The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1903-09-30
Roosevelt Carries a Big Pistol.

Immigration cutter II. B. Chamberlain
yesterday afternoon, and ran forward
to shake hands with Commissioner
General Frank p. Sargent, powerful
gust caught the skirts of his frock
coat and whirled them against the
back of his head.
Those standing behind the presi-
dent saw sight that evoked much
comment. Sticking out of his right
hand hip pocket was the handle of q
revolver. One of the secret service
men quickly restored the skirts of the
president coat to their proper place,
but the momentary glimpse the spec
tators had convinced those familiar
with such matters that the handle in
dicated weapon Of heavy calibre.
Those unfamiliar with the presi-
dents custom wondered why he should
60 armed when on mission so peace
full as an inspection of Ellis Isla nd. .
1t was explained by one of the secret
service men, however, that the presi-
dent invariably carries q revolver
when he goes to o public place.
The president has carried a pistol
ever since he took the oath of Office
after the assassination Of Mckinley.
He has the greatest faith in the abili-
ty Of the dozen or more secret service
agents who guard him, but prefers to
be armed himself in case of emergen-
cy. His most intimate friends have
known Of his practice Of carrying 6
six-shooter, but some of the secret
service looked surprised when they
saw the handle protruling from the
presidents pocket yesterday.
The pistol is the black handled,
blue steel, 3.calibre revolver which
he carried when with his Rough
Riders in Cuba. It is the same gun
with which he shot a Spaniard, as
he tells in his history of the Rough
Riders.
When in Cuba he practiced faith
fully with his revolver until he be-
came an excellent marksman. Since
that time, both in Washington aud at
Oyster Bay, the revolver shooting has
been continued until the president
can score bulls eye at pretty nearly
every shot.
When riding about the country
roads at Washington and Oyster Bay,
the president frequently dismounts
and practices shooting in company
with secret service man or Sergeant t
Mcdonald, one of the best revolver
shots in the army, who is the presi-
dents orderly on all such rides.
The secret service men have siren
uous target practice at Oyster Bay
each summer. One of them pins q
bit of paper to tree or stump; the
man who is to do the shooting is start
ed on run, and must pull the pistol
as soon as he sees the object, and fire
every charge without slackening his
pace. The president has taken part
in this practice, and has been able to
hit small sapling five times out Of
six shots.
When he became president, Mr..
Roosevelt was much averse to the se-
cret service guard which was main
tanned about him. He insisted that
he could take care of himself in any
emergency. But he has become very
friendly with two or three Of them,
and when some politician or othez
parsonage makes complaint Of being
handled roughly in crowd by the
secret service men the president tells
them:
"Oh, we'll, they did not know you.
They'll remember you next"
| The presidents ammunition is fur
nished him by the ordnance bureau of
the army. it is especially inspected
and loaded, and the president knows
he can depend upon it in an emergen-
oy. s.
The president is not entirely de-
pendent upon his revolver and the se-
cret service men for protection. He
has taken course in ''jitsu," che
Japanese method Of ss:s ss:s:sas :3sseec: &c: se, and
can grab man by the coat collar and
throw him on his head.
The most remarkable shooting ever
dcoe by the president was at Oyster
Bay in August, 1907, when he ohal-
lenged Commandant Snyman, who
had been on Gen. DeWet's staff in
the Boer army, TO match. With his
revolver at fifty yards he drove five
bullets, one after another, through the
hole made by the FIRST, in the center
Of the bulls eye. Gen. snyman con-
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