Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-04-07
HEDENIES GRON'SSTORY
DID NOT UNDERTAKE TO BRIBE
ANY ONE.
Testimony Before Chairman Dalzell'.
Investigating Committee-Secre
tary Hays Statement.

DdmSn w est 1nd1eS negotiations. His state
ment was brief He expressed astonish-
| ment at having seen his name in the
Christmas report. He did not know Christ
| mas and never had seen him, far he
was aware, although he met thousands of
people and could not say just whom he had
| seen. But to this Danish Island ques-
ton, he had never had a discussion with
any one on the subject.
Story of C. w. Knox.
C. w. Knox Of Glenelge, Md, whose name
was mentioned in the Christmas report,
| told of meeting Christmas. He said:
Il became acquainted with Christmas
| while stopping at the Releigh in January.
| 1900. l found him to be a cultivated man,
but he had apparently become entangled
| with sharpers and feared lest some of them
| would ruin his mission by carrying out
| their threats. He was fearful of every one
and said he had no one in whom he could
| put trust. l advised him to defy the black
| mailers and to seek counsel of Senator
Lodge, who, | knew, was interested, and
| follow his advice. l introduced him to Sen
ator Lodge and shortly afterward left
Washington.
| He subsequently wrote me from New
York. asking for meeting, and came over
| to Philadelphia to see me. He stated that
| he could not remain in Washington but he
| wished to be kept better informed than he
was, and that he could not conduct the af-
| ici lie WiSHeu. pTOpUSeU 10 lHdl L
| accept from Kim $15, 600 dollars for which
| should give him such assistance as he
| might require and aid him in any proper
| manner to help along a speedy transfer
| Il told him that | did not think / could
| be of any particular assistance to HIM, but
| after repeated pleadings / entered into such
an agreement, February %. 1900. Allow me
| to present agreement; it speaks for itself.
| This dl- not satisfy Christmas; he wished
! to have the matter placed before the
people that it would not be feared as
political issue, and then, perhaps il might
| go through that Congress.
| He requested, under my agreement with
him, that l direct the employment of prom
| inent writers and perhaps experts, to go
down to the islands and write articles and
| have them widely published in the periodi-
! Gals and the general press throughout the
| United States. | told him that to carry out
such plan effectively. including the en-
| ployment of a reputable attorney, might in
volve $4,000 and that he could not expect
men to do work without some guarantee of
payment. He made some effort to secure
this guarantee, and subsequently did but |
had, in the meantime, ascertained that he
| was about to enter into other contracts to
which l objected, and, therefore, l declined
to have anything further to do with the
plan.
Gave Christmas IS.
Il saw Christmas once more. I met him
| by chance in Washington. He was rather
| blue and when We parted I never expected
| to see him again. Then was the time that
| the $5 episode occurred, which Mr.. Hanson,
| SO unnecessarily and forgetfully brought
| into his testimony before your committee
| The fact is, gave Christmas my check for
30, and Mr.. Hanson may recall the fact
! that ne indorsed that check. l submit the
| check
Since that date March "a, 1900 have
neither seen nor heard from Christmas
! never 6ribed any one or contemplated do
Ing so during my connection with the affair.
l never received a dollar from the man for
my services or expenses"
In answer to the question Are you an
intimate friend of Senator Hanna'S?' Mr.
Knox replied that he believed Mr. Hanna to
| be his friend. but certainly did not claim
any intimacy with him.
Mr.. Knox also said that he did not be-
lieVe that he ever mentioned Mr.. Hanna's
name to Christmas in relation to the affair
Senator Bacon Of Georgia told of two
casual conversations with Christmas AS
to the latters statement that Mr.. Bacon
took great interest in the purchase of the
Danish Islands the senator declared it was
absolutely untrue, as he did not believe in
the acquisition Of the islands and consid-
cred 1t unfortunate that the United States
was In position where 1t seemed necessary
to take them.
Secretary Hays Statement.
Chairman Dalzell presented the following
letter from Secretary Hay on the subject:
'"To Hon. John Dalzell, Chairman Select
Committee, etc.:
Il have received your letter of the 31st
| of March and in reply beg leave to say:
"In the early part of December. 1899.
Captain Christmas called upon me at this
department and informed me that, through
private and personal sources in Copen-
hagen, he had become aware that there
was a disposition among some of the lead
ing members Of the Danish government to
regard favorably an overture from the gov
ernment Of the United States looking to the
q on of oh Tc1o II
that he had been naval officer, and spoke
at some length in regard to the desirability
| of the Island of st. John as a naval station
| for the United States. At my suggestion he
conveyed what further technical inforna-
| tion he had on this subject to Admiral
| Bradford of the Navy Department. AL
though he presented no credentials what
ever, and expressly declared he had no off,
cial character, I thought his story was of
sufficient interest to be worth investigation
II told him would send a confidential
and trusted agent of this government to
Copenhagen to ascertain .unofficially the
true state of affairs and mentioned to him
the name of Henry White first secretary OF
embassy at London. Capt. Christmas said
he would like to be in Copenhagen when
Mr.. White arrived and bring him into COM
munfcation with the members of The gov
ernment whom he had mentioned. 1 gave
him a note of Introduction to Mr.. White
and they met in Copenhagen, where Capt.
Christmas had arranged for an interview
between Mr.. White and a member of the
Danish government. Mr.. Christmas was
not present at this interview, and his con-
nection with the matter ceased entirely at
that time He afterward returned to Wash
ington and / saw him once or twice. but
told him that there was no need OF the
services of any private person in any nego-
tiation which might be taken up between
the two governments in regard to the ac-
quisition of the islands. inclose a COPY OF
a letter which gave to the Danish mill
lister in Washington at the time of the sign
ing of the recent treaty and also copy OF
a letter which / have received from the
Danish minister, Mr.. Brun, dated the 3lst
OF March, 1902.
Very sincerely yours.
JOHN HAY"
Insa letter to Minister Brun of Denmark,
incIosed. Mr.. Hay refers to the signing of
the convention of cession, and adds: ..The
government of the United States is in no
manner under obligation to the good offices
OF private parties in reaching the agreement