Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-05-27
Roosevelt Says He Uses
Red Eye Only On Doc
tors Order.
DOES NOT DISLIKE WINE
Also TestifieS in Damage Suit
to Maintaining White House
Mint Bed.

Marquette, Mich, May 27.-In an
elaborate but small courtroom in this
frontier city, Theodore Roosevelt to-
day appeared in what was probably
an unique occasion in history when
in effect he, although a former presi-
dent OF the United States, was defend
ing himself under oath against the al
legation of drunkenness. The direct
testimony lasted an hour and cross
examination was Immediately begun.
In substance Roosevelt defended him
self as a man of complete sobriety,
although not total abstainer.
Roosevelt took the witness stand
at $3.50 today in his libel suit against
Publisher Newett. who in an editorial
charged him with drunkenness. The
former president entered a denial. He
admitted using light wines with his
meals, Ssit claimed he never touched
strong liquors except on advice of his
physicians or after great exposure. He
said he does not smoke nor touch
beer.
ed by his attorneys. began with an
outline of his political and military
career, his Smithsonian expedition to
Africa and ranch life in the west.
81 never drank q cocktail or highball
in my life" said the colonel. With
the exceptions hereafter noted / nev-
er drank whisky or brandy except
under advice of my physicians.
don't care for the taste Of either. !
don't smoke and don't drink beer. be-
cause l. disliSSe smoking and disIike
the taste of beer / never have drunk
whisky or brandy except when a doc
tor prescribed IT. or possibly on some
occasion after great exposure when /
was chilled through.
DRINKS WINE At HOME.
But II has been Is to 20 years
since | drank II because OF being chill
ed through. | never have drunk beer
nor do l drink red wine. The only
wines / have drunk have been only
whit wines, champagne or a glass OF
sherry. At home | often at dinner
drink wine, q glass or two of Madeira.
In the summer. instead of Madeira,
drink a tall glass of white wine and
Poland water, or Poly water. At
public dinners. sometimes ! drink a
glass Of champagne, perhaps two.
think on the average this means !
drink champagne. The only exceptions
to what ! have stated about drinking
whisky and brandy are as follows:
Mint juleps, really drink. In the
haA
think on an average ! may have drunk
a half dozen mint juleps a year.
Since l left the White house, four
years ago. to the best OF my memory
/ have drank mint juleps twice. once
at the Country club IN st. Louis,
where drank part Of a glass OF mint
julep. and the other occasion was at a
big luncheon at Little Rock. ARK,
where they passed around the table
a loving cup with mint julep in it,
drank when the cup was passed
TO me.
SIX WHISTLES IN II YEARS.
THE only other occasions / have
drunk whisky have been when II was
prescribed by my doctors. During the
last II years ! do not believe have
drunk whisky straight or with water
more than a half dozen times
"On my African expedition NE took
along case of champagne. a case OF
whisky and a bottle OF brandy. The
brandy was taken for me because l dc
not drink whisky. Some others OF
the party drank whisky. The cham
payne was used incidentally for three
% IL.
with fever and dissentry, and for two
or three travellers. hunters and mis-
sionaries who we're sick.
"Out of the brandy bottle / drank
seven ounces. given me by DIR. Maerns
on two occasions when l had fever
The last time | told him disliked it
so ! did not think IL would do me any
good. and unless he objected, would
take tea. Accordingly ! took tea, anC
turned the bottle over 10 Mr.. Gun
ningham, who was managing the ex
pedition. Eight months later, wher
we reached Khartoum. he asked mt
what he should do with it, saying from
curiosity he had measured it. anc
that / had drunk seven ounces in i
months.
BRANDY IN MILK.
"As for brandy, I never drink an!
more than / do OF whisky. when alone
al home. on a hunting trip. or in ;
friends house. But on very hare
campaign trips, on advice Of Surgeon
General Rixey. and recently DR.. Hol
brook Curtis. who attended my throa
in connection with these campaign
trips. l frequently, just before goins
70 bed at night, drank one or two COB