The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1920-04-22
Keller CONTRADICTS
SWANS Statement
ON JOHNSON TRIP

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, April %. -
Considerable comment was caused in
political circles Wednesday over the
failure of Senator Hiram w. Johnson
to appear at the Sixth district Repub-
lican rally in Richmond Tuesday eve
ming with Senator Warren G. Harding.
Senator Johnson, who spent the
night in Indianapolis, declared that
after his speech at the Columbia Club
he found it was too late to make the
3:05 o'clock train for Richmond, and
that he had sent message to those in
charge of the meeting expressing his
regrets at being unable to appear
In answer to reports from Richmond
that the senator had refused to share
the evenings program with Senator
Harding, Zell C. Swain, Johnson state
manager, Wednesday issued the fol-
lowing statement:
when Senator Johnson completed
his speech at the Columbia Club it was
nearly 3 o'clock and before he could
change his clothes, which were wet
with perspiration, the train for Rich
mond had left.
Had No Objections.
HE had no objections whatever to
appearing on the same platform with
Senator Harding and fully intended to
keep his date there.
I'm order to fulfill his promise to
the people of Richmond he well speak
there on the night of April %. He
will also speak at Greenfield, where
he was scheduled to appear enroute
to Richmond, on the morning of May l..
Will w. Keller, chairman of the Re-
| publican rally held in Richmond last
| Tuesday night, made the following
statement Thursday in regard to the
failure of Senator Hiram w. Johnson,
/ of California, to fulfill his engage
ment here:
1T makes little material difference
that Senator Johnson did not attend
the Richmond meeting last Tuesday
night, but in view of the fact that
Zell c. Swain, his manager, has at
tributed Johnson's failure to come to
missing a train, l feel that in justice
| to certain newspaper reporters, and
| the local committee, that l should
make a statement.
| Wouldn't Divide Platform
| \ "The real reason for Senator John
sons failure to appear here is as al
ready given, that he did not want to
appear on the platform with any of
his contestants. That informat ton
was communicated to the committee
by Manager Swain, both in the morn,
ing and early afternoon of Tuesday
and request was made by Swain
that Johnson either be allowed to
speak alone and Harding at another
date or else let Johnson come on the
day following the meeting.
Two kilograms were sent to Swain
and Johnson by noon Tuesday, urging
that the date here not be broken, and
the time was fxed for Johnson's ap.
pearance on the program at S:45.
Il talked with Swain over the phone
at 2:45 p. m, Wednesday for the pur
pose of getting information as to when
he might expect him. Swain said that
Johnson was in his bath, having just
come from the Columbia club, and
that he would let he know Johnson s
intentions in a shCrt while.
Then Telegraphed Later.
Il received a telegram from John
son, filed in Indianapolis at Ala p. m.
in which he assigned his failure to
come as "the schedule arranged fol
me here prevents me from being with
you tonight
johnson could have left Indianapol
lis at 80 on the Pennsylvania, arriv.
ing here at $50; he could have left
Indianapolis on the limited interurban
leaving there at 800 or Sis, which
cars make the trip to Richmond in
two hours and a half. or he could have
come by automobile.
The character of the Richmond
meeting and the fact that Senator
Harding was to speak here. has beer
known to Swain for weeks, and he in
formed us definitely. that johnson
would come, with full knowledge of al
these facts
Will w. Keller.