The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-04-01
GRON TELLS
HIS STORY.
Investigation Of the Christmas
Charges Begins.
of the s'NO SaIe' Party
Gives His Testimony.
WENT TO GROSYENOR.
General Sent Him to the Secre-
tary Of State.
Department Would Have Moth
ing to Do With 1t.
VENT TO GROSVENOR.

Washington, April THE investiga-
tion of charges made in connection with
the West Indies purchase was begun to-
day before the special committee ap-
pointed by Speaker Henderson. Beside
.the members of the committee there
vas present Neils Gron, who brought
he charges to the attention Of Repre-
tentative Richardson, and quite a num-
per of interested spectators.
Mr.. Gron was the first witness sworn
by Chairman DaIzen. The witness spoke
in good English with 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 attention the Christ
mas report.
Chairman Dalzen asked who these
parties were. The witness said they
were members Of the Danish upper
Jlouse, but he did not think It proper
tO give their names. Mr.. GrOn said he
1vas at present the representative IN this
clOuntry Of these parties.
Mr. GrOn gave way ten porarily to
Representative Alexander Of Buffalo,
who desired to make a complete dis
claimer of any knowledge of Christmas
or fQe Danish transaction. Mr.. Alexan-
der said he had never seen Christmas.
mad Never spoken to any one in or out
of coAgress as to the Danish treaty and
never Yeard it discussed at any time or
place by any one until after the recent
presentation of the matter to the house.
Continuing his statement. Mr.. ErOn
sxpiafned how the Danish parties op-
posing a sale of the islands bad per
euadad him to come to Washington and
place the Christmas report before con-
gress and the public. Sc that the facts
would be known. He told of having
secured q note of Introduction to Gen.
Cir0sNenor of Ohio of arranging to meet
= 3 "a "a &
being he said, to carry out assurances
slveIt at Copenhagen that he would
ulaca the matter before influential men
and thus bring it to the attention Of
cong Eess and the public Mr.. Gron told
uf Bringing the papers before General
CirosWenor, who at first seemed quite in
dignRnt, Mr.. Gron said. and spoke of
Ia iIfg the mater before the proper
parties in order that suitable action
fnight be taken.
The witness said that later General
GrosvenOr concluded that it would be
proper to lay 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 the authorities here had in
no way committed themselves to
Christmas.
Groh said that after. Grosvenor had
decided not to proceed with the matter
ne lGrOn) had prepared a statement
for the Associated Press and had asked
Mr. Crane. a newspaper man, to send
some one from the Associated Press to
him for the statement, and also to Cen
eral iGrosvenor for assurances as to
GrOn,s standing. He learned later
through Mr.. Crane that General GrOs-
venom said he knew nothing about it.
He said he was informed the day after
ne submitted the statement that the
Associated Press had not used it. Af-
ter5sards he submitted his statement to
several newspapers, and more or less
of ~ was printed
The witness then detailed how he had
PLACED the matter before Representa-
1lVas Richardson and Underwood who
NAG gone over the papers.
What was your purpose in bringing
1t tgefOre members p asked Mr.. Dalzall
'Fo get it into the house before the
American people" answered the wit
ness.
ia response to inquiries the witness
took up various branches of the case.
He said he represented those consti-
lutlng the mo sale party in Denmark
fte referred to the reports that he
tIfon) himself had been trying to OBJ
tam a commission for the sale of the
Islands and that the whole matter was
g quarrel between Christmas and him
self over the commission This Mr.
Gron denied, and in support read let
tyr stating that an old alliance between
Certain Danish men and Americans in
tie fall of 1897 was declared off eigh-
teen months ago. He mentioned the
names of H. II. Rogers, Charles r
Stint and himself as the Americans in
-lf-i6sLeu as LDdl time IN negotiating the
sale of the Islands Asked specifically
degrading a statement in the Christmas
Report to the effect that Rogers had
greed to accomplish the sale of the
Islands for 10 per cent. of the purchase
money, Mr.. Gr0n declared there was
mo such agreement. He described how
the negotiations conducted by the COM
mittees in Denmark and in America
mad progressed almost to q successful
conclusion just before the Spanish war
when they were declared off in Den
mark
Mr- Gron said he undertook to reopen
the negotiations after the war. The
committees on Copenhagen and Ameri-
p had not been dissolved. Christmas
Hne to the United States in December
1889 Mr.. GrOn was closely questioned
as to whether a proposition was made
for Christmas, Rogers and himself to
divide the commission he replied that
there were various propositions. Asked
as to the threat attributed to Rogers in
the Chris tn1as report (in which Rogers
was made to say that he had 26 votes
in the senate and could defeat the ne
gotiations) Mr.. Gron said he never was
present at an interview between Rogers
and Christmas. He never had heard
Afr. Rogers make such a threat. He
denied absolutely the statement that ne
fGron) had signed contract with
Christmas by which he Gron and Rog-
ers were 10 have tWO-thirds of the COM
mission.
He never had made any contract Of
any character with Christmas but the
latter had made over a power Of attor-
ney to him which later he (Gron) repud-
testified. but once After that Rogers