Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1915-05-01
Counsel for Defendant in Libel
Action Brought by William
Barnes Endeaqor to Prove
Bipartisan Combine,
NEWSPAPER MAN AND
POLITICIANS TESTIFY
Plaintiff Quoted by Witness aSI
Opposing Primaries Because
They Gave Candidates Too
Much Publicity,

Inv sosn,sa IooRnsl SPECIAL lEAsao wiHsi
syracuse. n. ", April 30.-counsei
for Theodore Roosevelt today placed
before the jury trying william Barnes.
suit alleging libel testimony designed
TO Indicate the existence OF a bi-par-
tlsan combination between Mr.. Barnes,
AZ leader of the republican organixa-
tion. and Charles r. Murphy, as leader
of the democratic organization,
To this end former State Senators
Harvey ID. Hirman, Fred NJ. Daven-
port and Joshua Y. Newcombe, and
ii. c. Mcmillan. a former correspon-
dent In Albany for a New York news
paper. were placed on the witness
stand.
Mr.. Hinman Mr. Davenport and
Mr.. Mcmillan testified 10 things that
happened in the Legislature IN lslOf
when direct primaries legislation was
under consideration. Mr.. liinman
testified 10 the adlourning of the spe-
cial session.
Barnes Conferred With Democrats.
Mr.. Mcmillan swore that he saw Mr.
TArnes talking 20 various republican
senators. including Grattan. in the OF
flee of the clerk of the senate. He
said ne saw Senator Grattan talk to
senator's tNFAuN anu EiANAtN NhNff
he described as Tammany democrats
and that soon after the pair went into
the room In which Mr.. Barnes was.
That evening. he also said, Senator
Grattan made motion which wHa
passed to concur in Joint resolution
with assembly 10 adjourn the special
session.
MIR. Davenport, who was the pro-
gressive candidate for governor last
fall. said he had seen AIR. Barnes. dur
ing d recess Of the senate. in the office
1T the clerk. talking e Republican Satlr
ators, while in an adjoining room SEN
ator Grady was talking 20 the demo-
cratic senators. Later the aenators
all returned tO the chamber, lie said,
and fourteen republicans and fourteen
democrats voted for a direct primaries
bin favored by the organization
Davenport Supported Primaries.
Mr. Davenport testified that he told
Senator Grattan, who. he said, had
been deriding Governor Hughes, and
Colonel Roosevelt for insisting upon
a direct primaries law, that he spoke
like the mouthpiece OF u political
Nero" who WAS fiddling outside the
door of the senate chamber while
Rome burned Mr.. Davenport said
Mr. Barnes was outside.
Former Senator Newcombe said un-
der oath that he had accused Senator
Grattan. republican. and Senator
Grady. democrat, Of entering into al
conspiracy to defeat direct prima-
RES bin. which was favored by the
governor, and that Senator Grattan
said I'VE admit it," Then H. w. France,
chairman of committee Of the
Young Republican club of Brooklyn,
quoted Mr. Barnes as having said he
was opposed TO direct primaries, be-
cause they gave candidates TOO much
publicity and that he could vote The
riff-raff Of the democrats In Albany
in the republican primaries and so dis
gust the people that they would de-
mand a repeal of the law"
Printing situation Exposed.
The Roosevelt counsel also got into
record testimony concerning the al
legged printing situation in Albany. |
The one witness who testified, Michael /
Dolan, general manager OF the Argus |
company of Albany, swore that he |
never had had any business relations |
with Mr.. Barnes and in this connec-
ton Justice Andrews concurred in the 7
statement of counsel that Mr. Barnes |
was in no way responsible as a stock !
holder in the Albany Journal COM
pany.
Counsel for the colonel unsuGcess-
fully endeavored. during the day, to
get from II. III. Vreeland, former pres
dent of the Metropolitan Securities
testimony that he had con
tributed to both the democratic and
republican organizations IN 1909, when
Mr.. Barnes was chairman of the ex-
acutive committee Of the republican
state committee.
France Tells of Hearing Opinions.
H. w. France testified
Mr. Barnes had sent a message TO
me at the Brooklyn Young Republi-
,an club. II 2 said he wanted to dis
'uss with me direct primaries. He
said our attitude was wrong on the
Iinman Greene bill. He said he could
show the whole idea was wrong. He
said he could get the riff-raff Of the
democrats and vote them in the re-
)Ghican primaries and vice versa and
nominate such rotten men that the
'utlic would soon become disgusted
With direct primaries. He also told
ne direct nomination gave too much
~ blioity to the candidate as it forced
lim to go through two campaigns |
Barnes said he could ruin the feputa-
ion OF any living man by throwing !
90 much limelight on him. ! told him
hat because OF such views we dis
greed with him and that We believed !
here were men who could withstand !
he limelight
Mr. Van Benschoton, Of counsel for
;olonel Roosevelt read into the rec
'rd stipulation that il was agreed
,etween cot rsel that In 1912. 1913 and
9i4 there were gross abuses IN the
tate government there were scan
lals In the Various state departments,
hat public offices were bartered for.
were blackmailed nd that {
ivil service WAS debauched. q
A recess was then taken. q
Davenport Tells OF Filibuster q
When the afternoon session began t
AI Davenport, former state v
enatoF testified that while the direct i