The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-04-19
SURROUNDED BY
SECRET GUARDS
President Mckinley Always Accompanied
by Detective.
is NOT AWARE or THE FACT
Would eSent the InSinuatiOn, But it is
True Nevertheless.
SOME AssAssINATlONS OF HISTORY
During the Short Life of This Republic
As Many Exclusives Have Bee n
Killed as in the Countries
of Europe.

| Washington, April S.-(Special)-If any
one thinks that the president of the United
| States is allowed to go about unattended lie
or she is greatly mistaken. The president
himself is ignorant of the great precaution
which is taken to preserve his life and to
| prevent his person be ng reached by such
| a fantiac as Booth or crank as Guiteau.
| 1t has recently come to my knowledge
| just to what extent the officers of this
government do go to prevent any tragedy
such as has twice marred the history of
this republic. A good deal used to be said
about the number of detectives which were
wont to accompany President Cleveland
and some sneer.ng comments were made
by those who ought to have known better,
but there was no more precaution taken to
protect the person of President Cleveland
than there is taken during this administra-
ton or was taken in that of President
Harrison. President Cleveland was not as
1.-THE of limb as either Mr.. Harrison or
President Mckinley, and consequently was
not seen abroad as much as they, but he
was as unconscious as either to the sense
of danger.
-.-s ! WARN rreru sv...~
what ne IS SAVING and VINO is Thoroughly
informed on the ways and means provided
to insure our chief executives from as
sault.
Has Had Many Assassinations.
This country little over hundred
years old, has had almost as many rulers
assassinated as France, with her thousand
years back of her, and one more than Eng
land. 1 am not taking into consideration
those princes and rulers murdered after
they were deposed and impr.s oned, but Of
actual bona fide asSaSsinat. ons, such as
those of President Lincoln, President Gar
field and President Carnot. But of this la
ter on.
As 1 said, the president himself is gno-
rant of the precautions taken to protect
him. He would deny that such precautions
were taken because he is ignorant of them,
and if the secret service bureau was asked
the plain quest on if it had force of men
detailed for this work, its head would
doubtless disclaim it for the reason that
there is no law which authorizes the treas
ury department to detail men for such du-
| ty. 1t was all right for Horace to sing of
"Integer vitae, Scelerisque purus,"
| but the pure and good are as vulnerable to
| the crank as the evil and wicked. If any
| one doubts that such precautions are taken
| let him imagine the preposterous PROPOSE
| ton of a government of sixty or seventy
| millions of people permitting their head to
| go unattended through the world at the
mercy of cranks. 1t is said that~if the Sc
| cret service men detailed to guard the life
! of Garfield had done their duty properly
| his life might never have been sacrificed to
| the pistol of a mailman.
Guard the Presidents Life.
From the viewpoint of the European, our
| executive is absolutely unguarded In this
| is his chief safety for when there are few
| er evidences of fear there are less incen-
| tives to crime. The very absence of guards
| is protection. But it is the crank that has
| to be watched and for this work six of the
| ablest men in the secret service branch
| of the government have been selected. They
| are absolutely trustworthy, and have an
| almost unlimited amount of money to
| spend. They have to report to no one save
to each other, one of whom is chief, so 1
understand, and in this way Their comings
and goings are conducted without sus-
! picion. They arrive In town as do other
| Travellers put UP at the best hotels and
wear the smartest clothes. Sometimes they
come with large tourists parties and take
in the sights, going through the White
| House with as keen an appetite for bits of
| gossip as the veriest hayseed in the party.
They will assume any DISCUSSES they
| want but they usually go as well equipped
| gentlemen. They mingle with crowds and
| watch the Migrants and loiter about the
| white house grounds with trained eyes
rowing in every direction. They know their
| business as thoroughly as do any men in
| their profession in the world it is said
and their DISCUSSES are impenetrable. II
makes no matter who is president and
| what the executive wish may be on the
subject the silent and ever-watchful vigil
| nreSident hinSa1f would
scorn the idea that he needed protection OF
any kind, but for all that he is protected
when least suspecting 1t.
The Killing of Lincoln.
The system has been continuing since the
time of Lincoln. Up to that time it was
not thought necessary to throw safeguards
about our presidents. The system had be.
come little lax when the assassination OF
Garfield made 1T evident that the rightly
of This precaution must never be allowed
to relapse into an Indifferent state again.
In other countries this secret service pre-
| caution is carried to a far greater extent
than here, but it is doubtful If 1t is more
effective. In England, for instance, 1t is
said that so many are the DISCUSSES as
sumed by the detectives about Victoria that
that poor ladys life is made miserable
wondering who these people are and by
what right they are permitted to roam
about her estates In France the system
is carried on very much as 1t is here, save
that the secret service is increased by Off
GERS and guards in uniform, and sentinels
stationed at every door and gateway
There have been only three bona fdt
assassinations in France. positively known
to history One victim was Henry III.
killed by Jacobin monk and Henry the
\ w., was assassinated by tho Roman IA
matte Ravaillac. the third being President
Carnot. The former was assassinated II
1916 That period was replete with assas
| sinations of all kinds and the wonder 1.
that more crown heads did not fall a vic
tim to the knife. Many attempts on tn,
lives of rulers are recorded, but very few
successful attempts
Some Continental Assassinations.
| Louis XII was believed to have been muir
dered for rehelling against his father, blu
| It was never proven. Fortrot killed Fran