The weekly tribune and the Cape County herald. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1914-1918, 1915-04-30
ROOSEVELT ADMITS
PLATT BOSSED HIM
Colonel Tells Jury He Had to
Submit to Gear of New
York.

Syracuse, N. Y, April ga series
of confidential letters taken from the
files kept by the late Thomas c. Plat,
while he was representing the State
of New York in the United States
Senate, were today read to the jury
trying Williams Barnes Suit for $780,
600 for alleged libel against Theodore
Roosevelt in the Supreme Court here.
Some of the letters were signed by
Senator Plat while others were sign
cd by Col. Roosevelt. In nearly all of
them the writers discussed candidates
for office in the State Government
and, in reply to question by BarneS'
counsel, the former President said,
without the slightest hesitation, that
he consulted freely with Senator Platt
about affairs at Albany, knowing and
realizing at all times that he was the
boss" Of the Republican party in this
State. One of the Roosevelt letters
read during the forenoon session con-
tanned a postscript which read:
''All right, I'll change the whole
Board of Tax Assessors"
The letters were brought to SYRIA
cuse by the former Senator's son and
turned over to the counsel for Barnes.
Although the Colonel could not say
whether he had ever made it known
to the public that he was comforting
with Plat over appointments, he de-
MED emphatically that such confer
ences constituted invisible govern
ment."
MY actions" the witness asserted,
'were as visible as they could be-"
Questioned about meetings with
Senator Platt in the home in New
York of his brother-in-law, Douglas
Robinson, Col. Roosevelt denied en-
phatically that he met the boss
there so that the conferences would be
held IN secret.
Col. Roosevelt was questioned by
William l. Barnum, a Syracuse at
torncy. William WINS, chief counsel
for Barnes rested in his chair and
made occasional suggestions.
When court opened, a stipulation
between counsel that dispositions Of
four unnamed witnesses outside the
State should have the same effect IS
If the witnesses appeared on the stand
was read into the record.
Replies by Barnes to some of the
Coloners letters were also read to the
jury. The witness identified al OF the
letters and declared them to be au-
thcntic. In one Of his letters, Con-
grcssman Parsons objected to being
treated as a "puppet." Parsons said
he had asked the advice Of "Stoddard
of the New York Mail" about q propo-
sition to hold an unofficial primary on
the question of renominating Hughes.
When the letters had been read WINS
asked Col. Roosevelt about Taft's and
Hughes plurality in New York. He
said Hughes was small.
"Who was present at the conference
in Oyster Bay mentioned in the corrc-
spondence ?"
"At the first Mr.. Parsons and Mr..
Barnes were there; at the second, Mr..
Sherman, afterwards Vice President,
was present"
Col. Roosevelt said his favoring Col.
Hughes was not due to any personal
reasons. at was because l thought
the people wanted him." he added.
"Did you regard it as any evidence
of corruption that Messrs. Barnes,
Hendricks and Parsons favored some
other man than Mr.. Hughes?'
Il can't answer that collectively"
Later Col Roosevelt answered IT.
the negative when asked specifically
about each Of the men named.
WINS then told Justice Andrews he
wished to put into evidence CORE
spondence that passed between Thorn
as c. Platt and Col. Roosevelt between
1888 and 1905.
While attorneys for both sides were
discussing these letters, Col. Roose-
welt opened some mail and sat in the
witness chair reading it. Col. ROose-
welt testified 4 copy of a telegram
dated Sept. II, 1898, sent to Lomuel
Z. Quigg and signed by himself. In
it Col. Roosevelt told Quigg he had
substantially represented the proper
condition Of affairs to- Senator Piatt.
This telegram was sent by the Colonel
after he had received letter from
Quigg, which was put into the record
last week.