Show HOW THE DANISH SENSATION WAS GOTTEN INTO CONGRESS I Niels Gron an Agent of the No Sale Party Gives His Statement to the tile Special Committee of Investigation tion f W WASHINGTON April The l.-The of charges made in connection connection with the Danish West Indies ip puri r 1 chase was begun today before th cia cial committee appointed by Speaker Henderson Besides the members l b f the committee there NI Niels' Niels s Gron who brought the charges to th the attention of ot Representative Richardson Richard Richard- son and quite a number of ot interested spectators spectator Mr Gron Groni was the first witness sworn by Chairman Dalzell The witness spoke in gool English with a slight Danish accent He said that in February February February Feb Feb- last parties in Copenhagen who opposed the transfer of ot the Danish West Indies to the United States conferred conferred con con- with him and brought to his attention at the Christmas report Declined to Give Names I Chairman Dalzell asked who these these- parties were The witness said they were members of ot the Danish upper upper- house but he did not think it proper to give their names Mr Ir Gron said he he was at present the representative in this country of these those parties Mr 11 Gron Greet gave way temporarily to Representative Alexander of Buffalo who desired to make a complete dis- dis disclaimer claimer of any n knowledge of Christmas Christmas' s or the Danish transaction Laid Before re Grosvenor Continuing his statement Mr Gron explained how the Danish parties op opposing opposing op- op posing a sale of the islands hart bed n nor nor- him to come w cometo to Washington sh and place the Christmas report before Congress and the public so that the facts would be known He told of having haying hav hay ing secured a note of introduction to to Gen Grosvenor of Ohio of arranging to meet the latter in Washington his r purpose being he said to carry out as assurances assurances as- as given at Copenhagen that he lie would place the matter before men and thus bring it to the at attention attention at- at of Congress and the public Before State Department Mr Gron told in great detail of bringIng bring bring- ing the papers before Gen l' l who at first seemed quite Indignant Mr Gron said sid and spoke of laYl laying the mat matter er before the proper parties ies in v n In o order or- or der tier that suitable action might be tie tak- tak en en The witness said aid that later Gen II ry ui t tt t 0 er- er erff ff y- y the matte then matte e ot Ft f Secretary of ot State This was as done and abd- Mr Gron said he learned that the tha State I depart department ent held that it could uld take no action and that the authorities here hete had in no way committed themselves to Christmas Statement for the Press Gron said that after Gen Grosvenor Grosven r had decided not to ed with the matter he Gron had prepared d a statement statement statement state state- ment for the Associated Press and had hat asked Mr Crane a newspaper man to send some one from the Associated Press to him for the statement and also to Gen Grosvenor for assurances as to Grons Gron's standing He learned later through Mr Crane that Gen Grosvenor said he knew nothing about it it but he said he was informed the day after he submitted the statement that the Associated Press could not use It Afterward he said he submitted his statement to several newspapers and more or less of it was printed How flow Richardson Got It The witness then detailed how he lie h had had- d' d placed the matter before Representatives tives Richardson and Underwood who o ohad had gone over the papers What was your purpose in bringing it before members asked Mr Dalzell To get it into the House and before before the American people In response to inquiries the witness witness' took up various branches of the case Continued on page 6 6 fr I The Danish Sensation Continued d from Page Page Pagel 1 He said he i represented sent d those constituting constituting the no no sale saie party in itt Den- Den mark maik No Contract With With Christmas Mr 1 Gron said he undertook to re reOpen reopen reopen re- re open the I Ig negotiations g ti ti ns after r. r ti e Span Spa ish wax war The Tile co committees in Cop Copen p- p hagen and America had not been dis solved Christmas came to th the United States in itt December 1899 Mr Gron was closely questioned as to whether a a proposition was made for Christmas and Rogers and himself to divide t the e commission He replied that there ther were various propositions Mr 1 Gron said he never was Vas present at an interview interview interview inter inter- view between Rogers and Christmas He never had made any contract ot of any character with Christmas but the latter latter latter lat lat- lat lat- ter had made over over a power po-er of attorney to him hinl which later he Gron As As- Asto to the Christmas interviews in which Christmas was made to say that he had negotiations with Abner McKinley McKinley Mc- Mc Kinley which Christmas in his report declared had been instigated by Gron witness said he had no connection with them Mr irr Hitt asked him specifically if pe knew what press associations were re referred s-e- s to in the tile Christmas reports I do not know replied 1 Gron At this point the committee took a recess until 2 |