Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-02-02
BIackmai| Is Charged
By James Roosevelt,
Assai|ing Wife's Suit
BY the Associoted Press

BY the Associated Press
LOS ANGELES, Feb. a.
James Roosevelt, denying his
wife's charges that he commit
ted adultery with IL women,
says he was being blaekmailed
when he signed a letter admit
ting nine infidelitieS.
He says he knew the letter to
be false, but he signed it to keep
his wife from suing for divorce
in 1945, and thereby adding to
his fathers burdens as Presi-
dent.
This was the answer given in
a prepared statement yesterday
by the eldest son Of the late
President Franklin D. RooSe-
welt.
Will Decide on Candidacy.
He said also that he will de-
eide before April 2 whether he
will run for Congress in the
26th district. Some Democratic
Party leaders have said they be-
lieve he can best serve the party
by withdrawing.
Mr.. Roosevelt announced some
time ago his intention to seek
the Office. April 2 is the final
date on which to declare can
dfdacy.
Mrs. Romelle Schneider Roose-
welt made the charges in filing
suit for separate maintenance
last Thursday. The letter was
filed with her complaint. A pre-
liminary hearing on her demand
for support payments has been
set for Friday.
my wife has chosen to make
the most ugly accusation which
it is possible to make against
any man." Mr.. Roosevelt's state
ment said. Each and every al
legation of misconduct by the
IL persons mentioned with me is
completely false and without
foundation"
Apologies to Women.
Mr.. Roosevelt offered IAN eSpe-
cial apology" to the nine women
named in the letter signed by
him.
Each and every one of them
is completely innocent of any
misconduct with me-" he said.
The harm which has been done
them I can never repair, but I
can and do emphasize their in
nocence, ask their forgiveness
and understanding of this un-
fortunate incident"
From the very beginning. Mr..
Roosevelt laid, his wife displayed
an "unreasoning demand for ma
terial security" and developed
IAN unreasoning fear and jeal-
ousy" of his social contacts. The
result was "a calculated cam
paign" to transfer to her all his
material assets land a constant
threat to accuse me of imaginary
infidelitieS," he said.
This pattern reached its cli-
max in the early part of 1945,
when I was repeatedly faced
with the demand that I &C
knowledge these imaginary hap
penings and. as she put it,
purge my soul,'" his statement
said.
II was given an alternative.
She stated that If I once did
this she would forever cease
these demands and begin our
marital life anew. If I did not,
she would proceed with a di-
vorce naming all individuals"
Cites Physical Condition.
This, said Mr.. Roosevelt, was
when he was entering the fifth
year of service with the Marine
Corps and when he was very
much below par physically"
having contracted malaria and
other disabilities in the South
Pacific. He said he was prom
ised that if he would sign a let
ter prepared by attorneys it
would never be made public and
In time would be destroyed.
THAT it was blackmail I now
recognize, but my desire to keep
these innocent people from un-
justified attacks while I was
overseas and unable to defend
myself. my desire to make, if
possible. a success Of my mar
riage and my desire to prevent
any anguish to my own family
led me to believe in the sincerity
of my wife's statement" Mr..
Roosevelt said.
On his return from service he
made every effort to achieve "a
successful marriage" and he be-
lieved his wife finally was con-
WINGED that her charges were
imaginative when they pro-
ceeded to have their three chill
dren, the statement said. But.
he added, her imagined financial
insecurity and various psyche
logical factors involved in the
marriage $50 affected my wife
that she had made living to-
gether impossible"
Threats of divorce or sui
eide" he said, "were an almost
daily occurrence.
Denies He's Worth So Million.
Mr.. Roosevelt said that he had
turned over to his wife almost
all that he possessed in commu-
nifty property and property he
owned before their marriage
The insurance man. new as, de-
scribed as IAN utter and complete
falSehood" her statement in an
affidavit that he was worth about
81 million.
His lawyer. Samuel B. Picone,
said in a statement that Mrs.