The Detroit times., 1908-05-28
Mr.. Roosevelt at the Theater

Mr.. Roosevelt Is an inveterate thea.
tergoer says a writer In the Theater
Magazine for May. When he can
spare the time, rarely week passes
that the president does not see a play.
Mrs. Roosevelt and the family gen.
orally contrive to see everything
worth seeing, and frequently attend
the theater without the president, who
may be detained at the White House
on some important business OF state.
Says the writer:
When Secretary Loeb calls up one Of
the Washington theaters and says that
the president would like to see the
performance. the management at once
sends tickets for stage box, and then
withdraws from sale all the tickets In
the box or boxes Immediately adjoin-
Ing the presidents box. These addi-
tional boxes may be sold to persons
known to the management, but they
are not on sale TO the general pub
lie. II no one of sufficient Importance
appears to purchase them, they may
be given TO one OF the secret service
men who always come to the theater
with the president. For, no matter
where Mr.. Roosevelt goes. he ia fol.
lowed by the secret service men. Per.
sonaily, he dislikes very much TO have
them accompany him to the theater
out tho chief Of the secret service
bureau In Washington has very vivid
recoilections or tragic catastrophe
that happened In a Washington thea
Ter az years ago. II is, therefore an
utter impossibility for any stranger To
como very close TO the presidents
oo1; aItnough, OF course. any crank
couio ouy seats In the orchestra. near
enough to see the president at close
ranger. But scattered In these seats
directly In front Of the presidents box.
a Keen observer would find seven or
eight athletic looking men, each OF
whom had bought his ticket at the
box Office. and had specified the loca-
ton wanted. These men are all scorer
service men. acting without even the
knowledge or Mr.. Roosevelt himself
out certain TO see that no suspicious
person gets near the presidents box.
In the aisles leading to the boxes.
and even upon the stage itself. secret
service men are stationed. In two OF
the Washington theaters there are
doors leading from the stage into the
approach behind the presidents box.
and these doors are carefully guarded
each time the president attends the
theater, In order that no crank can
enter the theater from the stage. Chief
Wilkie remembers that when the
tragedy occurred In Ford's theater.
which cost Lincoln his life. the as
sassin was himself an actor. who OBJ
tanned admission behind the scenes.
because of his connection with the
profession. and was enabled TO ap-
preach the presidents box from the
stage without arousing suspicion.
Nothing OF that kind Is ever going to
happen again, II the secret service
men can prevent Il by adopting pre-
cautions.
When the president goes TO the
theater. he uses the White House car.
riage. Long before he arrives. how
ever, the secret service men have
gathered IN the lobby, and from the
time the doors art frst opened, two
or three OF the men stand by the ticket
taker and carefully scrutinize every
person entering the theater. Even
the entrance to the gallery IL watched
and any person who may arouse sus
picion IL quietly told 20 90 TO the ONCE
and Got his money back. In this way
the character OF tho audience IL made