Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-04-26
.USEP[ATTLETTERS
IN NR0OSEVE[T TRIAL
Barnes Attorneys Read Con-
fidential Correspondence
With Late Senator.
SHOW FORMER PRESIDENT
CONSULTED WITH BOSS
Colonel Admits Freely That He Con-
ferred With the Republican
State Leader.

/ 1C11Cu Will luC xlCpuUAlSoA
| State Leader.
| SYRACUSE ~ y. April ga series
OF confidential letters taken from the files
kept by the late Thomas c. Plat1. while
he was representing the state OF Ne"
York in the United States Senate, were tu-
day read to the jury trying William
Barnes suit for alleged libel against
Theodore Roosevelt in the supreme court
here. Some of the letters were signed by
Senator Platt. while others were signed
by Col Roosevelt.
In nearly all OF them the writer's dis
cussed candidates for office in the state
by Mr.. Barnes counsel, the former
President said. without the slightest
hesitation that he consulted freely
with Senator Platt about affairs at Al
bany. knowing and realizing at all
times that he was the boss of the re
publican party in this state.
Crowds Flock to Courthouse.
Although Syracuse apparently has be
come used to having Col. Roosevelt as Its
guest. the crowd that flocked in front OF
all the doors Of the courthouse here this
morning was larger than any day last
week.
Mr. Barnes, it was said. planned TO
leave here this forenoon for Albany, where
he will attend the state constitutional con-
venton.
When court opened a stipulation be
tween counsel that dispositions of four
unnamed witnesses outside the state
should have the same effect as if the
witnesses appeared on the stand was read
into the record. Mr. WINS. Mr.. Barnes
attorney, then put into the record letters
written by Mr.. Barnes to Col Roosevelt
and by Col Roosevelt to Mr. Barnes, and
to Herbert Parsons. The latter letters.
dated August 81. 1905, were nearly
identical in contents and phraseology.
In one letter Mr.. Barnes discussed Gov.
Hughes. He said that should Hughes he
elected he would set up a political ma
chine. and that all politicians who opposed
him would have to "sneak in the back
door or get out of politics"
Col. Roosevelt's Reply
The reply of Col Roosevelt, written
at Oyster Bay. read:
My Dear Mr.. Barnes: Yesterday !
saw Sherman, Bennet. George Smith.
Mike Dady, Cocks and Hitchcock.
chairman of the national committee.
here. ! have been carefully going into
the Hughes matter since ! saw YOU. ]
appreciate to the fun the force OF the
arguments you urged against his re
nomination. 1t is not pleasant for me
to support man who has WantonlS
behaved badly to the Very men VINO did
most in securing his selection-I would
approve his turning them down in the
public interest. but ] object to its
being done wantonly. Moreover. | ap-
preciate that he has alienated quite
needlessly very many voters. and If we
had the right man to put in his place
,the right man from the standpoint of
getting votes) I should say that 1t was
certainly wise to nominate such a man.
But no such man ts in sight, and there
does not seem to be the slightest
chance of his arising.
Under the conditions 1t seems to me
that while it will do damage to re
nominate Hughes, il will do more dam
age not to renominate him, and that
this damage will extend outside of the
state. While, therefore. ! want most
emphatically to disclaim any intention
of seeming TO dictate the nomination l
think / ought to tell YOU that my iudg
ment is that the convention ought to
renominate him. ] am sure that the
delegates from this district will be for
him.
Must Renominate Mr.. Hughes.
"Bennet. Sherman and Dady insist
that there Is no alteIIdtiNe " MS re-
nomination Hitchcock says that not
to renominate him would be harm to
the canvass outside OF New YORK as
well as. in his Judgment, III Ne" York.
Even Smith finally announced that he
was inclined to take the same view. l
NAV add that every one present agreed
10 keep absolutely quiet in this mat
ter, and to consult with You. among
others, before any kind OF conclusion
was announced; but. from the papers. |
should Judge some one mao talked IL
was not |. for no newspaper man com
nunicated with me directly or lndl-
rectly and ] was as much surprised as
any ON. when ! saw the statements in
the papers.
4 copy Of the above letter was sent
to Mr. Parsons.
August ~ 1908. Col Roosevelt wrote
TO Mr.. Barnes from WashingtOn:
Most emphatically whatever my friends
do up in Albany 7 shall stand by them.
have given them. including you, my best
Judgment. 1t is not judgment nased on
new spapers. it Is a judgment based on
what Representative Bennet has found
from his personal canvass: that Sol
Strassburger finds on the East Side of
New York Wha' Prendergast and Mike
Dady find in Brooklyn: what Cocks finds
here in my own district; what jim Sher-
man finds tc be the overwhelming senti-
ment right near you in central New York
what Hitchcock said as tc the effect out
side Now. if you and those like you fear
that | shall ask YOU to cut your throats
your fear is groundless. But my judg-
ment Is that the convention will nominate
Hughes, and that it would hurt very much
more not to nominate him than to nomi-
nate him, although 1t will undoubtedly
hurt us also to nominate him
Writes to Mr.. Parsons.
August 81 Col. Roosevelt wrote to Mr.
Parsons. who at that time was a New
York representative. from the White
House In part. the letter follows:
you We're very strong in YOUR state
ment of what the men under YOU said
as to Hughes unpopularity, and | GER
tainly understood you to say that Ben
net felt exactly as you did. When Ben
net tells me. as the local leaders like
Strassburger tell me. that the sentiment is
very strong for the denomination of
Hughes, l have got to take notice of it.
l entirely agree with all you say as
to your just reasons for complaint
against Gov. Hughes, and furthermore
with all you say as to the fact that
many OF those who desire his renomina
ton desire it chiefly for the purpose of
hurting the republican party.
Mr.. Parsons Complaint.
Moreover. my dear Parsons. YOU can
hardly seriously suppose that to quote
your own words, ] am trying to 'trea
YOU as puppet-that is if Won mean