The Washington herald., 1912-05-17
MR.. DIXON DENIES
GHAsE's CHARGE
Red-hot Statement Places Colored
Republican Delegate in An
anias Club.
LOCAL MAN SOUGHT
MEETING WITH DIXON
Told of Alleged Leaning Toward
Roosevelt and his Desire to
Make Declaration.

Calvin Chase. colored, the Taft dele
gate to the Republican National Con-
vention. who says he was approached
by Senator Dixon. head of the Roosevelt
campaign and asked to repudiate Taft.
is placed hard and fast in the Ananias
club by the Senator, in q statement
given out last night.
Chase's statement. printed at length in
an afternoon paper, says he was urged
to 20 TO Senator DIxon's home and
his instructions for Taft and declare
himself a Roosevelt delegate. Senator
Dixon says Chase sought the, interview,
and protested his desire to repudiate his
Taft instructions. This is Senator
Dixon's version Of the AFFAIR:
Senator Dtxon's Version.
About three weeks ago. Mr.. Rucker.
Of Atlanta, Ga, who for eleven years
ministrations, had held the position Of
collector OF internal revenue at Atlanta,
told me that he had been talking with
Chase, one OF the contesting delegates
from the District to the Chicago con-
vention, and that Chase was most anx-
ious to make a declaration in favor Of
Roosevelt told the gentleman that
could not be put in any equivocal atti-
tude in a matter of that kind. for I had
understood that Chase had been put for
ward by the Taft managers and run as
Taft delegate in the soap box pri-
maries" in the District of Columbia.
and that would not talk with him ex-
cept this gentleman was present TO hear
all OF the conversation. He called later
and said that Chase was anxious to
talk with me that evening and, II II was
agreeable, he would bring him to my
house at O'Clock. / told him that
would be agreeable.
Came to House.
"At o'clock this gentleman came to
my house bringing Chase with him. We,
sat in the library and talked about the
campaign. Chase volunteered the infor-
nation that, while he had been known
as a Taft delegate and the Taft mango
ment had backed him up In the "soap
box primaries" here in the District he
was convinced that Taft could neither
be nominated nor elected. He said that
nearly all of the colored residents
were strongly opposed to Taft and that
he wanted me to know that he. II seat
ed as a delegate, was going 10 vote for
Roosevelt. He continued in this strain
for some time and / finally said to him
that was glad to know that he was for
Roosevelt, and suggested to him that
he write a letter announcing his position
which would. Of course, give to the
press. He then said that before doing
30 he wanted TO consult with another
man, but would write the letter that
night and give'ttsto mesths NEXT morn
ing.
Promised Paper Later.
THE next morning he called on the
telephone from what purported to be his
once in this city. Not wishing to take
any chances on having him afterward
make any misstatements as to any con-
1 might hold with him, ask
ed ]. c. O'Laughlin. the correspondent
Of the Chicago Tribune, who was then
sitting in my office, to pick up the tele-
phone receiver in the other room and lis
ten to the conversation, which Mr..
did. Chase stated over the
telephone that he would have his signed
statement declaring for Roosevelt ready
at $50 that afternoon. I told him very
well. That was the last heard Of Chase
from that time until to-day. When he
did not again appear. l simply sized up
the whole situation as an attempt on
his part to lay some kind of founda-
ton for HIN to go to the Taft head
quarters and urge them For Gods sake,
buy me quick, I may declare for Roose-
velt any minute
This is the truth about this man, who
has served a jail sentence in the city
of Washington. who has been indicted in
the local courts-which fact was well
known to the Taft management, when
they put him up as their delegate IN
the District of Columbia-who now seeks
to become more notorious than before by
his interview in an afternoon newspaper
this afternoon"