Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1886-01-22
GUARDING THE PRESIDENT.
Extraordinary Precautions to- Secure the
Safety Of the Chief Magistrats,

1OAHDING tHE PRESIDENT.
Extraordinary Precautions to- Secure the
Safety of the Chief Ma gistrats.
II any person should enter tire White
House grounds from the south, and
saunter ever so carelcssly toward the
rear door of the mansion, he would bs
confronted, as if by the merest chance
by two plainly-dressed and quiet-ap-
pearing men. Should the curious visitor
persist in moving closer to the UNI
guarded door, the two men would be
more watchful and alert, and should
the visitor stroll into the doorway he
would find himself quietly asked to
leave The scene is one which can be
witnessed daily from certain windows
of the Navy Department which over
look the house. Indeed, the attention
OF a Post reporter was called, yesterday,
by a Navy Department official to two
men sitting on a bench in the grounds
OF the mansion. There was nothing in
their general appearance to awaken a
special interest. "Watch them for a
wv AAOAACA1Cs, oulU Guc OlIlClIl.
The reporter complied with the re.
quest. All that could be seen in the
grounds were two Notwithstanding
individuals lolling on a bench, seem.
ingly caring nothing for their surround
lngs, and enjoying in a calm peaceful
ness the winter sun which poured down
its mild rays upon them through the
leafiess trees. The scene soon changed.
1t was evident that the men ON the
settee had some other object in life
h basking in the sun. Several men
entered the grounds. They looked
around them in what seemed a sus-
picious manner; but all strangers in a
great city might be arrested on sus-
picion, their anxious and searching
eyes being the only evidence against
them. The ~listless men on the settee
assumed a watchful attitude. The new
corners approached the real entrance
OF the White House. The men on the
settee arose. The visitors came nearer
and nearer to the mansion, and as thew
did so the men whom the reporter had
taken for two oilers walked briskly
toward them, and, upon reaching the
rear portico of the house, stood still
and awaited results. The strangers
proved to be strangers indeed, their
only, purpose being to catch a glimpse
OF the rear windows of the executive
mansion. The gentlemen of the settee
slowly returned to their place of rest,
and again became almost inanimate.
That looks strange to you, does it
not?'' said the official, after the men
a retaken their seats. 'sWell, that
same farce has been enacted manv
times a day for several weeks. We
have all watched those two men, and
have come to the conclusion that thew
are detectives appointed for the pur-
pose of experimenting cranks or dyna-
miters who might attempt to effect an
entrance to the White House THROUGH
its real and unguarded entrance.
understand that one of them is Collins,
the Old Waterman about the grounds,
and the other is ex-Detective Coomes.
| think the dynamite conspiracies have
had some effect upon the mind of the
President or his subordinates, and the
actions of these two men are in obe-
dience to ORDERS"
The reporter, after he. left the NAVY
Department official, called on an officer
of the Government who has some con-
nection, in his official capacity, with
the public grounds in the city, and re-
quested information relative to the
duties of the two men whose strange
conduct he had just witnessed.
30, they are nothing butt ordinary
watchmen," he replied. collins was
all riddled with bullets during the war,
and is not very strong. We thought it
advisable to employ another watch
man to assist in handling drunkards
and other disreputable people who often
wander into the grounds"
"But you know" added the official,
after a moments pause, 'an ounce of
prevention is worth a pound of cure.
W. do not know what may happen. We
have been told to trust to the honor of
the American people. We have done
so heretofore, and what has been the
result? The deaths of Lincoln and
Garfield by the hands of assassins.
The Americans are a good people, but
there are cranks among them, and we
must prepare for the cranks. The rear
entrance of the White House has
always been unguarded. One watch
mar has patrolled the entire grounds.
Under the present circumstances the
life of the President might be the aim
Of many demented creatures, and it is,
therefore, considered wise to throw all
the safeguards around it possible. If
any cranks, drunkards or dynamiters
get into the White House they will
nave to Il a very severe gauntlet."-