Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1886-02-11
GUARDED BY TWO MEN.
Entrance to the White House by the Rear
Impossible.

lmpO6S1blc.
If any person should enter the White
House grounds from the south and
saunter ever so carelessly toward the
rear door of the mansion he would be
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 unguard-
ed door the two men would be more
watchful and alert. and should the visi-
tor stroll into the doorway he would find
himself quietly asked to leave.
The scene is one which can be wit
messed daily from certain windows of
the Navy Department which overlook
the White House. Indeed, the attention
of Post reporter was called yesterday
by Navy Department official to two
men sitting on bench in the grounds
of the mansion. There was nothing in
their general appearance to awaken a
special interest watch them for few
moments" said the official. The re-
porter complied with the request. All
that could be seen in the grounds were
two inoffensive looking individuals, loll-
ing on bench, seemingly caring no.
thing for their surroundings, and en-
joying in calm peacefulness the winter
sun which poured down its mild rays
upon them through the leafless trees.
The scene soon changed. 1t was evident
that the men on the settee had some
other object in life than basking in the
sun. Several men entered the grounds.
They looked around them in what seem
cd ht,f al CT.
gers in great city might be arrested on
suspicion, their anxious and searching
eyes being the only evidence against
them. The listless men on the settee
assumed watchful attitude. The new
corners approached the rear entrance of
the White House. The men on the set
tee arose. The visitors came nearer
and nearer to the mansion, and as they
did so the men whom the reporter had
taken for two idlers walked briskly to-
ward them, and upon reaching the rear
portico of the house stood still and
awaited results. The strangers proved
to be strangers indeed, their only pur-
pose being to catch a glimpse of the
The gentlemen of the settee slowly re-
turned to their places of rest and again
became almost inanimate.
THAT looks strange to you, does it
not?" said the official after the men had
retaken their seats "Well, that same
farce has been enacted many times a
day for several weeks. We have all
watched these two men, and have come
to the conclusion that they are detectives
appointed for the purpose of apprehend-
ing cranks or dynamiters who might at
tempt to effect an entrance to the White
House through its rear and unguarded
entrance. l understand that one of
them is Collins, the old Waterman about
the grounds, and the other is ex-Detec-
tive Coomes. think the dynamite con-
spiracies have had some effect upon the
mind of the President or his subordi-
mates, and the actions of these two men
are in obedience to orders
The reporter, after he had left the
Navy Department official, called on an
officer of the Government who has some
connection 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.
'Oh! they are nothing but 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 Waterman,
to assist in handling drunkards and
other disreputable people who often
wander into the grounds
But you know" added the official,
after moments pause, IAN ounce Of
prevention is worth pound of cure.
We 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 re-
suit? The deaths of Lincoln and Gar
field by the hands of assassius. The
Americans are good people, but there
are cranks among them, and we must
prepare for the cranks. The rear en-
trance of the White House has always
been unguarded. One Waterman has
patroled the entire grounds. Under
the present circumstances the life of the
President might be the aim of many de-
mented creatures, and it is, therefore,
considered wise to throw all the
safeguards around it possible. If any
cranks, drunkards or dynamiters get in
to the White House they will have to
run severe gauntlet. - Washington