The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-04-02
Testimony of the Mosaic Party's
Agent, Who Gave the Christmas
Report to Richardson.
NO CONGRESSMAN BRIBED
NEITHER WAS N LEGISLATOR
EVEN OFFERED MONEY.
Effort by enator Bacon to Give
Standing to the Charges by Delay
ing Transfer of Islands.

the Danish West Indies purchase was be-
gun to-day before the special committee
appointed by Speaker Henderson. Besides
the members of the committee there was
present Nels Gron. who brought the
| charges TO the attention of Representative
Richardson. and quite a number Of inter-
ested spectators.
Mr.. Gron was the first witness sworn by
Chairman Dalzell. The witness spoke in
good English with a slight Danish accent.
He said tina 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 Christmas report.
Chairman Dalzell asked who these parties
were. The witness said they were members
of the Danish upper house. but he did not
think it proper to give their names. Mr..
Gron said he was at present the represent
alive in this country of these parties.
Mr.. Gron gave way temporarily TO Repre-
sentative Alexander, of Buffalo, who de-
sired to make a complete disclaimer of any
knowledge of Christmas, or the Danish
transaction. Mr.. Alexander said he had
never seen Christmas, had never spoken TO
anyone in or out of Congress as TO the
Danish treaty, and never heard 1t discussed
at any time or place by anyone until after
the recent presentation of the matter to the
House.
TALKED WITH GROSVENOR.
Continuing his statements, Mr.. Gron ex-
planned how the Danish parties opposing a
sale of the islands had pursuaded him to
come to Washington and to place the
Christmas report before Congress and the
@,,hl;o 60 +hof the fonfo would no known
He told of having secured a note of intro
duction to General Grosvenor, of Ohio; Of
arranging to meet the latter in Washington,
his purpose being, he said, to carry out as
surances given at Copenhagen that he
would place the matter before influential
men and thus bring it to the attention Of
Congress and the public. Mr.. Gron told, in
great detail, of bringing the papers before
General Grosvenor. who at first seemed
quite indignant, Mr.. Gron said, and spoke
of laying the matter before the proper
parties in order that suitable action might
be taken. The witness said that later Gen.
Grosvenor concluded that Ii would be
proper to lay the matter before the secre-
tary of state. This was done and Mr. Gron
said he learned that the State Department
held that it could take no action and that
the authorities here had in no way COM
mitted themselves to Christmas.
Gron said that after Grosvenor had de-
Cided not to proceed with the matter ne
(Gron) had prepared a statement for the
Associated Press and had asked Mr.. Crane.
a newspaper man. to send some one from
ment. and also TO General Grosvenor for as
surance as 10 Gron's standing. He learned
later through Mr.. Crane that General Gros-
venor said he knew nothing about 1t. He
said he was informed the day after he SUBJ
Tnitted the statement that the Associated
Press could not use it. Afterward, he said,
he submitted his statement to several news
papers and more or less of it was printed.
The witness then detailed how he had
placed the matter before Representatives
Richardson and Underwood, who had gone
over the papers.
"Nha was your purpose in bringing 1t
before MEMBERS asked Mr.. Dalzeli.
ITO get it into the House and before the
American people" answered the witness.
AGENT FOR NO-sALE PARTY
In response to inquiries the witness took
up various branches of the case. He said
he represented those constituting the N
Sale Party" in Denmark. 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 a quarrel between Christmas and HIM
self over the commission. This Mr.. Gron
denied and in support read a letter stating
that an old alliance between certain Danish
men and Americans in the fall of 1897 was
declared off eighteen months ago. He men
toned the names of III. X. Rogers, Charles
r. Flint and himself as the Americans in
terested at that time In negotiating the sale
of the islands.
Asked specifically regarding a statement
in the Christmas report to the effect that
Rogers had agreed to accomplish the sale
'of the islands for 10 per cent. of the purchase
money, Mr.. Gron declared that there was
no such agreement. He described how the
in Denmark and in America had progressed
almost to a successful conclusion just be-
fore the Spanish war, when they were de-
clared of in Denmark.
Mr.. Gron said he undertook to reopen the
negotiations after the war. The committees
in Copenhagen and America had not been
dissolved. Christmas came 10 the United
States in December, 1899. Mr.. Gron was
closely questioned as to whether "A PROPOSE
ton was made for Christmas and Rogers
and himself TO divide the commission. He
lions. Asked as to the threat attributed to
Rogers in the Christmas report Qn which
Rogers was made TO say that he had TWEEN
ty-six votes in the Senate and could defeat
the negotiations), Mr.. Gron said he was
never present at an interview between
Rogers and Christmas. He had never heard
Rogers make such a threat. lie denied alb
solutely the statement that he (Gron) had
signed a contract with Christmas by which
he (Gron) and Rogers were to have two
thirds Of the commission. He had never
made a contract of any character with
Christmas, but the latter had made over a
power of attorney TO him which later he
I OlO W. NO60l saw Il
mas, he testified, but once. After that
Rogers refused TO see Christmas or answer
his letter or kilograms.
As to the Christmas interviews, I'm which
Christmas was made TO say that he had
negotiations with Abner Mckinley which
Christmas, IN his report, declared had been
instigated by Gron, the witness said that he
had no connection with them.
Mr.. Hit asked him specifically If he knew
what press associations were referred to in
the Christmas reports.
81 do not know" replied Mr.. Gron.
At this point the committee took a recess
until 2 o'clock.
GROSVENOR'S STATEMENT.
When the investigation was resumed
after recess Representative Grosvenor APP
peared and made a statement concerning
the subject. He spoke of receiving the note
introducing Mr.. Gron and OF going over
the papers with him. At that time Mr..
Grosvenor felt the matter should be looked
into with a view to ascertaining II there
was any irregularity. With that end in
view he conferred with Chairman Cannon.
of the appropriations committee, and asked
that II an appropriation bill for the Danish
purchase came in. that action on IL be de-
ferred until MIR. Grosvenor returned from
a Western trip and had an opportunity TO
go over the papers. On his return TO the
city Mr.. Grosvenor saw Secretary Hay In
relation to the matter. II was the view OF
ing in the charges OF which cognizance
should be taken.
Resuming his testimony, Mr.. Gron re-
lated his connection with the Scandinavia