The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1912-03-05
JUROR ROOSEVELT
ANSWERS HERE"
Says He'll Show 'Em He's Not
Fighting the Courts, but
Obeying Them.
EXCUSED FOR ONE DAY ONLY
Chccred by News From the West on His
Return From the Court House to
Sycamore Hill.

OYSTER BAY, l.. l.. March 4.-sAll call
and save your fines" chanted the clerk
OF the Nassau County Court this morn
ing. adding almost in the same breath az
he began the roll: Theodore Roosevelt
Col. Roosevelt answered Here" and
saved his fine. The lawyers and jury
men after the first greeting was over
went on about their business OF fixing
dates for trials and fishing up excuses
to escape jury duty. apparently very
little impressed with the probably unique
spectacle of an ex-President Of the United
States doing jury duty. As for the
Colonel he studied his court calendar
closely and seemed to take keen interest
in all that was going on. He said laser
that it was to be his first experience as
juror.
The Colonel having accepted the sum-
mons left at his house on Saturday
motored over to the court house. which
is about nine miles from Sycamore Hill.
early this morning When he arrived
Justice Harrington Putnam called him
into his chambers and told the Colonel
he would be glad to excuse him IL he
cared to plead public business. But
the Colonel would do nothing OF the kind
He explained that he would like to get
OF tomorrow to keep his appointments
with visitors at the Outlook Office and put
in some work on the Contributing Edi-
tors job, but that otherwise he was
ready to do his duty. To one of his
friends who greeted him he was reported
TO have said:
They say I'm fighting the courts
but I'm going to show them my obedience
to the courts
To u reporter who remarked that his
not being excused from jury duty might
cause surprise Col Roosevelt replied:
I'm not asking any favors. I'll serve
il they wish.
Then he took his seat within the rail
with the other talesmen. heard the Grand
Jury sworn in and listened to the calling
Of the calendar before it came his turn
to take part.
When the list Of call jurors vas read
the Colonel's name came first. As he
stepped before the bench Justice Putnam
said:
i understand it would be more agree
able to you, Col: Roosevelt. to appear
later in the week"
1T would be more convenient. your
Honor" replied the Colonel. and the
court told him to be on hand on Wednes-
day at 10 O clock.
As he was leaving the court house the
Colonel stopped to chat for few minutes
with Louis j. Smith. Republican county
chairman. and Election Commissioner
Charles r. Lewis. Mr.. Smith was asked
afterward if he had been promising the
support of the Nassau county organiza-
tion to the Colonel.
-Oh. no. he said We picked Roose-
welt men last week a. candidates for
delegates to Chicago:
Ex-Congressman W. W. Cocks. one Of
the Colonel's close friends. and DR.. William
Carr were the men chosen.
Later when Col. Roosevelt was asked
if he was not exempt from jury duty
on account of service in the National
Guard he said that he wasn't familiar
with the law on the subject and didn't
years in the Eighth Regiment in New
York That was back in the early sos.
Did you rise from the ranks. Colonel?-
he was asked,
-Oh. no. was imported as Lieuten-
ant. he replied. Il went In ss a Second
Lieutenant and became Captain OF Com
pany b..
Col Roose welt said he had no idea how
long he would be in court. He would be
in his place on Wednesday ready to serve
as long as he was needed. He gets s. a
day and mileage allowance while he is
serving.
Besides having "a bully time" while
appearing for jury duty Col. Roose velt
had received two pieces of pleasing news
to day and he was in high good humor
even when debating his statement re-
garding the Van valkenburg letter. He
had received telegram from the Repub-
lican chairman Of Oklahoma inforinin z
him that ffty-two out OF seventy six
counties in that State were Roose velt
territory and that when the State con-
yention meets on March IA the Colonel
,, will get 237 votes to l02 for Taft and 80
doubtful The despatch also said that
the delegates at large will surely Ae in
stucted for Roose Welt
The other word of cheer comes from
b. r. Harris. president Of the Illinois
| Bankers Association. who was the
Colonel's guest at dinner tonight. Mr..
Harris lives in Champaign, which ia in
the home district of Chairman Mckinley.
He told Col. Roose welt that the morning
after Mr.. Mckinley issued a statement
claiming the State for President Taft
| he questioned the first 100 men he met
on the street and found that 90 OF them
wanted Col. Roosevelt as the party g
candidate.
Col. Roose velt leaves here early to-
morrow morning for his regular day at
| the Outlook office. He will return the
same night so as to he on hand when his
name is called on the jury list at the
Mineola court house.