The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-05-28
Col. Roosevelt Confined His
Triple to One Beverage.
If He Began on Champagne He
Stuck to 1t.
TESTIMONY OF &c. O'LAUGHLIN
ExcuIpates the Colonel From
Charge of Inebriety.
Says Reports Were Discredited
by Reputable Correspondents.

Marquette, May 2S.-Introduction ol
further testimony to show the abstem-
fous habits of the plaintiff was re-
sumed today in the libel suit of Theo-
dore Roosevelt against George A
Newett, publisher of the Iron Ore OF
Ishpeming, Michigan, who charged him
with drunkenness.
John CaIlan O'Loughlin, a Washing
ton correspondent was the first wit
ness.
Was Always Moderate.
Although Col. Roosevelt on returning
to Europe from his African hunt was
obliged to attend banquets and recep-
tions rendered him by monarchs, ne
never INDUCED in champagne to an i'm
moderate degree, was the testimony OF
O'LaughIin who said he had been as
sociated with Col. Roosevelt for twenty
years. The witness said he met the
former president on the Nile after the
African hunt and accompanied him as
far as Paris acting as secretary to
Col Roosevelt. O'Laughlin also 1c-
companied the colonel on various cam
paign trips in this country
During your twenty years expert
ence with Col. Roosevelt have you
ever seen him in the slightest degree
under the influence of liquor?'
Il not only never saw him under the
influence of liquor but it seems abso-
lutely silly to me to have any one sug-
gest the fact that he ever was" re-
piled O'LaughIin emphatically.
AT banquet have you ever seen him
drink any liquor?"
AT banquet he sometimes took Il
glass of white wine. 1 have never seen
him drink more than one glass Of
champagne"
O'Laughlin described the various din
ners, official and otherwise at Wash
ington including dinners at the Grid
iron club.
VIII you tell this jury whether Mr..
Roosevelt mixed his drinks at all or
not?"
IF he took champagne he never took
anything else.'
A question involving the custom of
former presidents in regard to liquors
at banquets caused objection by cou1-
sci for the defense. The court held il
was competent for the plaintiff to show
whether Col. Roosevelt followed the
custom in the use of liquor in the
White House. O'Laughlin said his first
experience with presidents began with
the second Cleveland administration
and Col. Roosevelt followed Presidents
Cleveland and Mckinley in serving
wines at public dinners.
Not Doing Party Work.
Are you not in charge of some
work of the progressive party?"
o'Laughlin was asked on cross exam
tnation.
Il am not" he answered.
O'Laughlin said Col. Roosevelt had
appointed him assistant secretary of
state and he had gone on a mission to
Japan for the Roosevelt administra-
same year that Col. Roosevelt ordered
the Atlantic freet to the Pacific.
Now you mention that Col Roose-
velt sent the fleet to the Pacific, was
a @ IA lEaT hao
relations between this country and
Japan? Was it to prevent war?''
We'll yes it was perfectly evident
that Japan would not go to war with
this country if it was apparent that
this country was more powerful. It
was one of the measures taken by Col
Roosevelt to prevent war, it was a
measure of peace
One reference was brought out in
OLaughlin's testimony to the incident
of Col. RoOsevelt's visit to Rome, with
regard to the pope. O'Laughlin ex-
planned he had been acting as the
colonel's secretary after the colonel
left Egypt for the tour of the conti-
Mental capitals and he communicated
with Ambassador Leishmann at Rome
to arrange for the reception of Col
Roosevelt by the king of Italy and
the pope.
You wrote to Ambassador Lefsh-
mann to arrange for Mr.. Roosevelt's
reception by the king and the pope
was that your purpose?"
Yes, it was to arrange those recep-
tions.''
Here objection was entered by Col.
Roosevelt's attorney on the ground
that this line of questioning was i'm
material.
Il regret that this subject came up"
said the court. Il suggest that it stop
right where it is
They Thought 1t Silly.
The inquiry along this line accord
inly was dropped.
''I will ask you if in 1912 and for
some time prior if there was not a
general report among newspaper men
that Colonel Roosevelt drank to ex-
cess?" said Attorney BeIden.
OLaughlin. shaking his finger at
the lawyer replied:
There was not a reputable corre-
spondent in Washington but who
thought the report silly, too absurd to
be regarded or repeated"
Counsel on both sides We're on their
feet with regard to this reply and the
jury was excluded.
Attorney Pound said he found the
answer embarrassing and Belden
explained that he proposed to show
what other newspapers had to say
The answer was stricken out by or
der of the court. The lawyers then
suggested in the absence of the jury
that the legal question of the admissi-
bility of testimony touching on gen
eral reports that Roosevelt uses LIQUOR
to excess be settled. Attorney Belden
stated it was the intention of the de-
fense to question future witnesses in an
attempt to show the position of the
defense that there was in existence
a general report amounting to a gen
eral reputation that Colonel Roosevelt
does use LIQUORS and sometimes to ex-