The age-herald., 1900-03-25
THE PRESIDENTS STABLE
President McKinley's Coachman Dis
 cusses His Position
From the New York Herald.

From the New York Herald.
 Spencer Coleman, the presidents new coachman, who was appointed to his pres ent post some three months ago, is a big strong colored man, about 33 years old, of very good looks good manners and polite address. Naturally he is proud of his po- sltlon, which sets him on the highest pin naele of earthly glory, as far as American coachmen are concerned. He is duly inn pressed with the gravity and importance of his position and in answer ito questions put by representative of the Herald, talked in a modest and entertaining way about matters pertaining to his particular do- main.
 Being the presidents coachman" said he, lis a highly important job and mighty good one, too It is different from driving anybody else in the country, it don't matter how big they are, because the pres ident is the biggest man in the country, and Is above everybody else So a great deal of care must be taken when the pres- idert and Mrs. Mckinley are being driven out
 Ut don't do for a coachman ever ito get nervous or flustered, no matter what hap pens Then the presidents horses are every one of them good and sound, and that makes driver feel so much easier. When a man knows that his team is quiet and gentle and when he can put confidence in his horses he can be looking out for other carriages and can feel safer to drive al right good gait.
 There's a whole lot in knowing the streets of a town and in being used to drv ing at all hours of the day and night When a man has been fifteen years off and on cOachman for gentleman like pr. RiXey, the presidents physician he ought to be pretty well acquainted with a city like Washington.
 "The president doesn't go out as much as pr. Rixey used to do. The horses are in the harness generally about once day. Near ly every day the president and Mrs. Me Kiney go driving together. Both of them seem to enjoy driving very much. The president never stays in for the cold, but he don't like the rain much. There is one thing about the president that makes it pleasant to drive him. He never seems to get fretted at the pace the team Is going.
 You see, there are some people who are very much afraid of going fast, and there are others Who get nervous when the coachman slows up a bit. Very often the coachman can't exactly regulate his speed But the president seems always to under stand and never complains. l had seen him drive himself in the trap and knew right well how he liked to travel before I had been driving him long. ''It aint csten that the president goes out by htmse.l'. Mostly the drives with Mrs. Mckinley and they talk and bow when the people recognize them. If ura presi- dent don't go with Mrs. Mckinley gle gen. orally has some of Its friends or visitors with him. It aint often that either the president or Mrs. Mckinley goes driving without some company. Tt is enough to make a coachman proud to drive the president and Mrs. Mckinley and naturally man who Is the foremost coachman in the country ought to be proud. Why, that fellow ain't in Washington, it don't matter who he drives, who don't wish he was in my place when he sees me a. holding the ribbons behind the presidents high-steppers. and a-going out PennsyIvan- ia avenue most any evening with the two greatest people in the country in the coach, It's mighty responsible and mighty pleasant sort of a position being coachman to the president.
 'We have to keep the teams in good or der and to see that the horses ain't over fed The president is a merciful man to his beasts, and he has seven mighty fine horses. We have to look after these, and it is my business to see that they are ready to go when the telephone rings from the White House and the carriage is ordere up.
 "There are three teams and the presi-