Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-04-19
William Barnes, Republican
Leader, Seeks $4,000 Damages
From Former President.
BOTH MEN READY FOR TRIAL
One of Greatest Political Battles
Ever Fought Will Be Staged
in Syracuse Court.
Especial to The Times-pispatch.


row. when Theodore Roosevelt faces
William Barnes in a $4,000 libel action
brought by the latter.
The two belligerents reached here
at IL o'clock tonight, both full OF fight.
They met face to face at the station.
Barnes. aiishting from the train,
turned to see the Colonel glaring at
h'm through the window OF his com
partmcnt. He scowled and turned
away.
The talk OF compromise ended to-
night. Roosevelt went at once to the
'hohdaga Hotel. and mapped out n
pihn OF battle to his counsel John D.
flowers ond w. II. Van Bcnschoter.
From there he went for the night TO
me home OF his old-time supporter.
Horace S. Wilkinson, one OF Syracuse's
Few Progressives.
Barnes went to the same hotel with
William WINS. who accompanied him
from New York
MY counsel will taN for me-" he
said.
BARNES ABANDoNs
0LD-TIME SAvAGENESs
Barnes was confident and cheerful
His is to be n waiting game, and he
has abandoned all his old time savage
ness OF attack
The first move in the trial will be
the filing OF motion by Roosevelts
lawyer 10 dismiss the complaint on
the ground that the statement in cues
tion Is not libellous
II VIII be urged that no charge OF
personal corruption is made This
however. Is not retraction, and will
no, be construed as such by barnes
unless the Coloncls lawyers spec!fcal-
" so state. which they say ,o-nigh,
ihcy do not intend TO do
After the motion is nled and pas.ed
on. the Jury will be drawn
As the trial Will involve almost every
poitician who has figured In state
politics since Mr Roosevelt, was Gov
"rnor the old guard" OF both parties
VIII ba mere in force. Roosevelt In
going himself on trial for libel. will
nut the State organizations on trial on
nN the charges he has cve, made
against them In speeches and printed
articles.
y" man who has figured in State
politics feels that he is safe from at
TACK
TREMENDOUS POLITICAL
SENSATIONS PROMISED
The week promises some of the big
New York. and two masters OF sensa
ton viii boss the springing
~ midnight both camps were still
preraring for the shock OF the bigges,
battle outside the war zone, and both
ms determined TO fight and as sure
Of winning as any OF the European
bellIGerents
August Belmont will figure conspicu-
ously. X involuntarily. as witness for
the Colonel
Mr.. Roosevclts lawyers will nsk Bel
mont all about race track legislation
and try to show through him that
barnes and the Democrats worked hand
and glove against the Hughes bills
Also Belmont Will be asked what he
knows about n possible understanding
between Barnes and the late Anthony
~ Brady, when Brady was behind the
Albany County Democrats ana Barnes
was backing the Republicans
The Colone! himself will be m early
witness Under the rules OF the legal
game. he must prove, or try TO prove,
all his charges before the Barnes side
need say a word in court.
MIST MAKE GOOD"
CHARGES AGAINST BARNES
The Colonel will frs; cheerfully ad-
nit that he made the statement quoted
by Mr.. Barnes Then he must, out OF
his own mouth. and out of the mouths
OF his witnesses, make good"
II he cannot do that he loses the case.
The advance guard came in squads
through the day.
John u. Bowers Rooseye,+.. ohto,
counsel. arrived In the afternoon. and
held a council with W. II. Van Ben
schoten. his assistant. who had pre-
ceded him.
The jury panel OF eighty. from which
Will he drawn the twelve men who are
to decide the biggest political battle
ever fought out in court, are divided
by parties. as follows:
Republicans. 81: Democrats. IL: Pro-
gressives. II: Prohibitlonists, 3.
Politics OF remainder not given.
The panel includes farmers, clerks.
manufacturers. insurance men, sales
men. laborers. engineers bankers.
Librarians, gardeners, merchants and
apiarists.
Justice William S. Andrews, n Re-
publican. who hns been on the bench
for sixteen years, will preside. Court
Will open Mt 10 o'clock. and sessions
will be protracted at the discretion OF
the court
MOVED FROM ALBANY
ON CHANGE OF VENUE,
The suit, trial OF which was moved
TO Onondaga County from Albany on n
change of venue, Is based on a state
mcnt issued by Colonel Roosevelt dur
ing tho campaign last summer OF Har-
vcy d. Hinman for the Republican nom
nation for Governor. In that state.
ment Colonel Roosevelt referred to MIR
barnes as controlling. with Charles F..
Murphy. Of Tammany Hall, the "all-
powerful. Invisible government respon-
sihle for the malndministration and cor
ruption In public Offices OF the State"
Continued on Second Page.)