| Show DEPEW BRYAK HANIA AID OTHERS IH THE CHRISTMAS unscrupulous fellow unjustly associated the names of prominent americans with his scheme to extort money from the danish government washington april 7 senator depew appeared today before the special house committee investigating charges in connection with alio danish west indies fie his statement was brief he expressed astonishment at having seen his name in the christmas report he did not know christinas and never had een him as far as he was aware although he met thousands of people and could not say just who he had seen but as to this danish island question he never had a discussion with anyone on the subject C W knox whose name was mentioned in the christmas report told of meeting christinas whom he considered a cultivated man who biad become en tangled with shar pers ane witness said lio consented to assist christmas and a contract was submitted to the committee by tire terms of which knox was to assist in any proper manner in bringing about the transfer ii nox to receive in case of a sale anu per month AS to a 5 transaction which had been referred to knox said he gave christmas im check for 5 which was endorsed by danien Ha nien and ne produced tho check this was the only financial transaction in the entire affair the witness said he never bribed anyone and nothing of the kind was ever contemplated lie never received any money from christmas in response to questions from members of the committee mr knox specifically denied thathy had introduced christmas to W J Il rvan or that lie had claimed to christmas that he was an intimate friend of senator bianna senator bacon of georgia told of a casual conversation with christmas As to the batters lat statement that mr bacon took great interest in the purchase of the danish islands the senator de dared it was absolutely untrue as ha dm not believe in thi acquisition of the islands and considered it unfortunate that the united states was in a position where it seemed necessary to take them chairman dollzell presented tho following letter from secretary hay to lion john dalzell chairman select committee etc I 1 have received your letter of the of march and in reply bog leave to say MURE in the early part of december 1899 captain christmas called upon me at this department and informed me that gli private and personal sources in copenhagen he had become aware that there was a among some of the leading member of the danish government to regard favorably an overture from the government of the united states looking to tile acquisition of the danish in lands he spoke at some length in regard to the desirability of the island of st john as a naval station at my suggestion he conveyed aliat further technical information he had on thia subject to admiral bradford of the navy department although he presented no credential whatever and explicitly declared that ho had no official cliar acter I 1 thought his story was of sufficient interest to be worth investigation I 1 told him I 1 would send a confidential and trusted agent of this government to copenhagen to ascertain unofficially alie true state of and mentioned to him the name of henry white first secretary of alie embassy at london captain christinas said he would like to be in copenhagen when mr white and bring him into communication with the members of the government whom he mentioned I 1 gave him a note of introduction to mr and they met in copenhagen where captain christmas had arranged for an interview between mr and a member of the danish government mr christinas was not present at th time lie afterwards returned to washington and I 1 saw him once or twice hut told him that there was no need for taft services of any private person in any negotiation which might be taken up alie two governments in regard to the acquisition of alic islands 1 I 1 enclose a copy of a letter which I 1 gave to the danish minister in washington at the time of the signing of the recent treaty and also a copy of a letter winch 1 I 1 have received from the danish minister sir brun dated the of march very sincerely yours signed JOHN alay in a letter to minister brun of denmark enclosed mr hay refers to tho signing of the convention of cession and adds tho government of the united states is in no manner under obligations to ane good offices of private parties in reaching the agreement now happily brought about between the united states and denmark and cannot admit for its own part or support in any way any such claim against denmark for commission compensation or remuneration 01 whatever nature which might be made by private parties for alleged services in connection with tho cession of alio islands in question to the united states A letter from minister brun states that captain christmas had no authorization whatever ta enter into negotiations in the name of the danish government ern ment nor to make any promises in the name of the government in connection therewith mr brun also says lie gave christinas no authority of introductions but refused his requests in this connection representative richardson said ha thought mr hay should come before the committee and should produce any letters he biad in connection with christinas going to copenhagen |
