Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-12-21
WHITE HOUSE SCARE
-
PRESIDENT HANDS II, OVER TO,
L1Nx-EyEp NEWSPAPER MAN.
REPORTERS GIVEN THE SLIP.
Minutes Before the Press slcuths
Know It-Thcx Arc Spending To-
Day in the Hcnrt of the Old Do
minfon.
LYNx-EyEp NEWSPAPER MAN.
REPORTERS GIVEN THE SLIP.
Roosevelt. Get Away Some Twenty

RAPIDAN. VA, December M.-Presi-
dent Roosevelt and his family are tonight
the guests OF Joseph Wilmer, who resides
In beautiful old colonial mansion about
two miles from Rapidan station. The spe
cial train bearing the President and his
party arrived here at 2:25 this afternoon
President and Mrs. Roosevelt and the
children were met at the station by their
host. and driven az once TO Mr. Winners
home Afta~ luncheon. the President and
Mrs. Roosevelt mounted handsome saddle
-orsss and cook q long ride over the his
Iorc country hereahouts. Tomorrow the
President and his family expect to pass
quietly at Mr.. Winners home. which is
located in the midst Of a fine plantation OF
600 acres.
Ar Wilmer who is a son OF Bishop
Wilmer and q college classnatc of Scna-
tor Daniel or Virginia, is q. member OF
me Rapidan Episcopal church. The Pres
ident and Mrs. Roosevelt expect to attend
I divine service with their host.
a HUNT TOMORROW.
| 1t is likely now that the President and
I his party will rot leave Rapidan for
/ Washington until about midday on Mon
| day. The President has been Informed
that fine wild turkey shooting is to be had
/ in this vicinity. and he and his Oldest
| son, Theodore Jr., Will go hunting Mon
! Gay morning.
GAVE REPORTERS TIE SLIP;
/ WASHINGTON, D. G., December 20
| (Special)- Pr esident Roosevelt handed
| over a twenty-ninute scare to the corps
| Of White House newspaper men this
| morning; and never did mental machn-
! ery-the Conan Doyle portion-work
! quicker anG faster to ulravel tempo
! rary mystery, and never the reward come
! quicker,
| The reporters who went to their regular
| posts at The White House this morning
! found that the President and Secretary
/! Cortelyou had gone. according to arrange
rler2t 10 attend the funeral services Of
Mrs Grant but the expectation was tina
they would return in short time and re-
sumo their regular work of receiving call
ers and disposng of the days business
So the reporters took things easy. Sena-
tors and representatives and others
walked III and walked away on finding
that he President was out There was
nothing worth mentioning in this, and
no attention was paid to It.
Along toward IL o'clock. Captain Loef-
fer. the Presidents door-keeper. walked
in and took his post at the door leading to
tho Presidents room. Several Congress-
men called neandered in thoroughly
nlake-sure fashion UP to Captain Loefiter's
little desk. greeted him in formal fash
ion and then leaned over and said few
words to him. Instead Of opening the
door of the Presidents room and passing
these statesmen into the inner sanctum.
CAPTAIN Loeffler made a brief statement,
and tie Consrcssmen wheeled about and
went out.
The President isn't in his Office, is
what they said, as they went out.
That wasn't at ell alarming, or really.
worth thinking about. except that 1t is
seldom that the President is out of his
office during the business hours OF the
day.
Guess he's gone UP to the House for
few minutes" said some one.
SUSPICION AROUSED.
Just a little mystery began TO be added
to the situation. however, when other
congressman called and received the
same statement from Captain Loettler
ally remarked one of the reporters 70 an
other.
where's the Presidert?'' a reporter
asked Captain Loettler
would receive no visitors to-day, and so
I'm not admitting anybody to his room
Secretary Cortelyou was with him, but
the President has gone out of the Office
now.
please ask Mr.. Cortelyou to let me see
him. was the request the reporter mad"
Of Arthur simmons. Mr. Lortelyou S door
I'm sorry. but Mr. Cortelyou told nc
not to bring him any cards was Sim
mons's answer
"Oh-ho.. began TO soliloquize several
OF the profession. There is something
up. sure" But to find out was the thing
necessary.
Finally Simmons was induced to go il
and ask Mr.. Cortelyou whether the Pres
ident was going II New York. a mega
tive answer through Simmons was the re
ply. That was Just a little Teassurns
and suspicious somewhat allayed when
few minutes after this, Secretary Ha
walked in and vas admitted to the Pres
identS room.
oh its all right now" the reporter:
assured themselves.
Just a few minutes later Secretary Iia =
was seen to be walking toward his dc
partment from the front part of til
White House, and it was evident he lla
gone to the residence portion OF tho
White House to talk with the President
and had failed to get an interview.
JOURNALISTS GET BUSY.
BY this time the Conan Doyle circun1-
Jacent analytical process in newspaper
heads was al work. This same appara-
tus was made to do business much faster !
when Thomas Ligh1foot and Dulaney. !
the Presidents barber. were seen to get !
in a vehicle and drive away These two |
men always accompany the President |
and Secretary Cortelyou. and here was |
corroboTation that the suspicious that |
had been aroused were correct. It was |
next noticed that Secret Service Detec- /