The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1913-05-28
Dozen Newspaper Men are Wit
nesses Silly to Charge Colo
mel was Ever Drunk Says
Chicago Man
DEFENDANT CLAIMS
ACTED In GOOD FAITH
Will Show that RumOrs Of CoIOneRs
Tipping Current Among News
paper Men Claim Dam
age Not Great
Telegram BY Unired Press.

Telegram by united Press.
Marquette, Mich. May 2s.-The sec
ond Of nearly dozen newspaper men
who were here as witnesses in the
libel case Of Theodore Roosevelt
against Editor Newett to testify to the
sobriety Of Col Roosevelt, was called
this morning.
John Callan O'Laughlin of Wash
ington, employed by Chicago news
paper, who has been much with the
Colonel since he became president.
testified mot only have | never seen
the Colonel under the influence Of IL
quor, bpt It Is absolutely silly to me
that anybody brought such a charge
against him."
When asked by the defense If 1t
was not true that prior to the publca-
tion Of the article by Newett that the
report was current among newspaper
men that Roosevelt used liquor occas-
ionally to excess, OLaughlin retored.
Every reputable newspaper man
knows it's a lie"
Il don't know about such men as do
not know the Colonel. but every Wash
ington correspondent knew the charge
to be false" said O'Laughlin. The
witness, swore that he never saw the
Colonel take more than one glass Of
champagne at any Gridlron club din
ners.
Attorney Belden for the defense
then announced their purpose to show
that rumors concerning Roosevelt's
sobriety had been current among
newspaper men prior to the alleged
libel and never contradicted and that
Newett printed the article in good
faith. They also will attempt to show
that Roosevelt cannot be greatly dam
aged by the publication of an article
in little paper OF three thousand
tiNulhlluH.
Much testimony was introduced BY
the defense to indicate That the plain
tifrs physical ylgor his functional
perfection, his violence Of exercise
and capacity for work could not exist
in the person Of one who got drunk
and that not infreauently, as the alleg-
ed libelous editorial in the Iron Ore
charged
Important witnesses on this phase
: of the examination were DR.. Alex
Lambert, Col Rooseyelts family physi-
clan and intimate friend of thirty
years, and DIR. 7. n. Rixey, surgeon
general, U. S. N, retired, whose offic-
; ial duties during the Mckinley and
0 Roosevelt terms Of office included lit.
s tie else than to guard the presidential
s physical well being. Other witnesses
were Jacob Riis and ellison Gardner.
# the former sociologist and writer, and
d the latter a newspaper man whose
v duty for many years compelled him TO
st take close note Of everything pertain
10 ing to Col. Roosevelt. Dr. lambert
r testified he had made special study
n Of the heart and lungs and Of the ef
ID fects Of alcohol, tobacco, opiates and
II drugs on the human system.
ie When Mr.. Andrews cross examina
10 ton suggested that Witnesses who tes
titled that Col. Roosevelt drank a
70 meals did not extend to meal times
50 the doctor said:
st "Oh, yes" he said, Il have fire.
quently stayed at the Roosevelt hom
all night and might drop in at break
fast any day, as I frequently did,
Or. Lambert said be had given spa
on cial attention to the study Of alcohol
ed ism more than to any other line ha
m. written a book on the subject whic
hit was standard in the profession an
probably during his career had treate
10000 cases Of alcoholism and alile
. disorders.
= HE is extremely temperate" test
4 fled The doctor. @flia haart and liyf
= which, II the organs Of an alcohollI
= would be affected. h said, we're prl
= digiously healthy He never was aal
. ed unon to lreat his friend PROBES ol