The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-04-04

HO5OlldlIOilS were successful. MI. Hansen
then related what Christmas had told
him Of coming to Washington and meet
Ing President Mckinley, Secretary and
Admiral Bradford, and later of going to
Copenhagen with Mr. White, the United
States secretary of embassy at London.
Mr.. Hansen also related a street meeting
with one of the Seligmans. who had said
christmas was progressing well with the
negotiations.
Lodge Makes Explanation.
The witness said Christmas had met one
Of the Seligmans on an ocean steamer
and then had said that if anything came
Of the negotiations they would be the
bankers Later, Mr.. Hansen said, he re-
FUSED to stand sponsor for Christmas, and
witness learned from Col. Brown that the
president desired NJ further dealings with
Christmas
Mr. Hansen yielded temporarily to al
low Senator Lodge to make a statement
me senator said Christmas had spoken to
him about the Danish transfer. Mr..
Lodge always had taken an interest in the
acquisition of the islands. He told
Christmas, however, that there was no
use staying here as the Danish minister
would attend to the negotiations. The
senator specifically denied language said
to have been used by him, according to
the Christmas report.
Resuming his testimony Mr. Hansen
told of learning later that Christmas had
been clothed with authority by Denmark
Christmas wanted him to guarantee a
contract Of $4,000 to a Mr.. Evans this
amount to come out of Christmas expect
ed compensation. Hansen indorsed the
contract, the expectation being that
Evans would act as counsel at Washing
ton explaining any details that might
arise. Later Mr. Hansen said Christmas
wrote Evans the following letter, repudi-
ating all connection with him:
New York, March 23-Richard P
Evans. Dear Sir: Although it is hardly
necessary to add anything to what | al
ready have said to you in my converse
ton last Saturday, in the presence OF my
attorney FISCHER Hansen, nevertheless. in
view of the fact that / am dealing with
punch OF scamps and SWindlers, Of
Wh1cn you seem to be the ringIeader, |
reel 1t Is duty to again emphasize that
under no condition will l have anything
whatsoever to do with you or your gang,
and hereby expressly repudiate ana can
Gel any and all agreements that / may
ever have entered into with you.
Christmas Makes Complaint.
II shall not dwell upon all the many de-
talls OF the gigantic fraudulent scheme to
which have been subject.
Suffice it for me to mention only a
few of the abominable features of the
case that, but for the wide awakeness OF
my fSCQer hansen. you would
have led me to everlasting ruin and Qe-
spair Thus, for example, you were in
trodIced to me as a former United States
congressman, and as such entitled to the
title of honorable which 1 always took
pains to use.
You stated to me that you were acting
for the administration, and that it was
in compliance with the wishes of President
benefit Of my plans that a certain Dill
was introduced in congress by Congress
man Gardner looking to the purchase OF
the West Indian islands. You told me
further that you were one of the leading
spirits in the Associated Press, and thai
as the country demanded the islands you
would permit your bureau to express that
sentiment. On the basis of all this you
succeeded in extorting from me a con,
tract. not to- speak of moneys that youl
coconspirators have gotten away from me
at various times.
''Of course my plain duty would be not
only to repudiate my contract with you
but to proceed against you criminally.
do the first now, or rather affirm my
reputation to you Of last Saturday; the
latter L am prevented from doing by rea-
| son Of the fact that 1 leave for Europe
| in the course of a few days"
His Ways Cause Laughter.
Mr.. Hansen said the copy of this let
| ter which he placed in evidence, was n
| Capt. Christmas handwriting.
In reply to Mr.. Hit, Hansen said he
| had never received anything from Christ
mas and had loaned him $500 when he was
| 'hard up" which had not been repaid
| There was much laughter and the inquiry
| took a rather ludicrous aspect as Mr.
| Hansen told Of Christmas promises to
various persons. On one occasion Mr.
| Hansen said, Christmas met -. w Knox
| in a dining room and told him he had
! some islands to sell. Mr.. Knox said ne
| knew a man who knew Senator hanna.
| AS result Christmas was to pay Knox
| $780, 00. In semi-humorous vein Mr.. Han
| sen told of S. being paid on this promise
| On another occasion Mr.. Hansen re-
| lated Christmas met in a saloon one
/ Nelkin Y. Walborg and told him he had
| some islands for SALE
| Hansen said Walborg replied that was
| Just in his lire Later Hansen saA6
! Christmas let Walborg have small sums
! $40, $25 and $l5 Mr.. Hansen said he did
not know Walborg, and knew nothing of
| his connections with an international
press association.
| Representative Hit asked if this was
| supposed to be the basis for charges af-
| fecting the American press.
! Mr.. Hansen said it was; Christmas only
| connection with the press was with this
! Walberg.
AbsOIves All the Senator's.
MI I1dIlSGl dlSO IOIu Oh a contract with
Mr.. Rynert by which the latter was *
receive $4,000 for services as counsel. He
| produced a recent letter from Christmas
| dated March 2, stating that he had Of
| fered to make public declaration that no
one in congress was interested in the sale,
and tE general repudating the allegations
on which the inquiry is based.
! Mr.. Richardson's cross-questons sought
| to develop what 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 with
| emphasis, in reply to Mr.. Hit that from
| all his knowledge of the subject, he was
| positive that no senator or representative
| ever had any personal interest in the ne
gotiatons or ever was approached, and he
made this disclaimer broad enough to
cover every one in and out of congress
| excepting the specific cases heretofore
| cited.
Melville E. Stone, general manager of
thn A tod