East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1913-05-26
COLONEL'S SUIT
is ON IN COURT
WOULD RECOVER $4,000
Libel Alleged in Publication of Ger
tain Editorial in Michigan Newspa-
per During the Campaign-Editor
Declared That Roosevelt Was Heavy
DrinIIer.

Marquette, Mich, May 26.-Colonel
Roosevelt arrived today to be present
at the trial of his suit for $4,000 he
instituted against George A. Newett,
a publisher, for libel Newett charged
through the columns of his paper that
Roosevelt gets drunk and that not
infrequently." The trial was sched-
uled to start at 2 o'clock, Judge Rich
ard Flanagan, of Norway, Michigan,
presiding.
The substance of the affidavits on
which most of Newett's case is based
was learned 1t is charged that at
Athens, Jackson, Bellfontaine. Ur-
bana and Martins Ferry, Roosevelt
was assisted to the platform by three
attendants, that he exhibited symp-
toms of excitement. and that his con-
duct generally led witnesses to be-
lieve he was intoxicated" Ten af-
fidavits alone were taken at Athens.
Roosevelt's attorneys expect TO show
l. is customary for dignitaries to be
escorted to the platform.
His attorneys secured affidavits to
show that Taft also was assisted to
platforms by attendants in the same
towns. Testimony also will be intro
duced by Roosevelt to show that he
during his Ohio campaign only tasted
alcohol once, and that when he drank
a portion of a glass of champagne at
the home of Dan r. Hanna at Ra-
VIENNA.
One of Newetts affidavits charged
that Roosevelt got drunk in st
Louis" Former Governor Hadley of
Missouri will be called to refute the
charge. 1t is contended that Roose-
welt made an aeroplane trip in st.
Louis, exhibiting great GOODNESS.
Marquette, Mich. May .26.-The suit
of a former president of the United
States to recover 10000 damages for
alleged libed by a newspaper editor
began here before Judge Richard c.
Flanagan, Of the Marquette county
circuit court, today when the case of
Theodore Roosevelt versus George A.
Newett of Ishpeming, Mich, went to
trial
Newett. during the last presidential
campaign. printed a scathing editorial
arraignment of Roosevelt and his or
ganization of the progressive party, in
the Iron ore. a republican weekly
newspaper published at Ishpeming.
Besides flatly branding Roosevelt as
a falsifer Editor Newett wrote
Roosevelt lies and curses in a most
disgusting way; he gets drunk. too,
and that not infrequently. and all his
intimates know about it,
1t was on this paragraph in the ed
itorial that Colonel Roosevelt based
the libel suit which went to trial to-
day The editorial in question was
printed in the issue of october Il,
1912. In addition to today's civil ac-
ton, criminal action based on the
same editorial is pending against
Newett in the justice court here
Two days after the publication of
the editorial, while Roosevelt was in
Chicago preparing to go to Miwau-
/ kee. a copy of the Iron Ore was put
! in Roosevelt's hands. He immediate
ly gave instructions to his lawyers to
| begin a civil suit for libel. Henry NJ
| Wallace. the Detroit progressive, was
! placed in charge of the action of the
/ eX-president against the Michigan ed
! itor. James II Pound represented
/ Colonel Roosevelt in court today.
The evening of the day on which
Roosevelt was shown the editorial he
went to Milwaukee where he was sho'
by the lunatic, John Schrank The
! former presidents subsequent illness
delayed the immediate filing of tn,
suit. which was not instituted, unit
october 25
The entire editorial is quoted in thu
formal complaint made to the court
but the petition declared Roosevelt
would waive all claim to damages 70
any of the alleged libel contained il
the publication except in that para
graph which charged the former pres
ident with intemperance.
Editor Newett and his lawyer, vii
liam p. Belding of Ishpeming, agai
today declared their intention of fight
ing the suit to the last. In Newett'
answer to the suit he pleaded just
| fication He declared his charge
t were made i'm good faith and with
1 out malace and under circumstance
r creating the qualified privilege, towi
= that at the time alleged when tn
e plaintiff was a candidate for the OF
T. flee of president of the United State
h his public conduct and his fitness fc
i such office were properly subject
discussion as matteres of common IL
:. terest and that at the time alleged
= the declaration, it was widely and Gu
5. rently reported that the plaintiff w;
: then and had been for a long time
l. man of Incorporate habits" Newe
is declared he had learned from sourc
l. he deemed reliable" that the stat
ments made in the editorial we
Is true.
\ SINN n,EnDNIAN'C nAIrGuTI,D