The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1915-04-29
GAVE HIS REASONS
FOR CONFERENCE
WITH PLATT
Roosevelt Says He Threatened TO
Fight Easy Boss"
ROSS EXAMINATION ENDS
loss EXAMINATION ENDS
Defendant in Barnes Libel Suit Has
Been on Witness Stand 35
Hours.

Syracuse, n. y, April 2?-lneo-
dore Roosevelt endeayored TO explain
at Syracuse. n. Y, yesterday, his sey
enth day upon the witness stand, the
answers he made TO questions asked
him upon ross-eXamination by coun
sci for William Barnes, who is suing
him for $4,000 damages for alleged
libel. He told why he conferred with
former Senator Thomas c. Plat, "the
easy boss" while governor. vice-pres-
ident and president of the United
States. He related how he threaten
ed Senator Plat just prior to the
Philadelphia convention of 1900 that
he would fight for the New York
gubernatoria denomination, if the
easy boss made good his own threat
to keep him out of the race as punish
ment for not accepting the nomina-
tion for vice-president.
The colonel told these things and
many others upon redirect eXamina-
tion. The minute his cross-examina-
tion ended, he sat alertly up in his
chair and the solemn expression that
had enshrouded his features during
the last two days of his cross-examin
alton gave way TO a smile. He lean
ed toward the jury; he squared his
jaw: he raised his voice; he lifted his
open hands and brought them down
upon his thighs. He pounded with
clenched fist upon open palm. He us
ed every gesture, every movement at
his command to make his words
more forceful. And as he stepped
down from the witness stand at the
end of the day he laughingly said,
II am not tired"
Today may be the Colonel's last
day upon the stand. His own coun
sci said last night they would con
clude the redirect examination of
their client early in the morning ses-
sion. The concensus OF opinion am
ong the lawyers seemed to be that
the additional cross-examination by
counsel for Mr.. Barnes would he
brief At the conclusion OF the pro
ceedings yesterday the colonel had
been in the witness chair for total
of nearly So hours.
When Justice Andrews ascended
the bench he again warned the jury
against reading the newspapers. Mr..
Twins then asked the colonel regard
ing speech the latter MADE at Hud
son Falls, n. Y, in 1913. In it Col
Roosevelt was reported as saying
that Mr. Barnes was menace to the
state of New York" and that if he
was menace before election he was
a menace yet" In another speech
Col Roosevelt was quoted as saying
that "Mr, Whitman was one of the
most efficient Instruments of Tam
many" Mr.. Twins read speech.
In it Col Roosevelt was represented
as saying that he wouldn't say Mr..
Murphy's and Mr.. Barnes principals
were the same. because he wasn't
sure they had any principles.
Don't answer that, said Mr.. Bow
ers. 81 object"
Col Roosevelt in reply TO 4 quest
ion, said part Of the report read was
correct, but in another part lie had
been incorrectly quoted.
Mr.. Twins then referred to speech.
es made in several places, including
Syracuse. on which Col Roosevelt
was said in the newspapers to have
repeated his statements about Mr..
Barnes, Col Roosevelt said he re-
membered the speeches he made last
year and that he mentioned Mr..
Barnes.
What them asked Mr.. Twins,
was your salary as president of the
United States?"
Fifty thousand dollars"
did Congress appropriate "25, 600
for your travelling eXpenses?"
Mr.. Bowers objected and was sus-
tanned. Mr.. Twins argued that he
wanted to test the good faith of the
witness and show that although $780,
600 was the presidents salary. he ap-
proved the bill which gave him $%5
600 for travelling expenses. and
said the lawyer, this witness has
charged the existence of invisible
government. | want to test his good
| faith" Mr.. Twins then read from a
magazine article bearing the colonels
| name. In this the colonel deplored
personal attacks OH men in public
| life from the stump. Mr.. Twins then
| announced that he was through with
| hp Ivitnncc