New Britain herald., 1914-07-16
ROOSEVELT PRODUCES
 MYSTERIOUS LETTER
Colonel Makes Public Whltman'S s
 Attack on Baraes and Murphy.

Roosevelt made public last night the mysterious letter said to have been written by District Attorney Whitman attacking Barnes and Murphy He included the letter in long and ve- hen1ert attack on MT. Whitman, pointing out that the letter was sub riitted to him by Charles H. Duell, ! Jr;, through the colonels son.
 The letter said to have been | framed by MT. Whitman, was pre- sented to Colonel Roosevelt as the l rough draft of communication that MT. Whitman was to address to the Whitman Non-Partisan league as a l means of clearing away all doubt that might exist in the minds of voters and especially of Colonel Roosevelt that MT. whitman was secretly an adherent of MT. Barnes.
 Conference With Duell.
 The statement contains not only MT. Whitman's letter but statement of the coloners conferences with Dueu as the supposed agent of MT. Whitman seeking the colonels in- dorsement of the district attorney as the non-partisan candidate for gov ernor. It was dictated and made pub lie after Colenel Roosevelt had long conference some time yesterday with Mir. DueH >and hints that Duell him. self probably will make a statement today in regard to the situation.
 Colonel Roosevelts reply to the Whitman challenge. given out by him here last night, is as follows:
 Shortly after my return from Brazil the latter part of May, MT. DuelI asked to see me on behalf of MT. Whitman. MT. Duell accordingly went down to Washington on the train with me when I delivered my address before the American Geo. graphical society of Washington, re- Burning on the train the following day. He was at that time busily en- gaged in getting up the Non-Partisan Political league in the interest of MT. Whitman.
 .He was announced in all the papers as so doing. MT. Whitman how says he knew nothing of Mr. DueH's activities or of the existence of that league. If so he was the only person in the state of New York who did not Such statement is sheer nonsense. He could not have avoided being familiar with what MT. Duell was doing, and if MT. Duell was not his agent it was his business to re- pudiate him then or to repudiate him when he came to see me on my re- turn from Europe month later, which fact was announced in all the papers.
 .'Mr Whitman never repudiated MT. DueH as long as there was a ehance .of MT. Duell succeeding in the Effort. MT. Whitman had asked him Lo get me to support MT. Whitman. He repudiated his agent only when his agent had failed.
 "On the way to Washington Mir. Duellf showed me a letter signed by MT. Whitman and written to Mir. Duell. This letter was in effect as follows:
 Mir. Whitman's Letter. [.
 s'In line with our last talk I agree with you that the time is ripe for an Alliance between the progressive re- bubl;cans and members of the na- ional progressive party as well as of III other good citizens sharing their Beliefs to rid the state of that kind or barty control which in my opinion Is mainly responsible for the corrupt Conditions which have been clearly brought out in the various examina- ions and investigations carried on hnder my direction during the past lear
 ..These conditions are not localized nd the men and the policies respon- ible for them are not confined to any inc party. I believe that a fusion ght can be so carried on that we ould elect to the important offices of he state responsible men who shall e guided by the states best inter- sts. myself until brought into direct ,;tI, 4 ho n ealized the present conditions to rhich the state had fallen or how widely prevailing these conditions kere All these offices are great and Powerful offices especially many f the officials sit as incumbents upon arious state boards and commissions. n fact I doubt if the state engineers Hice was. ever more corrupt than ii ras during the first term of Gov. Hughes, and of course the governor, Though he himself was an honest han. could not exert any power over . elected official over whom he hao n direct control
 sI know that you understand my eeling in regard to the whole matter.
 am in favor of making up a ticket onposed of men chosen solely by heir fitness to occupy the high offices pr which they are candidates. The netfod by which such ticket could : presented to the people is of nurse provided by the direct nomina- onss law If we are to win in this rht we must have real and earnest ctfon upon the part of those honest
 interested and careful preparation, nd I need not tell you that I am rartiIy and unquaiifiedly in favor O. he inauguration of such move nent.
 Says Dueli Has Letter.
 nThe above version is substantially If not verbally exact. The letter is in