The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1890-04-24
CRkNKS AT The WHITE HOUSE.
Means Adopted to Project the President
and His Family from Assault.

Means Adopted to Project the President
and His Family from Assault.
Why should not any person who
happened TO be SO disposed attempt to
assassinate the president at one Of his
receptionsi" queried representative
Simply for the reason that it would
be very difficult for any individual so
! inclined to reach the presence Of the
president" replied the White House
usher addressed. You don't see why,
but that is because you have never
looked about YOU when you have at
tended Il reception at the executive
mansion. How many officers do you
you were passing into the cloak room.
Six in all Not one of these men but
has had years OF experience in the po-
lice service. They are SO trained
every man of tEcm-that they can tell
at glance just what sort of a person
each guest who enters is. Two classes
of people are chiefly to be locked out
fOr-cranks and crooks The crooks
are readily discernible by the educated
eye-their aspect always betrays them.
AS for the cranks, they are distinguish
able with equal readiness. The task
of making them out is rendered easier
to begin with by consideration of the
fact that three-fodrths of all mild lu-
natlcs are crazy on religious topics.
Of course once in while visitor gets
III here who is not entirely sane-that
is unavoidable necessarily But it is
a al,
invariable rule | can tell a crank at
the first glance, and if l do>not an
other OF the guards will. P"
And you can tell 4 bad crank every
timer"
The crank typical is almost I'M
mistakab!e. He, surprising him male
or female, for that natter-has little
chance to pass the sentries at the door
or beyond. Each of these sentries,
apart from his acutencss of percep-
ton, is a man of great muscular
strength. Come here, jim"
The guard called up one of his fell
lows and babe him double his arm.
1t was as hard as rock and as big as
an ordinary mans thigh.
This Is the sentry who stands at the
beginning of the reception line in the
doorway" he continued Suppose
that you are Il crank, how far do you
think you would get in an assault upon
the president before you are grabbed
and dlsarmed and thrown out into the
street to be carried off to the nearest
police stationl Not very far, l guess.
| tell you the president is as closely
fortified in the White House as if it
were the strongest castle that ever ex-
listed. Lincoln was not murdered in
the executive mansion; it was at the
theatre he was attacked Garfield was
assassinated at the railway station.
Oh, no, believe me, the president is
safe enough in his own dwelling.
The minute we see person whose
appearance does not satisfy us entirely
we ask him what his business is. I'm
less his reply is satisfactory we pursue
the inquiry. A man called here the
other day to see the president, with
TIN box under his arm. | pressed him
closely about his errand and he finally
said he had a new kind of religion in
the box to show to President Harrison.
That settled him.
Il had very funny experience once
with crook at party, though it was
not here.
1T was at one of the great houses in
Washington. | noticed in the cloak
room person of suspicious demeanor.
Some time | spent in watching her,
until she perceived that she was excit-
ing my attention and then very
promptly took her departure. IfoI-
lowed her into the street and, LAYING
my hand upon her shoulder, said: I
want you.
You wouldn't arrest a ladyl' she
said
In this case will venture re-
piled, and led her off to the station
hnlsa When VIZ got there 1 said:
Now, please undress.'
She looked at me appealingly, but I
would not relent. Finally she dis
posed OF her apparel, with some assist
ance, and | found in her trousers
pocket seven pocketbooks She was, as
had expected, a man. Of course, we
have to take some chances about such
things now and then, but in that case
felt reasonably sure of my ground.
A man must get himself up pretty
cIeverly Ill women's garments to de-
celve the experienced eye of a police
officer. Perhaps the funniest of all
queer people who come to the White
House are those who demand permis-
SION to visit the most private rooms of
the president on the ground that they.
as representatives of the public, own
the establishment. The Washington