The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-01-15
'BOSS"PLATT, DEAD, is
PUT IN ANANIAS CLUB
Col. Roosevelt Makes Death No Bar to His AS
ser.ions That Former Senator's Remin4s-
Gene s Are t.lse
ctnc S ARE

New York, January 1i.-Thomas Col
Her Plat tdead) is tho latest addition
! 20 the Anallias CLUB.
The fact that death acts IS a bar to
memo ership in all other cluos has not
| prevented Colonel Theodore Roosevelt
| from pacing the name OF New Yorks
erstwhle Easy Boss" on the black
bordered scroll beside the names OF
| Edward u. Iarrimnn and very many
| others.
After reading tho Autobiography of
| Senator Plat" in which many pages
are devoted to Platts dealings with
| him, Colonel Roosevelt wrote 20 Louis
Jay Lang, compiler and editor OF the
| Plat "reminiscences. denying:
| Frst--That a pinch on the leg"
was Indirectly responsible for mis-
nomination for Nice-Presldent in the
Republican National Convention of
| 1900. and that Platt forced aim to take
the nomination.
Second-That in company with Col
onei joan Jacob Astor ne went. that
that resulted in his appointment as
in hand" and obtained from platt an
| Endorsement to President Mckinley
Assistant Secretary OF the Navy in
| 1897.
Third-That he called on Senator
Plat in company with Benjamin d.
Odell during the State campaign OF
| AoSo' SoihpiuiHiHS knat democrats were
| buying up the state; that something
should be done to relIevc the desperate
situation. and that Plat, practically
with his sanction. collected from J.
| Plerpont Morgan. Thomas +. Ryan and
| -FOUR others corruption fund OF $50 900
that enabled Roosevelt to defeat Van
Wyck by 1900 plurality
| Plate. "aIind Was Falling
| Referring TO platts version of the
| he n M
to Platt, TO solicit tina latter's indorse-
ment OF Roosevelt Tor Assistant Score
tnry OF the Navy under Mckinley,
roosevelt wrote:
II is rather singular that Senator
Platt should have Imagined such an In
terview. and II shows how much his
mind was failing when tho reminis-
cences were written. Let me repeat
That tho account IS given by Senator
! flatt OF this interview Is absolutely
and wholly without foundation, and
! that neither while l was with Astor
nor with any ono elsa. did 1 over have
such a conversation with him or mako
such call upon him as therein re-
! lated"
When Plat. in April, 1909. told In a
seTies Of magazine articles his version
! OF now nc, as easy boss" mado Roose-
1 welt Assistant Secretary of tho ayy,
Governor Of New York and Vice-Presi-
dent, following political quarrel OF
moro than fifteen years. Colanel Roos.-
welt remained silent. He was in Africa
when Plat dad. Seven months elaused
before he read the Plat "Reminiscences
| colonel Roosevelt confined his cx-
| pressions OF resentment TO confidential
| letters TO and personal Interviews with
| Platts collaborator Mr. Lang, who for
years has been an Albany newspaper
correspondent On condition that his
letters be printed In an addenda TO the
| second edition of the Plat book, Col
onel Roosevelt at length consented that
portions of the correspondence be
given TO the newspapers. 1t Is from
these letters that the facts here stated
| are obtained.
It's So. Says Platts Secretary.
An interesting sidelight on the lat
est controversy in which the Colonel
has engaged Is furnished by Albert H.
Howe. ono time private secretary to
Senator Plat. Mr.. Howe invilea mem
bership In the Ananlas club. by having
written Mr.. Lang that Platts story OF
how Colonel Roosevelt. with Colonel
Astor. called on Plat to get his back
ing for Assistant Secretary OF the
! Navy "accords with the facts"
| Mr.. Howe in part wrote:
Colonel Astor did accompany COL
! onel Roosevelt to Senator Piatts par
lors for the purpose OF soliciting the
letters indorsing Colonel Roosevelt FOR
| that position. The circumstances are
most clearly impressed upon my mind
| because of two unusual elements"
| Mr. Howe goes on to state he re-
| mem'bered the incident because 1t
I marked tho first intimation Plat re-
| ceived that Mckinley would respond
| to an Endorsement from him. and also
because II was the only time he ever
! saw Colonel Astor. Mr.. Howe adds:
40 iS mi tnl n
fact. am sorry to be obliged to con-
tradict Colonel Roosevelt. Colonel
! Aston was there. and even IL Colonel
Astor denied IL / think there is more
likelihood that he would forget than
| 1. Remembering things is part of my
business Perhaps the obligation to
| remember has never weighed heavily
| Ipon Colonel Aston"
Not Intentional Untruth, Maybe.
! When the letter from Mr.. Howe was
! called TO the attention OF Colonel
Roosevelt no wrote to Mr.. Lang Il
letter which, in part. read:
| Il have letter from Colonel Astor
| stating that he never saw Senator
Platt about my being Assistant Secre-
! :ary of the Navy. None of the inci-
| tents Is rotated accurately or truth
FULLY by Senator Platt; but think his
mind was failing and do not accuse
him of Intentional untruth."
| Below is printed Platts view and
:hat of Colonel Roosevelt Of the incl
tents leading up TO his nomination
| Cor Vice President The former is re-
| printed from Platt's autobiography and
| the latter from one of Colonel Roose-
yelt's letters.
| Platt's version:
! 81 shall 40 into the New York
| caucus and tell the delegates that l
! arise in the convention and decline. 1
| san serve you. Senator, far better as
Governor than as Vice-President,' said
| Roosevelt pugnaciously.
But yau cannot be renominated for
| Governor and you arc going to he
nominated for Vice President was my
I retort.
4, ~ cannot be rcnominhted? Iueried
| Roosevelt.
"No; you successor is in this room,
said I. pointing 10 Chairman Odell.
/ Now, want your promise that IL
! Won arc indOrScd by the New York