Norwich bulletin., 1913-05-28


 Roosevelt, a picture of ruddy Vigor and perfect health, turned a square jaw iu the direction of the jury Tn court today and gave his character for sobriety as not 8 total abstainer' but never intoxicated in his life. His testimony and that of others who fol- lowed corrobOrated such a descrip- ton of abstemiOusnesS
 When Nr Pound, his counsel, after a brief outline of the plaintiffs case to the jury, called the colonel to the witness stand. the latter stepped hTiskIy forward.
 Now tell the jury,'' instructed the lawyer. and the client who had been president, twisted his chair to face the jurors in their box and proceeded to tell them as directed.
 Drank at Public Dinners.
 At public dinners I sometimes drank d glass of champagne, perhaps two: on an average l may say one glass of champagne month"
 The witness snapped out the words in his peculiar distinct, choppy enun- citation and added, after a momentary pause, with emphasis, and do that in public"
 At this Judge Richard C. FIanni- gan, presiding over the court, rebuked an outburst of laughter.
 There was a fine bed of mint at the White House" continued the wit ness, who was left pretty much to tell his own story. Then his eyes sparkled and he said:
 "I may have drunk half a. dozen mint iUlcps in a year"
 Took Brandy for ChiIis.
 light supply of wine and liquor was taken on the African expedition and of this bottle of brandy was taken along for the colonel. The phy- sician of the outfit measured it out fo him from time to time for chills or other reasons.
 T touched nothing else in the eleven months continued the witness, "and the doctor, apparently out of a Whim, at the end of the trip measured what was left and found that I had con-. suuled just seven ounces"
 Attorney Horace Andrews of the de- fense devoted little time to cross ex- animation
 Detested Whiskey and Beer.
 The witness expressed a detestation for whiskey and beer. Of the latter he could remember having taken only one mouthful in his life. That was al the Deutscher's club in Milwaukee. where he was urged to pay the tTib- ute of 2 swallow of the amber brew which forms one of the city's leading industries. As for whisl1ey he got it mostly under protest upon insistence of his doctors, who put a teaspoonful of il in goblets of milk which they sometimes pressed upon him on oc-
 
 Of political campaigns
 In epitome, the former presidents testimony showed that he drank liquor or wine when compelled to for indis- pdsitiOn or when the cOnventiOnalities of public occasions requireds except that he takes glass of light wine, rarely two glasses, with his meals
 Medical Testimony.
 Much of the succeeding testimony 10TTOdnoed fn plaintiffs physical vigor, his function al perfection his violence of exercise and his immense capacity for work could not exist in the person of one who got drunk, and that not infre- quently, as the alleged libelous edi- tOrial in the Iron Ore charged.
 Important witnesses on this phase or the examination were Dr. Alexander Lambert. Roosevelt's family physician and intimate friend of thirty years and Dr. P. NJ. RiXey, surgeon general V. :. N. retired, whose official duties during the Mckinley and Roosevelt terms of office included little else than to guard the presidential we1l-bei Other witnesses were Jacob Riis and Gilson Gardner, the former a sociol- ogist and writer and the latter a news paper man whose duty for many years compelled him to take close note of everything pertaining to Colonel Roosevelt.
 ne IS C%Erenety enperate.
 pr. Lambert, aside from his inti- EGte social and professional relations with the plaintiff, testified that he had made a special study of the heart and lungs, and of the effect of alcohol tobacco. opiates and drugs on the hu- man system.
 He is extremely temperate" tes- tiled the doctor. referring to Colonel Roosevelt. His heart and liver, which 1T he was an alcoholic would be af- fected.' he said, were prodigiously healthy He never was Called Tpon to treat his friend professionally un- 1T he was called to Mercy hospital, Chicago, after Colonel Roosevelt's life had been attempted at Milwaukee. He described the course of the bullet through the ribs. the ghastly wound it caused and the big bruise which GOV cred a considerable part of the pa tients side.
 Alcoholic Would Not Rally As He Did.
 None but a very vigorous and healthy man could have stood the shock and loss of blood as did Colonel Roosevelt" he aid. NO alcoholic could have rallied as he did. He was not nervous, as an alcoholic would have been and despite the pain. fell asleep and rested as quietly a s a baby. Had he been a drinking man, his ner- VOuS system would have shown it; might even have had delirium tremens
 
 coholics who are wounded or shocked as MT Roosevelt was, would have gone Into delirium."
 The witness spoke of hunting trips in Colorado Montana, the Dakotas and in Louisiana in which he was the plaintiffs companion. There was us- uallN liquor in camp, but Roosevelt did not carry It. On these trips he remembered but once when lis friend took drink. and that was glass ,f champagne. taken at 8 dinner given to the members Of a hunting party on board train as the outfit was about to separate and go their various ways. IL was a purely social function, the witness declared.
 Watched Over Him Like Infant. Dr. Rixey. as White House physi- cian viewed his responsibilities with great gravity. and according to his testimony. fairly haunted the pIa intiT during his seven years at Washing