and the DAN
ish minister at Washington
S The Horring ministry. going out OF
existence in a few months. was sue
ceeded by the Sehested ministry, to
which Christmas made his secret re-
port, setting forth alleged obligations
he was under to various Americans.
This report was evidently made" :"
said the lawyer, with the belief that 1t
could never see the light But Its pub
lication has shown its absurdity. am
quite sure Christmas never saw the
men he mentions and believe the report
was made for personal gein."
An Explanatory Statement.
Washington, March 2s.-Following Is
statement made by Niels Gron re-
garding the Christmas statement:
when, early in February last, the
contents of Mr.. Walker Christmas Sc
cret report to the Danish government
relative to the transfer of the Danish
West India islands to the United States
became public, party composed OF a
large portion of Denmark's best and
most influential men and highest inter-
ests, realizing that since Christmas had
in the furtherance of the pending
treaty served by direct authority, first,
the secretary of state of the United
States. and afterward the Danish prime
minister, Mr.. Horring, it would be i'm
possible to dissociate his efforts from
the treaty, or the methods set forth in
his report. from the official negotiations;
and. realizing further that IL the pres
ent treaty was consummAted and per-
mitted to take effect, Denmark would
be obliged to stand before the world as
having made use OF, and the United
States as having accepted, such nego-
tiations as said Christmas sets forth
and describes in the above mentioned
report, and since 1t was thought that
that would place the people of the two
nations in an unfavorable and regret
table light, I was requested by the
party referred to to journey with all
speed from Copenhagen to Washington
and lay before the representatives of
the people of the United States the
facts touching certain parts of the ne
gotiations in order that any further
steps taken by the United States to-
wards causing the taking effect of the
treaty in question might be done with
full knowledge of the situation.
"NIELS GROIN"
Washington, March 81, 1902.
1t is said that the answer of the state
department to the Richardson reso-
luton directing an investigation into
the charges made in connection with
the Danish West Indies treaty, will
disclose the fact that, according to the
Record, the United States government
has refused to have anything to do
with any person as a party to the
treaty who was not directly connected
with the Danish government. The de-
partment also placed on record it's de-
termination to pay no commission TO
any person on account of the cession
of the islands. 1t will be pointed out
that our government had no right to
dictate to the Danish government as to
what it should do in the matter of paw
Ing commissions. AS it has been as
sumed in some quarters that the failure
of congress to appropriate the $5,O00.-
600, which was to be the price paid for
the islands, would, in itself, cause a
failure of the transfer of the territory.
1t maybe said that the construction of
the treaty at the state department is,
that directly upon the exchange of
ratifications the islands become the
property Of the United States without
waiting for the payment of the money,
and the failure Of congress to make tho
appropriation would simply leave out
standing debt Of honor against US.
Representative Dalzell, chairman of
the special committee appointed by