Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-20
AT THE WHITE HOUSE
THE PRESIDENT SLIPS OFF FOR
A DAYS REST.
Newspaper Men Have a Brief Scare
at His Sudden and Quiet
Departure.

President Roosevelt handed over a twenty
minute scarce to the corps of White House
newspaper men this morning, and never did
mental machinery-the Conan Doyle portion
work quicker and faster to unravel a
temporary mystery, and never did the re-
ward 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
ment. to attend the funeral services of Mrs
Grant, but the expectation was that they
would return in a short time and resume
their regular work of receiving callers and
disposing of the days business. So the re-
porters took things easy. Senators and rep
resentatives and others walked in and
walked away on finding that the President
was out. There was nothing worth men
tioning in this, and no attention was paid
to it.
Along toward IL clock Capt Loeffier the
Presidents doorkeeper. walked in and took
his post at the door leading to the Presi-
dents room. Several congressman called,
meandered in thoroughly make-sure fash
ion up to Capt. Loeffiers little desk greeted
him in formal fashion 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 Capt. Loeff1er made a brief state
ment and the congressman wheeled about
and went out.
Not in His Office.
1.-The President isn't in his Office" is what
they said as they went out.
That wasn't at all alarming, or really
worth thinking about, except that it is sell
dom that the President is out of his office
during the business hours of the day
Guess he's gone up to the house for a
few minutes said some one.
Just little mystery began to be added
to the situation, however, when other rep
resentatives called and received the same
statement from Captain Loeff1er.
There must be something doing" casu-
ally remarked one of the reporters to an
other.
where's the President?" a reporter ask
ed of Captain Loeff1er.
II don't know. He told me that he would
receive no visitors today 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 made
Of Arthur Simmons, Mr.. Cortelyous door
keeper.
'i'm sorry. but Mr. Cortelyou told me not
to bring him any cards.. was Simmons
answer.
"Oh-ho,' began to soliloquize several of
the profession. There is something I'D,
sure" But to find out was the thing nec-
essary. Finally Simmons was induced to
go in and ask Mr.. Cortelyou whether the
President was going to New York. mega
tive answer through Simmons was the re-
ply. That was just a little reassuring, and
suspicious were somewhat allayed when, a
few minutes after this, Secretary HAY
walked in and was admitted to the Presi-
dents room.
"Oh, it's all right now" the reporters as
sured themselves.
Just few minutes later Secretary Hay
was seen to be walking toward his depart
ment from the front part Of the !, lite
House. and 1t was evident. he had gone to
the residence portion OF the White House
to talk with the President.
Analytical Process at Work.
BY this time the Conan Doyle analytical
process in newspaper heads was at work.
This same apparatus was made to do
business much faster when Thomas Light
foot and Dulaney, the Presidents barber,