Carroll County democrat. (Huntingdon, Tenn.) 188?-1971, 1913-06-06
Col. Roosevelt TestiHes.


If the stuFdy-looking man who spent
seven years Of his life performing the
duties of president of the United
States saw anything curious in his
position of explaining to the twelve
simple toilers Of the woods and the
mines that he was not really drunk
ard, as charged in an editorial by the
defendant, George A. Newett, his
countenance did not betray it, nor
did his manner.
When Mr.. Pound, his counsel, after
a brief outline of the plaintiffs case
to the jury, called the colonel to the
witness stand, Roosevelt, who had
been inconspicuous among number
of prospective witnesses and visitors,
stepped briskly forward.
Turns to Face Jurors.
Now tell the jury" instructed the
lawyer, and the client, who had been
president, twisted his chair to face
the Jurors in their box, and proceeded
to tell them" as directed.
"At public dinners ! sometimes
drink a glass of champagne, perhaps
two; on an average l may say one
glass of champagne a month"
The witness snapped his words out
in his peculiar, distinct, choppy enun
citation, and added, after momen-
tary pause, with emphasis, and l do
that in public"
In substance, Col. Roosevelt de-
Tended himself as man of complete
sobriety, although not total alb
stainer. The leading points in his
testimony may be quoted as follows:
81 am not a total abstainer"
81 have never drunk highball or
a cocktail in my life"
Il do not smoke and | do not drink
beer and | don't drink red wine
Il have never drank whisky or
brandy except when the doctor pre-
scribed it, or possibly on some occa-
sion after great exposure, when l was
chilled through"
THE only wines have drunk have
been white wines, champagne, or very
occasionally glass of sherry"
he had made a, special study of the
heart and lungs and of the effect of
alcohol, tobacco, opiates and drugs on
the human system.
Drinks White Wine at Home.
"At home, at dinner, often drink
a glass or two of white wine and min.
eral water"
AT public dinners l sometimes
drink a glass of champagne or per
haps two. On an average may drink
one glass of champagne a month"
There was mint bed at the
White House and l may have drunk
half a dozen mint juleps there in a
year."
"On the African trip the expedition
took along a case Of champagne,
case of whisky and bottle of brandy.
The brandy was for me, because l do
not drink whisky"
TN the eleven months of the trip
the doctor administered just seven
ounces of it to me for medical pur-
poses. never touched it except on
his advice. The champagne was used
for three of our party who were i'll,
and for some sick strangers whom
we met"
"On speaking tours, by direction of
Surgeon General Rixey, sometimes
took a goblet or two of milk before
retiring, and in each there was a
measured teaspoonful of brandy"
Since leaving the White House, |
think have tasted mint juleps twice
part of glass at St. Louis and a
sip from a loving cup at Little Rock,
Ark"
Much of the succeeding testimony
was introduced to indicate that the
plaintiffs physical vigor, his function
al perfection, his violence of exercise
and his immense capacity for work
could not exist in the person of man
who got drunk and that not infre-
quent," as the alleged libelous edt
torial in The Iron Ore charged.