The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-04-01
GR0N ON A GRILL
Danish Island Unpleasantness Gets
Further Airing.
HOUSE INVESTIGATORS OPEN UP
Agent Of the s'No-saIe'' Party in Den.
mark Is Quizzed and
Quizzed.

washington, Apr THE inVestiga-
tior of the charges In ctnnection with the
Danish West Indies purchase was begun
this morning by the house committee
Neils Gron, who brought the charges to
the attention Of Representative Richard
son, was the first witness. He said that
in February last parties in Copenhagen
who opposed the transfer of the Danish
West Indies to the United States con-
ferred with him and brought to his at
tention the Christmas report.
Chairman Dalzell asked who these par
ties were. The witness said they were
members of the Danish upper house. Mr..
Gron said he was at present the repre-
sentative in this country Of these parties.
He explained how the Danish parties OPP
posing sale of the islands had persuaded
him to come to Washington and place the
Christmas report before congress and the
public, 80 that the facts would be known.
He told of having secured note Of intro
duction to General Grogvenor of Ohio, of
arranging to meet the latter in Washing
ton, his purpose being, he said, to carry
out assurances given at Copenhagen that
he would place the matter before int1u-
entail men, and thus bring it to the at
tention of congress and the public.
General Grosvenor at first seemed quite
indignant, Mr.. Gron said, and spoke of
laying the matter before the proper par
ties in order that action might be taken.
Later General Grosvenor concluded that
it would be proper to lay the matter be-
fore the secretary Of state. This was
done and the state department held that
it could take no action and that the au-
thorities here had in no way committed
themselves to Christmas.
Some Papers Printed 1t.
Gron said that later Grosvenor had de-
cided not to proceed with the matter. He
(Gron) had prepared statement for the
| Associated Press, which would not use it
Afterward he said he submitted his state
ment to several newspapers and more or
less of it was printed. The witness de-
tailed how he had placed the matter be-
fore Representatives Richardson and I'm
derwood.
what was your object in placing the
| matter before them?" asked Chairman
DalZell.
ITO get it before congress and the
American people," answered the witness
He referred to the reports that he
(Gron) had himself been trying to obtain
a commission for the sale of the islands
and that the whole matter was quarrel
between Christmas and himself over the
commission. This Mr.. Gron denied, and in
| support read 8 letter stating that an ole
alliance between certain Danes and Amer
| leans in the fall Of 1897 was declared of
eighteen months ago. He mentioned the
| names of Fl. H. Rogers, Charles r. Film
and himself as the Americans interested
at that time in negotiating the sale O
| the islands.
He denied the statement in the Christ.
mas report that Rogers had agreed to &C.
complish the sale of the island for 10 be,
cent of the purchase money.
Mr.. Gron was closely questioned as tt
whether proposition was made fol
! Christmas, Rogers and himself to divide
! the commission. He replied that there
were various propositions. He had never
made a contract of any character witt
Christmas, but the latter had made ove1
a power of attorney tc him which late,
he (Gron) repudiated
AS to the Christmas interviews, in which
Christmas was made to say that he hat
negotiations with Abner Mckinley which
Christmas in his report declared had beer
instigated by Gron, the witness said hi
had no connection with them