The Sentinel=record., 1915-04-22

Syracuse, N. Y. April 2l-Theo- dore Roosevelt spent five hours on the witness stand in the supreme court here today in the telling of what ne said he believed to be the in- side story of machine politics and boss rule in New York state.
 By so doing the former president hoped to convey to the jury which is trying the suit William Barnes brought against him for alleged libel. the impression that he was entirely justified in 2riticising MT. Barnes as he did.
 He swore that lie had been reliably informed that t3e Murphy demo- crats' and the Barnes repubicans,~ the latter under the leadership of | MT. Barnes, united on more than one occasion to defeat the plans of inde- l pendent men of both parties in the
 state legislature
 And Mir. Barnes told William Loeb.
 IT,, the witness emphaticaIly de
 clared, that he had an ironAela9s agree.i
 ment with Charles F. Murphy of Tam
 many Hall to allow the latter a free
 hand to select United States | senator
 MT. Loeb was private secretary to | Colonel Roosevelt when he was presi-
 dent and later he was collector of the | port of New York.
 The witness told in great detail of his dealings with the late Senator
 Platt, the man he had described as
 the easy boss" Platt, the colonel
 asserted, attempted to dictate the
 man he, as governor of the state of
 New York, should appoint to be su- perintendent of public works
 But, said Colonel Roosevelt with a considerable display of pride, when ksss l told MT Barnes of the conversation 1 he added that he didn't intend any .man should say who he should ap- point to office. MT Barnes, however, sided with Mr. Platt, saying that the leader of the organization should have complete control of it, the wit ness swore.
 The colonel gave what he repre- sented to be the details of his conver- sation with and what he had been in- formed were the actions of MT. Barnes in regard to direct primaries legislation, race track legislation and opposition on the part of the repubIi- can machine to Governor Hughes. He related, too, the information for mer Governor Sulzer and his investi- gator, John A. Hennessy, gave him regarding alleged corruption in cer- tain state departments. And, as a conclusion, he denied that lie held any malice toward Mir. Barnes and added that he considered he was champion ing the cause of good government against bipartisan boss rule when he caused the publication of the offend. ing statement.
 Tomorrow Colonel Roosevelt will l submit to cross-examination at the 1 hands of William M. Twins, chief of the Barnes counsel
 During his stay on the stand today the colonel seemed to be even more ! at his ease than he was yesterday. 1 lie argued with Mir Barnes attor- I neys, who constantly interrupted him with objections. Once he smilingiy ! engaged in 8 discussion with Justice | Andrews, presiding
 When he stepped from the stand at the end of the days proceedings he | appeared to be as fresh as when he | arrived in court today.
 MT. Barnes paid particular attention to his opponent during this session of
 court. He listened to every word the colonel said and occasionally turned
 to the table occupied by his counsel
 to make q note. Several times dur
 ing the day left his seat and walked
 to the other end of the table to whs-
 per to Mir. Wins. Usually these whis-
 pered conferences resulted in the at-
 torney jumping to his feet and offer
 ing an objection.
 MT. Twins fought all day to keep the
 colonel from getting into the records
 things counsel for the plaintiff appar- ently wanted to keep out. With but 1 few exceptions however, the court ruled in manner which permitted
 the colonel to tell the greater part of l the story he was trying to relate.