The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-01-28
REPORTWAS UNTRUE
SAYS REV. DR.. EVANS
Did Not Give information to Newspaper
First About Declining Newport
News Call

When seen yesterday morning with re-
ference to the statement Saturday from
Newport News to the effect that he had
declined tho COLL to St Paul's Church In
that city through the newspapers before
he communicated with the vestry. Dr..
W. q. Evans. rector of Monumental
Episcopal Church. OF this city, said most
enlphatically that the statement was alb
solutely Incorrect. The frat announc cement
made by HIN with reference to the call
was to the vestry OF St. Pauls. Any
publication In the newspapers, whereso.
ever derived, was unauthorized by him.
The friends Of DR.. Evans will regret to
hear that he is still confined to his room
from the effects Of the grip with which
he has recently severely suffered. He
hopes, however. to be Gut again by Sum
day next.
Two calls to work in other fields have
Just been received by tho Rev. O. II.
Crawford, of this city, and It is possible
that the Anti-Saloon League superintend-
emit, who has figured SO prominently In
certain Virginia affairs, will leave Rich
mond and the State. He now has the
matter under advisement and will prob
ably announce some decision In q few
days.
The most important Of the two calls
comes from the American Anti-saloon
League, which has honored Mr.. Craw-
ford with election to the important part
OF superintendent Of the entire South
eastern District, comprising all the South
Atlantic States from Virginia to Florida,
It Is the purpose Of the nntonal body to
put the work vigorously In this section
and wherever else there is not already a
thorough organlzatlon. Superintendent
Baker. OF Ohio. has been asked to take
charge Of tho Central District; superin-
tendent Taylor. Of Arkansas. Of tho
Southwestern, and Superintendent Craw-
ford, of Virginia, Of the Southeastern.
It Is to this matter that Mr.. Crawford
Is giving his careful confederation. De-
tails have not been made known and It
cannot be nsoertalned now whether or
not no could accept and still remain
superintendent in Virginia, His headquarv
tiers, II he accepts, will be In Richmond
or In Atlanta.
The other call Is to North DAKOTA. 1t
came this morning. and while there ap-
pears to be but slight likelihood that It
will DO accepted MIR. Crawford Is oonsid-
ering It along with the first.
It seems that in North Dakota tina
needs from the Anti-Saloon point Of view
are urgent. Proh.bltory statutes have
been enacted and the saloon forces intend
to inaugurate big fight against them.
Therefore, q counter Organization anti-sa-
loon in Its character is desired. It Is this
proposed organization Of which Mr.. Craw-
ford ~ asked to take charge.
In view Of the recent agitation in con-
necton with the recollection Of Mr.. Craw-
ford to his present position the possibility
that he will have tho State Is interesting
In the extreme. Flo was asked this morn
Ing II the attitude of the recent Virginia
Convention with reference to himself
would Influence him In favor OF accept
Ing one OF tho calls. Tho reply he made
was to the effect L--- as he understood
Z 1t tho convention thoroughly endorsed
him, although 1t did not meet his Vows
with reference to tho election OF su.
perintendent. In the light OF what has
gone before he thought that he should
be re-olectod by the convention Itself: II
was ordered otherwise and the election
was left In tho hands OF committee
which will meot on February 10th. Who.
thor or not Mr.. Crawford will be chosen
again cannot be eatd,
With reference to the calls Mr.. Craw-
ford said he had decided nothing. Ho ex-
poets to como to some conclusions within
the next few days.