The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-04-23
Lawyer WINS and the Colonel
in Wordy War for Nearly
Six Hours
Dealt With Bosses
For People s Good
In That Way T. r. Explains
Long Association With Men
of Barnes Platt llk-Interest-
ing Interchange of Letters

Syracuse, ". ", April evil
liam NJ. Wins. senior counsel for
Barnes of Albany, made IA trc-
mendous effort today TO ruin the
crestihIty of Theodore Roosevelt.
With little more Difference than
ne would have displayed toward
the most obscure person accused
OF shining against the law and the
stAndH<xS OF frank dealing. MIR.
IvtEs@fn five hours and "a half of
most subtle and thorough Cross
examination did his capable best
TO make the jurors believe that
Colonel Roosevelt has lived In n
house of glass.
He charged the Colonel with hav-
ing been freauenter of bosses ana
a respecter OF the boss system. with
having been tax dodger: with hav-
ing run for Governor in 1898 while
doubtful OF eligibility. And he insin-
Aated throughout a mastery cross
examination that the ex-President had
set himself up as superman--a
final Judge of the morals. for the ae-
lions and good faith of other men.
Thrilling Contest of Wits.
The way OF Mr.. WINS was the way
Of serpent on the rock None but
4AfAAANfkA hlit@ WHEN idE ptkbA tAIl
line OF examination what traps he was
setting for the Colonel. 1t Is reason
able TO say that "a more thrilling CON
test Of wits was never heard in any
court room. la the eX-Pres,dent Mr.
WINS found an adversary worthy Of
his skill lesser man than koose
Asi might have been carried away
by the sheer cunning of Mr.. WINS
tactics, but the Colonel exchanged
blow fer blew. capped every sardonic
comment OF WINS with some charac-
teristie. ingenious epigram of his
own. or seized the opportunity TO
wheel around 10 the jury and justify
himself with voice. hands and gseam-
Ing teeth. No fore,hought Of WINS
could forestaI or block those speeches
10 the jury Very often. too~-or SO 1t
seemed --they buried or disposed Of
ths points that MIR. WINS had so
shrewdly and laboriously brought out.
Brings Out Tax Receipts.
When WINS accused him OF being a
tax dodeer, he reached into an inside
breast pocket and brought forth a
sheaf OF tax receipts covering the
period al issue. and right here he
told the Jurors ever so Conilde ntialiy.
that 1t was only because ne had 10 go
and fight for his country that there
had ever been any question OF delay
in tax payments-that. and the fact
that he felt he was being unjustly
treated by the tax appraisers.
When WINS charged him with hav-
ing been ineligible for Governor be-
cause he had sworn he was a resident
OF Washington in 1897, he fell back
upon HIS one-tiine friend and adviser.
Elihu Root. and showed that MIR.
Roots advice q him was that dom
J%ttA a-Tl "a bar
he had only sworn to being a resident
OF Washington while preserving his
legal. voting. taxable domicile in the
State of New York.
When Mr.. WINS charged him with
being friendly enough to bosses, when
their assistance or cooperation had
been of benefit TO him. the Colonel
fairly revealed in his opportunity to
tell the Jury that he had dealt with
bosses not only for the peoples good.
hut for the salvation of the souls of
the bosses themselves.
And when Twins put 1t to him fatty.
as to whether or not he considered
himself the final judge of other mems
morals and deeds. he was back at
WINS quick as lightning with the Anal
dictum that there were times when
ne had to be.
Political Secrets Revealed
Entirely apart from the intensely
dramatic character OF Mr.. WINS
searching into the character of The
odore Roosevelt, was the Immensely
interesting array of political secrets
revealed-oid intrigues and decker
tngs, and intimate arrangements. Most
pf these came to light in ietters--iet-
ters written by Lemuel f. Quigg and
the late Senator Thomas G. Plat to
Mr.. Roosevelt when the Colonel was
picked for Governor, and after he be-
came Governor of the State. Probably
the most absorbing of all these let
ters was the extraordinarily frank
missive which Quigg sent to the
Colonel when the Colonel was being
groomed for Governor. and was still
at Montauk--just back from fighting
the Spaniards. In this letter Quigg
told Colonel Roosevelt exactly what
the party boss. Plat. would expect
of him II nominated; confided that
Governor Frank S. Black was to be
turned down. despite his good rec
ord. in order that Plat could take ad-
vantage OF the Colonei's popularity:
preached the gospel of organization
ethics, and warned Clonel Roosevelt
that Plat was Just a little apprehen-
sve about his impulsive way.
Letter From Senator Platt-
There was another letter equally
remarkable for frankness. a letter
from Senator Plat to Governor
Roosevelt at the time the Governor
was getting ready to sign the fran.
clnise tax bin. The easy boss appeal
ed to the Colonel to beware OF pop
u1.stic notions" and limited that II
would be painful thing indeed II
the Republican party would do any.
thing to displcase corporations and
men of large business affairs. I.
was a most fatherly letter. with nc
hint In it of downright dictntion:
simply the experience OF very wise
/ old gentleman yelling out for thu