Norwich bulletin., 1915-04-21
IN EFFORT TO PROVE STATE MENTS WERE JUSTIFIA5LE
OFFERED SUGGESTIONS
And Entered Into a Discussion of More Than One Point with the Jus tice and Talked to Counsel for Both sis When He Mentioned Mir. Barnes Name.

Syracuse, N. r., April 20-Theodore Roosevelt, former president of the United States, went on the witness stand in the supreme coure here to- day and testified in an effort to prove his contention th-.t he was justified in causing the publication of the state ment upon which William Barnes sued him to recover 0,000 for alleged libel. Under oath he said that the former chairman of the republican state com mittee had urged him not to antago- nize men of large business interests who contributed to both the demo- cratic and republican parties so that they would be protected.
 Quoted Mir. Barnes.
 MT. Barnes told him, Colonel Roose- welt swore that it was essential to protect big business interests. because unless they were protected they would not make contributions to the party failing to protect them and that with out such Contributions it was impos-
 sfble to carry on the organization
 Without organization leaders and boss es, the former president quoted MT Barnes as saying, party government would be impossible.
 Colonel Roosevelt also quoted MT
 Barnes as telling ehim that the people are not fit to govern themselves. They
 have got to be governed by the party organization and you cannot run an organization, you cannot have leaders
 unless you have money"
 Colonel Roosevelt was called to the stand as a witness for the plaintiff after a technical question of proper
 Identification of the plaintiff and de- fendant had been brought up by the
 lawyers. He was asked just one ques-
 tion. That was whether he was the defendant in the action. He replied in the affirmative and then was made a witness n hah hal
 Sketched His Political Career. He sketched his political career an6 with considerable pride discussed the for service in the Spanish war. He told where the recruits came from where they gathered, where they went and just what they did. He even de scribed the first brush with the Span ish forces and would have related or. ders he had given the men under hiif
 had not counsel for the plaintiff ob- jected. Then he gave detailed testi- mony about his relations with the late Senator Thomas c. Platt, with MT Barnes, and conversations he had witt both these men on various occasions He will continue his testimony tonor- row.
 Made Suggestions to Justice. Colonel Roosevelt talked to the coun- | sel for both sides, offered suggestion: | and entered into 8 discussion of more | than one point with Justice William s Andrews. presiding. whom he address. l ed as Judge" He was entirely a his ease in the witness chair Ht stretched his arms over the back O. his chair, crossed first one leg ant then the other and then adjusted q l re-adjusted his glasses from time tt time. He cut all his words off shortly
 except when he mentioned the name O. MT. Barnes. He drew out the nam. | of his opponent and put peculia, pronunciation on the last syllable | Spectators said every time he men | tioned the name of MT. Barnes the1 were reminded of the noise made by : | pebble droppir- into a pool of stil | water. MT. Barnes himself appeared
 to be very much interested in the frs part of Colonel Roosevelt's testimony As it progressed, however, the plaintiff in the action seemed to lose interes | and he first receded from a seat clos, to the witness stand to one farthe away and he then left the room. MT. Barnes' attorneys had rested be fore Colonel Roosevelt was called t, | the stand. They completed presen tation of their case in 20 minutes anc called as their single witness the de fendant's own private secretary