Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-09-03
WENT WITHOUT GUARD
President Refused Protection
for Months.
SECRET SERVICE MEN
WERE WAIVED ASIDE BY THE
CHIEF ExECUTIvE.
Friends Finally Prevailed on Him
Extraordinary Precautions at
Oyster Bay.

The New York Herald today says:
Despite the appeals Of his most intimate
friends. President Roosevelt. for long
time after he took the oath Of office. de-
clined to have any guards about him, nor
would he permit the secret service men
to get any information Of his movements.
Said by those who know him best to be
absolutely without personal fear. It seemed
to be abhorrent to him to feel that he could
not move about unattended. 1t was not
until his advisers had argued with him for
weeks that he consented to have the secret
service men with him whenever he went on
his journeys.
An Instance at Buffalo.
AS showing his feelings In this respect. a
story told of him after he went to Buffalo,
after the death of President Mckinley, u
to the point. He arrived in the city after
his quick trip from the Adirondacks and
was driven to the home Of Ansiey wilcoxe.
The members Of the cabinet whe were In
the city had held meeting earlier In the
day and had decided 1t would be best for
MFR. Roosevelt to take the oath Of office as
President without delay.
He demurred when he was told of this,
and said he would not do so until he had
visited the dead Presidents bier. He en-
tered his carriage alone. to be driven 20
the home Of Mr.. Milburn. and as the driver
started a body of mounted police and Ma
tional Guardsmen wheeled into place beside
the carriage to act as an escort. When he
saw this he arose to his feet, and waving
the men back. he shouted:
Wanted No Escart.
Get back. 1 want no escort and I will
have no escort. I am now on mission as
a private Citizen
They obeyed and he made the visit unas-
ed boy he tn Wor ha
took absolutely no precautions for his per-
sonal safety.
1t was not for some months that he con-
sented to allow the secret service men to
accompany him.
Since that time he has been guarded al
ways by corps of detectives.
In September of last year. when he came
so near death by a trolley car crashing
into landau In which he was riding. Will
lam Craig. a secret service man. who was
an old friend of the President and WOO, as
his guard was in the vehicle. was killed.
Secret Service Men.
Whenever he came to this city on public
occasions secret service men were on the
train and SO near to him that they would
be at his side in an emergency without the
loss Of a minute.
Here their vigilance would be supple
mented by that of some Of the most CONNIE
tent detectives from the central office, and
at no time was there any danger that any
one with evil designs on the President s
safety would be enabled to get 30 near to
him as to harm him.
So 1t was in his trips over the country
No matter where he went, the faithful
guardians were almost at his heels the
more especially when the general public
was present In any numbers; such as the
ceremonies attendant on the formal open
ing or the st. Louis exposition.
At Oyster Bay.
About the Roosevelt home. in Oyster Bay.
whenever the President was there the
same caution was observed. On Sycamore
Hill the house is surrounded by forests,
thickets and cornfields. which would afford
most excellent hiding place for any one
who desired to harm Mr.. Roosevelt. But
half dozen men in the secret service were
always on guard.
To aid them no one was permitted to visit
President Roosevelt unless a previous ap-
pointment had been made. and the guards
knew each day whom the President expect
ed to receive.
The friends of the President, who pre-
was his personal desire. are congratulating
themselves that they were 50 anxious for
his safety
Only One Of Many.
Referring to the case Of Weiibrenner, Sec
rotary Loeb yesterday said:
This Is one case that got into the news
papers. 1t shows the need which exists
for keeping the President under surveil-
lance and emphasizes the fact that no.
body should be permitted to see the Presi-
dent without having made a previous ap-
pointment. Cranks. persons who are de-
mented or harbor peculiar views, make fire.
quent attempts to see him in Washington.
but we are easily able to detect whether
there is anything wrong with them after
q short chat about their protested object