Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1913-06-05
MICHIGAN EDITOR
On STAND \ ADMITS
he LIBElED I. R.
In Face Of Overwhelming Ar
ray Of Unquestioned Evil
dence Defense Had
No Proofs.

A. Newett went on the witness stand
this afternoon and ratracted the al
legged libel charging Roosevelt with
drunkenness. He said he had been
impressed that an injustice had been
done the colonel in the publication OF
the article and deeply regretted it..
The plaintiff then. ii, person. asked the
Judge to instruct the jury to bring In
merely nominal damages.
Colonel Roosevelt's statement to the
court was as follows:
Your honor in view of the statement
of the defendant l ask the court in
struct the jury that desire only nom
maj damages. did not go into this
case for money. did not go into it
Tor any vindictive purpose. l went in
70 IT and as the court said, made my
reputation an issue. because l wished
once for all during my life time thor
oughly and comprehensively, to deal
with these ISLANDERS SO that never again
will it be possible for any man in good
faith to repeat them. I have. achieved
my purpose and / am content"
Nominal damages means six cents
under the laws of Michigan and no
costs.
Col. Roosevelt will leave here tonight
Mr.. NeWetts statement follows:
49, was '1oi1 OlA u ItEl1 near James,
vile. Wis, in 1856, and lived there un-
III was about is years old. obtained
my education in a district school in
That vicinity, working on the farm sum
mers and going to school winters.
came to Marquette county in 1875 and
have lived here ever since. In 1874 l
began working for the Iron Home, the
| first paper publishing in IshLAming and
have ever since been engaged in news
paper work in this county.
In 1879 left the Iron Home and
started the publication of paper of
my own and have continued its publi
| cation from then until the present time
| This paper is known as Iron Ore. The
| Iron Ore is a weekly paper which con-
1 tains the usual local news published in
| such papers in communities like Ish-
peming and In addition specializes in
| mining news, covering not only the
mining districts of Michigan, but else
/ Where. In October, 1912, it had a cir
| culation of from $500 to 5000, four
| fifths of which was confined to the
lcounty of Marquette and the greater
1 part of the remainder to other towns in
the upper peninsula.
I'm 1896 ] was appointed commits
sioner of mineral statistics for the
Estate of Michigan, a position l held
four years. covering two terms, my
first appointment having been made by
! Governor Rich and my reappointment
/ by Governor Pingree. In 1905 was
appointed postmaster at Ishpeming by
the plaintiff of this case and held that
office for four years, at the end of
which term I resigned. / have also
4 held various positions on civic boards
\ in the city of Ishpeming and am now
president of the Ishpeming Advance
ment association.
Never Drunk. He Says.
llmlen Roosevelt said he was Sc years
old and said that his father and the
father of the plaintiff, who were broth
ers, had been closely associated in BUSH
ness.
4 What las been your association
i with your couSin? asked Attorney
Pound for the plaintiff.
Very intimate Have been with him
| for two weeks at a time, when we were
boys we lived near each other. Later
l was with him on hunting trips. |
was with him when he was sworn in as
/ president; AID also was present with
| him at Buffalo on the death of Presi-
dent Mckinley. / made trips with him
! in the Mayflower. the government boat
i placed at his service. / have been in
| position to know every detail of his
public and private life
William Loeb. jr.. collector of GUS
1 toms of the port of New Yark testified
he first met Colonel Roosevelt when
the latter became governor OF New
i York. During the seven and one half
years of the Roosevelt administra ton,
Mr.. Loeb said he was associated with
the president, first as assistant secre-
tary to him and later as his secretary.
Mr.. Loeb said he saw Colonel Roose-
Welt as president every day, including
holidays. II was in touch. with him all
his working hours. from 9 a. m. till
Midnight said the witness.
To what extent did he indulge in
\ intoxicants p
He was as temperate as any man
ever saw.
I'm the last 10 years would it have
been possible for Nj. Roosevelt to have
gotten drunk not only once, but fire.
Iquently -
1T would have been impossible"
The witness. cross examined by At
torney Horace Andrews. said he was
kept busy at the White House and had
/ 90 stenographers in his charge. He was
excused after a brief examination.
Court Room Filled.
Il There Was no dirninution of inter
est in the case and Judge Flannigan's
sicourt room was filled when the case
Presumed. The afternoon session was
determined on in an effort to complete.
if possible. the PLAINTIFFS evidence.
! IN a y HUG AN