The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-03-27
BRIBERY.
Members of the American Con-
greSS Involved i'm Charge
Made by a Representative of the
Danish Government.
A FUND OF S5OO,OOO
Set Apart For Influencing Leg
islatiOn at Washington
In Connection With Deal For
West Indian Islands.
RICHARDSON'S bonn B.
Democratic Leader Startles His
Fellow Members
BY Asking For Investigation
and Offering Proofs.
4 Committee is Appointed to
In Connection With Deal For
West Indian Islands.
RICHARDSON'S BOMB.
Democratic Leader Startles His
Fellow Members
BY Asking For Investigation
and Offering Proofs.
4 Committee is Appointed to
Look Into the Matter.

Washington. March 27.-At the open
ing of the session of the house today,
Mr. Richardson CTenn) the minority
leader, offered as matter of privilege
a resolution for the appointment of a
committee of seven to investigate the
charges said to have been made by DR..
Walter Christmas, a semi-official rep
resentative of the government of Den
mark, in a secret report to his govern
ment in which it was made to appear
that he was 10 receive s50O,0O0 of the
purchase money for the sale of the
Danish West Indies for bribing news
papers and members of congress.
The resolution was very long and de-
tailed, and its reading created great
excitement on both sides of the house.
The resolutions presented by Mr..
Richardson are in part as follows:
Whereas, one Walter Christmas, a
subject of Denmark, who is now and
who has been for several years a dip
lomatic agent and representative of
the government of Denmark, author
lied and empowered to negotiate with
the government of 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 a secret and confidential re-
port to his own government; and
Whereas. The said Christmas. agent
and representative as aforesaid, in the
said report to his government declares
and sets forth among other things. the
fact that the government of Denmark
has contracted. agreed and obligated
itself to pay and turn over to him, the
said Christmas, 10 per cent. or about
$500,000 dollars. of the proceeds of the
purchase money arising from the sale
of said islands to the United States
when the same shall have been paid by
tne United states to Denmark, for the
express purpose, as has been declared
and set forth by him in his said secret
report to his government, for the brib-
ing of members of the United States
congress, including members of the
house of representatives and other
prominent citizens of this country and
Tor subsidiZing American newspapers
70 the end that the pending treaty be-
tween the United States and Denmark
Tor the sale of the islands by the lat
Ter TO the former government may be
consummated.'
The resolutions further raeita tba+ +ba
sald secret report states that the S5O0 :
o0O shali be Immediately paid to Christ
mas. II the purchase money is paid nv
the United states for the corrupt OBJ
ratification of the treaty is also set
forth In conclusion the resolutions re-
cite that select committee of seven
members OF the house of representatives
be appointed by the speaker to exam
Inc into the charges and the alleged cir
cumstances, contracts. ETC. which in
any manner have for their object the
bribery OF or the attempted bribery of
members OF the United States congress
or of the payment of any valuable con-
slderatlon of any kind or character to
them or to any of them to vote for, or to
assist in procuring the proposal adon-
tion or ratification of the said treaty Of |
sale of said islands"
The Republican leaders hurriedly con-
suited during the reading of the resolu- |
@ non ana Wneh the reading had been
Soncluoed Mr. Payne. the majority !
leader fmn ediately made the point of /
order that the matter presented was not I
prlVlleged- The basis of the resolution.
Ar- Payne said. contemptuously was
made upon an alleged secret report to |
the Danish government. Instantly Mr.. |
Richardson met this with the state !
ment that he had COPY of the secret !
report to the Danish government .sOn
my honor as q member of this house /
SAID he- L have now in my desk what |
purports to be and what ! believe is /
that secret confidential report Assum- |
ing the full responsibility of nv words /
/ believe l have unmistakable evidence /
mat this report was made to the Dam /
lsh govern nnent2' interposed Mr.. Payne |
agent of that government
w hen did the gentleman obtain ac- |
cess to the secret archives of the Dam
tsh government" interposed Mr.. Pavne /
never have been to Denmark" re-
tofted Mr. Richardson. but the gentle
man knows there are other ways of OBJ
tanning authentic government docll-
Inehts- / have the evidence here This
Is grave charge ] do not bring it
heie Tor the purpose of making politi-
cal capital Here is a charge that Ss00
OO1 was paid for the express purpose of
pflplng the American congress, yet the
gentleman from New York seeks to in
terpose technical objection
Speaker Henderson at this point call
Cd attention to the point that the lang
uage OF the resolution charged that the |
newspapers and congress had been
oribed- Members of congress- he said.
did not necessarily include members of
the house" IF members of the senate |
that body must be the custodian OF its
aMn morals. He thought if the resolu-