Theodore Roosevelt was angered by a newspaper editorial from the Iron Ore that accused him of lying, cursing frequently, getting drunk, and his friends knowing about it. Tired of his boisterous personality being equated with intoxication, Roosevelt shouted "Let's go at him!" and formally charged the paper with libel. At the ensuing libel trial in Marquette, many admirals, statesmen, and fellow explorers came to testify to Roosevelt's strong personal character in his defense, making it one of the biggest libel trials of the early 20th century.

1. MIKEL B. CLASSEN
O
n the same day Theodore Roosevelt narrowly survived
an assassination attempt, his press secretary handed him
a newspaper editorial from the Iron Ore, a small-town daily
located in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Its publisher, George Newett,
had printed, “Roosevelt lies and curses in a most disgusting way; he gets
drunk, too, and that not infrequently, and all his intimates know about
it.” Tired of having his boisterous personality equated with intoxication,
Roosevelt angrily shouted, “Let’s go at him!” and the paper was formally
charged with a suit of libel. As the case convened, a cadre of admirals,
statesmen and fellow explorers descended on Marquette to testify to
T.R.’s unimpeachable personal character in the biggest libel trial of the
early twentieth century.
THE BULL MOOSE
IN THE NORTH WOODS
CLASSENTEDDYROOSEVELT&THEMARQUETTELIBELTRIAL TEDDY ROOSEVELT
& THE MARQUETTE& THE MARQUETTE& THE MARQUETTE
LIBEL TRIALLIBEL TRIALLIBEL TRIAL
$19.99