The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1913-05-30

on Trip TO RITIcds
Marquette. Mich, May 2S.-Colonel
Theodore Roosevelt, eX-president OF
the United States, went on the witness
stand in the county court of Marquette
county and made clean breast of his
private history in the matter of stimu-
lants. He made this revelation TO
twelve men Of this mining region-fou1 !
miners, three teamsterS, two farmers,
lumberman, a locomotive fireman
and a blacksmith-in whose hands is
placed the question whether the charge
made by George A. Newett Of Ish-
peming in his paper, Iron Ore, that the
colonel gets drunk frequently and that
all his intimates know it has any
foundation.
The colonel was his own first witness
in his $4,000 libel suit against the
country editor. He reviewed his whole
public life and went into intimate par
ticulars concerning the small quaint
ties of liquor he had drunk on various
occasions. He declared that never
since he became of age had he been in
the slightest degree under the infiu-
ence of intoXicants.
81 am not a teetotaler," he said, but
am abstemious in the extreme"
The audience, which packed the
courtroom, listened with eager interest
while the colonel related incidents of
his career as soldier, governor. presi-
dent, African hunter, contributing edi-
tor and candidate for reelection to the
presidency. Sometimes a smile was
seen among the listeners, but the colo
mel never smiled. He was thoroughly
in earnest
Colonel Roosevelt asserted that he
never drank a cocktail or highball in
his life He took sup of beer on one
occasion to please some Germans in
Milwaukee, the place which the amber
fluid made famous" but he didn't
like beer. He didn't like tobacco
either, he said, and for that reason
never smoked
Prefers Tea to Brandy.
The colonel declared that he never
drank whisky or brandy, except on the
advice of physician. Sometimes. he
said, he took a teaspoonful of brandy
in milk just before going to bed, He
said he didn't believe he had taken a
drink at bar In twenty years.
He related how on one occasion he
took milk and doughnuts in preference
to champagne. and how on his African
hunt, when DR.. Mearns advised him to
drink little brandy. he replied that he
disliked brandy and would take tea in
stead
Jacob A. Riis followed Colonel Roose-
welt on the stand. He declared with a
"Lord. nor that he never had seen
the colonel intoxicated during his long
acquaintance with him. AS to the
charge that the colonel used profane
language. he asserted that the worst
thing he ever heard Mr.. Roosevelt say
was "By Godfreyv'
DR.. Alexander Lambert, Colonel
Roosevelt's personal physician. declar-
ed on the stand that the colonels
speedy recovery after he vas shot was
due to his splendid, imprisoned ply
sique."
When the colonel was called to the
stand. clicking his teeth in the long
familiar manner, he leaned forward in
the witness chair and began his story.
81 was born in New York, Oct. 27.
1859" he said.
Then he told of his election to the
New York legislature in 1881; his un-
successful campaign for mayor of New
York in 1886; his term as assistant
secretary of the navy, and his resigna-
ton to be lieutenant colonel of the
rough riders in 1898.
81 was in the fighting around Santi-
ago, where my regiment lost over one
third of its officers and over one-fifth
of its men, killed and wounded" he
observed. 81 was promoted to colonel
of the regiment and made acting briga-
dier general on returning to Montauk
Point. The army was there disbanded
In September. | was at once nominal
ed for governor of New York and was
elected"
Then came the meat of his evidence,
After telling of his two terms as presi-
dent and his African lion hunt. the
colonel said he remembered Oct. IL,
1912. very well. This was the day on
which Editor Newett printed his al
legged libel. charging that the colonel
"gets drunk, and that not lnfrequently,
and all his intimates know it."
Colonel Roosevelt identified the copy
of Iron Ore. Newett's paper. which
contained the charge.
81 think | saw that first in Mercy
hospital" he said, "after | was shot
1t may have been in Milwaukee, the
day / was shot"
ave Never Drank Cocktail"
Il have never drunk a cocktail or 4
highball in my life. With exceptions
noted, never drank whisky or brandy
except under the advice of physician
don't care for the taste of either.
don't smoke and don't drink beer, be
cause dislike smoking and dislike th(