The National tribune., 1903-10-08

at the White House. An insane man III
vaded the big hall, and had it not been Tor
prompt action on the part of the White
House police. there would have been at
least one death. and possibly two An in
sane Swede named Peter Elliott has had
q mania for seeing the President, and last
week wrote letter 10 Secretary Loeb on
the subject. 1t was so incoherent that the
Secretary knew at once that a crazy man
wrote it. Elliott also inclosed his photo
graph. so everybody was on the lookout
for him.
Elliott went to church Sunday and saw
the President. but made no attempt to
speak to him. He was instantly recog-
nized by the Secret Service men. who kept
an eye on him. but as he went away quiet
ly, they did not arrest him. On Monday
he went to the White House and asked
to see the President. OF course he was
recognized. and the White House attend
ants were on the alert for him. He was
asked why he wanted to see the President
and said that the President had sent for
him. He was turned away from the office
door and went without any remarks.
In less than half an hour. Elliott was
back again. this time going into the main
entrance of the White House. under the
big portico. Officer James Ciscle. big,
brave policeman. who, though young
many years, told the man to sit down, and
he then started for aid to take him to the
station. Before he left the hall, however,
Elliott began to mutter. and Ciscle seeing
that he was greatly excited, started for
him just in time to see Elliott draw big
revolver from his pocket The officer
threw himself upon Elliott and wrenched
the pistol from him. Several officers
closed in on Elliott, and there was rough
and tumble fight. Elliott, who is a slen-
der fellow, fought with all lunatic'S
strength. but was soon OverpOw cred. and
the officers started TO lead him out to the
police van which some one had called.
They got him into the van. when he
turned loose again. and in the struggle
which ensued officer Ciscle was very bad
1y cut with the broken glass of the van.
Both men we're SO badly injured that they
were taken to the emergency hospital in
stead of the police station. The lunatic
was searched there. and a biz. sharp knife
was taken away from him. Ali this time
the President was in his Office unconscious
that anything was going on. The Swede
has been committed to st. Eliza beth's, and
Officer Ciscle will recover from his cuts,
though they are pretty severe.
1t turns out that he is Dane. who
speaks Swedish. He is a machiniSt. whit,
has been living in Minneapolis for four
years. He has been prominent as a
Socialist.
Gen. Chaffee has been named as assist
ant to the Chief of Staff. The announce
ment was made in the official bulletin at
the War Department and the following
comment made:
with a view to enable Maj.-Gen
Chaffee to become familiar with the duties
vested by law in the Chief of Staff and
TO ascertain the present condition of the
military establishment. before entering
upon their active performance, the Presi-
dent has directed that he be ordered to
duty in the War Department as Assis-
tant Chief of Staff, and that Maj.-Gen.
Corbin be assigned to command the De-
partment of the East"
The bulletin also said:
This assignment, which is in accord
ance with the wishes of Gen. Corbin, is
intended as recognition of the eminent
services rendered by him in the importan.
office of Adjutant- General during the war
with Spain and the subsequent operations
in China and the Philippine Islands. and
is made with view to obtaining the bene-
fit of his great administrative and eXecu-
tive ability in the command of the largest
and most important military department
in the United States. Advantage will be
taken of the assignment to secure the
close, harmonious. and intelligent coopera-
ton of officers commanding troops in car
rying into effect the new methods of ad-
ministration which have been made neces-
sary by the establishment of a General
Staff"
At the same time, over in the Navy De
partment the papers were being prepared
by Secretary Moody to retire Gen
Charles Haywood, Commandant of the
Marines, who after service of splendid
results was retiring to private life after
having worn the blue uniform of the
United States for 46 years.
Gen. Charles Haywood became Sec
ond Lieutenant of Marines in April. 1858.
and saw deal of hard service in the civil
war. He was on the historic Cumberland
and had command of a gun on the deck
division. when she was sunk by the Mer-
rimac. at Hampton Roads. He was with
Farragut on the Hartford at the battle
of Mobile Bay, and accompanied that
doughty sailor on his famous European
cruise. He saw service in the railroad
strikes of 1877 in Baltimore and Phila-
delphia. and subsequently on the Isthmus
of Panama, where he successfully opened
the railroad.
Gen. Haywood became Commandant
with the rank of Colonel January 80, 1891
by appointment of President Harrison
He has been persistent and aggressive
for the enlargement of the corps, and has
Loyalty fought many battles in behalf of
it before Congress and the Navy Depart
ment. The discipline OF the Marines, as
displayed during the Spanish war, and the
promptness with which detachments could
be sent to any given place, were in good
part due to Gen. Heywood's fOrethought
He is man of rare executive ability.
and knows from his own experience in
the field how men must be organized for
fighting.
Mrs. Alexander NJ Thackara. daughter
of Gen. William T. Sherman, is now in
Paris, but will reach the United States
in time to be at the unvailing of the Sher.
man statue, Oct. -.
The first Cabinet meeting of the Fail
was not an unqualified success. The
President called the meeting for Friday
Oct. 2, and just exactly two responded
Unconstitutional Payne and Secretary
of Agriculture Wilson. There isn't any
law, either, to punish a Cabinet officer
who fails to obey the commands of thu
President in this respect. Now over il
Russia it would be ''lese ma jestie' to ig
more the orders of the Gar and such ar
officer would find himself hunting some
thing else out of which to make a living
The Cabinet members, who were prett,
well scattered, are gathering home now
Secretary of War Root is In London at
tending the sessions of the Alaskan Boun
dairy Commission. Secretary Hay was a
his Summer homo Sunanpe Tata N II