Omaha daily bee., 1902-04-04

punch OF scamps and sWindlers,. OF Which
you seem to be the rineleader, | feel u Is a
duty TO again emphasize that under no
condition will I have anything whatsoever
expressly repudiate and cancel any and ali
agreements that ! may ever have entered
into nc with yon; ! s. sh9i. not SirS d ME- =, q IP9n,s al
scheme TO which | have been subjected.
suffice #. for me TO mention only a few, Of
for the wideawakeness of my attorney.
Fischer Hansen. would have led me to
annie You WERE Introanned 10 me as
former United states congressman and. as
such entitled to the title Of honorable
which | always took the pains to use.
Assumed Legal Powers.
You stated to me that you were acting
compliance with the wishes of President
Mckinley and Secretary Hay, and for the
introduced in congress by Congressman
Gardner looking 20 the purchase OF the
mGsest indian Island; You tola me; fHT-
spirits in the Associated Press and that as
the company demanded the island you
sentiment. on the face of all that you sue
ceeded IN extorting from me a contract not
to speak of money your coconspirators
have gotten away from me. OF course my
plain duty would be not only to repudiate
my contract with you, but to proceed
or rather affirm my Reputation to you OF
last saturday; the latter | am prevented
AAbAh. vii W tdcVn Vi llt ldNl lndI L
leave for Europe in the course of a few
days.
Mr.. Hansen said the copy Of this letter
which he placed in evidence was in Captain
Christmas handwriting. In reply to MIR.
HIT. Hansen said he had never received
anything from Christmas and had loaned
him $500 when he was hard UP, which had
not been repaid.
Laugh on Christmas.
There was much laughter and the in
quiry took a rather ludicrous aspect as
Mr.. Hansen told Of Christmas promises to
various persons. On one occasion, Mr.. Han
sen said, Christmas met c. w. Knox in a
dining room and told ain he had some
islands to sell. Mr.. Knox said he knew
a man who knew Senator Hanna. AS a
result Christmas was to pay Knox $50, 900.
In a humorous vein Mr.. Hansen told
Of S. being paid on this promise.
On another occasion, Mr.. Hansen related,
Christmas met in a saloon one Nelkin Y.
Walberg and told him he had some islands
for sale"
Hansen said walberg replied that that
was just in his line" Later Hansen said
Christmas let Walberg have small sums,
$40, S25 and SIS. Mr.. Hansen said he did
not know Walberg and knew nothing of
his connections with an international press
association.
Representative Hit asked IL this was
supposed to be the basis for charges af-
fecting the American press.
Basis of Partial Charges.
Mr.. Hansen said it was; that Christmas
only connection with the press was with
this walberg. Mr.. Hansen also told of a
contract with a Mr.. Rinert by which the
latter was to receive SO, 900 for services
as counsel. He produced a recent letter
from Christmas dated March 2, stating that
he had offered to make a public declaration
that no one in congress was interested in
the sale, and in general repudiating the
allegations on which the inquiry is based.
Mr.. Richardson's ross questioning sought
to develop that services were to be per-
formed for the various contracts.
The witness explained that it was the
service Of explaining and assisting along
the transfer by every legitimate means, and
he read from the contracts to show that
this was the object. He stated in reply to
Mr.: Hit that from his knowledge of the
subject he was positive that no senator or
representative ever had any personal in
terest in the negotiations or ever was APP
preached, and he made this disclaimer
broad enough to cover everyone in and out
Of congress excepting the specific cases
heretofore cited.
Melville e. stone on Stand.
Melville E. Stone, general manager Of
the Associated Press, next testified. He
stated that he had general charge Of all
news matter OF the Associated Press and
had full knowledge OF all contracts and
bttainaaG affairs In raan0nSa To Mr.. Dali
zell's inquiries Mr.. Stone said he had never
met Christmas, had never seen him and
his only knowledge Of the man was from
the general gossip on the subject recently
appearing. Mr.. Dalzell asked II Christmas
ever had any contract with the association.
Mr.. Stone answered hat there was no such
contract. There could not have been any
thing Of the kind without his knowledge.
The idea of such a contract was absurd.
He desired to protest, Mr.. Stone added.
against the Juggling in Of the Associated
Press, which he considered most imperti-
nent. He also showed the committee a ca
blegram from Copenhagen saying an ON
cial note was issued today stating that the
Danish ministry had no connection with
Christmas and refused to see him or to
receive a copy of his report.
Evans Tells of His Contract.
Richard p. Evans, ar attorney OF this
city, was next sworn. He said he first met
Christmas through Walberg. who was de-
scribed as a music teacher, newspaper man
and translator. Christmas desired to en-
pIoy Evans service in connection with the
Danish matter, and Evans said that a con
tract was made just as in any other matter.
A copy OF the contract was produced, re-
citing that a contingent fee of $4,000 was
to be paid Evans on the conclusion of the
negotiations. The witness said he had
never offered any inducement to anyone in
congress in connection with the matter,
and in twenty-five years experience he
never knew such a thing to be done. There
was absolutely no truth. the witness said.
in the Christmas report stating that he