davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1909-05-15
jus as the cab started the sNede fred pont-b!anl

people who. he Sald we're trying TO steal
his pntents guaranteed TO revoutionlze
several prominent American Industries
His dress was peculiar, his conversation
suspicious and his demands to see tho
President somewhat alarming. Policeman
Ciscle, of the White House squad, told
him he would usher him Into the Prcs-
dents private Office immediateIy BY this
prctcnsc he was led Into the guardroom
In the basement Of the cast front of the
White House, and n cab was sunlmoncd
Just MS the big Swcde was being showed
Into the cab he evidently smellcd rat.
Tor he drew n large revolver and opened
nre on the officer His nim was wild, and
the bullet inflicted but slight flesh
wound The polIcenan's recovery was
slow. however. ny the crank had evident
ly prepared the bullet With some sort Of
poison. After firing the shot the lunatic
was overpowered- and placed In the stn-
tlon-housc. In due time he was sent 10
the Government Hospital for the Insane.
but later tnken charge Of ny some of his
friends In the Middle West
President Roosevclt's guards were once
confronted by two woman suffraglsts "
They made the modest demand that thc
President retire from Office Immediately
In their favor. One Of tho women hnd
oven gono no far as 10 choose hcr oycn
cabinet to assist In the discharge M tho
duties of the Nations Chief Executive
Nor would she stop there The admiral
OF the Nnvy should no longer be n nnn
but n woman The other woman claimed
that President Roosevelt had boldly
uSurped her place ms the peoples choice
After short incarceration In the Govern.
ment Hospital for the Insane both wo.
men were sent back To their friends
Another type Of uuwelcome visitor "a
the man or woman OF the inventive mind
All of them have inventions that viii
literally reverse the forces of fnaturo
md even change the positions Of tho st,r
the moon and the stars. All Of them arc
more than willing to let tho President in
on the ground door OF the fobulousIv
capitalized and mlraculously successful
stock companies they have organized in
their own minds. One inventor from
Colorado declared he had an Invention
that would utilize the forces OF gravity
for almost any purpose. Railroads might
be run by 1t, automobiles driven. air,shina
Kept aloft, minwheels turned and manu-
featuring plants operated Outside of rho
largo block OF stock he wanted the prosi
dent to take, be begged the Chief EXecu-
tive TO compel the Commissioner Of Par.
cnts TO grant him a patent OH his in
Ycntlon
Another inventor. who did not believe
The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1909-05-15

longed to the United States. and hence to
the President
certain lunatlc n few years ago had
appeared several times on the White
6ousc grounds and conducted himself
so strangely that the police decided To
look Into his case. His answers to their
questions were so IncohcTcnt and mean
nglcss that he was seized and searched.
a loaded revolver and a box of cartridges
were found In his pockets, Along with
these was discovered an envelope marked
News OF General Thoughts" When this
envelope was removed from his pocket
lie manifested the utmost concern md
was restrained with dlmculty, dcclar-
ing that tho Information therein con-
talncd was exclusively his own md that
he would guard those precious thoughts
with his life.
When Alice Roosevolt's engagement to
Representative Nicholas LonGworth was
announced o number OF these uufortu-
mates called Mt the White House 10 pre-
sent the President various reasons why
be should not allow the marriage to be
consummatcd over n dozen of these
cranks called TO see the President for
that reason alone during the interval
between tho engagement and the mar
riaGc of Miss Alice aud the Ohio repre-
sentative.
Nr. RooSeYelts guards woro once con-
frontcd by nm old negro who claimed
that the President had promised him n
place in the United States Diplomatic
Corps on April the 6rst. 1905. The old fol
lows choice of dotc-Aprl Fools Day
was Of no Importance at all aud OF no
significance In his own eyes, He was
dressed like a minister He showed Sec
retnry Loeb n paper which. he said.
WAS his ordination to the ministry and
pointed with pride to what he declared
To he the signature of n justice OF the
Supreme Court This document, he
claimed granted him the right to preach
the gospel In any part OF tho world. He
wanted the President TO oflT his sigma
turc also. The old fellow was received
with the utmost dignity by the Secret
service men and his story was listened
10 with apparently absolute respect They
Informed him that he should be taken
Immediately To the President, and apol-
ogized for the fact that Mr., Roose-
welt was then busy Mt the Capitol with
national affairs. They would he pleased
10 take him right over In n currlngc.
In fact, they promised to use tho
Presidents own livery. More than
that, the great seal OF the United
States OF America should be affixed to
his ordination papers, so that none might |
The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1909-05-15

In trusts, had marvellous scheme to
transport Ice from the North Pole, In
order to force the Ice kings into poverty
md starvation All that need he done. he
argued. was Ia obtain n congressional
appropriation for the cutting OF the Ice
up In tho Arctic regions and then have
the United States wor vessels cnrry the
ice 10 the different cities OF the country
and distribute IL. In this manner tho
Ice Trust would melt away as rnpidly MS
does its own product on a sweltcring
August day. The police. needless 10 say,
manifested most abnormal and cnthusl-
oStic Interest in bis plan. and conducted
him 10 one OF the station houses 20 talk
II over at further length.
There was nothing small In conception
at least, OF the plan OF woman crank
10 drain the ocean OF Old Point Com
fort seaside resort on the Virginln
coost. Ry doing so she was positive that
she could end large amount OF money
hidden there by coospiratoIs who were
seeking TO deprive her OF her rightful
share OF m estate OF over half a million
dolnrs. She did not feel nj liberty, shc
stated to drain the sea off Old Point
Comfort until she had obtained the
Presidents permission, az the ocean be-
The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1909-05-15

made. His request had been denied so
frequently, he stated that he had bcen
compelled 70 appeal TO the frcsioen'
as last resort Investigations later dlS'
closed the fact that this remarkably con-
scientIous debtor did owe small amounts
OF money To several individuals. 10 his
most surprising engcr0cSs To pay or Biz
debts he hnd advertised IN several New
York pnpers for someone To purchase his
blood, his skin or even one of his limbs
mt a figure sufficiently lnrgc 10 relieve
him Of his annoying obligations.
Numerous other cases OF cronks. lnrge
and small American and foreign, white
and black. vicious and harmless might
be cIted. Their halluciUations arc much
the same In principle though their spc'
clnc forms are varied.
The influx Of pamphlets. letters and
books from cranks In all parts OF tho
country was large. indeed. during PreSi'
dent RooscveltS x administration. Among
the great quantity of letters received
every day are found, most always, at
least one or two from people who nte
obviously mentally deranged Most oI
them are addressed 10 the President OF
the United States. They are written III
all sorts OF fantastic fashions, upon paper
of vnrous colors and In pcnmOnship yars-
ING from the absolutely illegblc 10 the
most finished Spepccrlan style. Most oil
these are kept on hlc and form interest
Iuy reading. One case In particular Is
worthy OF more than passing notice ~
wns bulky manuscript. as long as tho
average novel. that told OF n conSunP
tive's sunerings for three solid years
Every day the unfortunate bad cnteFeu
In this diary facts concerning his cor
dition. his temperature, the action oi uo
heart, etc, and additional informauV"
rs to what be thought each day oi Gu
rent events and their injurious OF heip-
ful effect upon his Illness.
So for President Tatt has not been ~"
noyed materially by unwelcomc visitors
who Insist upon telling him their tfou
bIes. or. II he has, the instances na'o
been suppressed from the public prints
That he Will escape them entirely dul
ing bis administration is not TO he OF
pectcd But that not a single uDweleome
visitor viii talk personally TO Pfesiden.
Taft IS an assured fact for the secret
Service operatives md the official guards
at tho White House nre always on thell
Job. ever olcrt to shield the chief eScSu-
tive from the poor uufortunnteS Nno
might seek 10 do him harm In the per
OF what their weakened minds
consider great mission.
The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1909-05-15

doubt his authority. The would-be d.
plomat was simply overcome with de-
light and his grin wnS a sight TO be-
hold. With alacrlty he stepped into the
carriage for bis triumpbal Journey.
But, alas. the carriage never reached
the Capitol. Instead 1t drew up In front
OF the nearest police station. 1t WAS
not until the poor negro was standing
In front OF the scrgcants desk that be
understood the hoax that had been
worked upon him. But his rebellion was
feeble and pltiablc Ia the extreme. An
examination showed that he had been
mn inmate Of the Government Hospital
Tor the Insane for some while, and at
That time was out on parole
Another crank visited the White House
TO press claim more practical and
lucrative than the old negro's. though
less modest. He said that he hailed
from Ohio and that he had been elected
by the state legislature to take the place
OF the lOtc Senator Hanna. In some un-
accountable manner. he insisted, his nnmo
had been changed 10 that of Cb1rlcS
DICK, but lie was unable to prove this
change Hence, he was unable 10 present
his credentials as United States senator
TO the legislature. III n certain state ottl-
cinl. he pleaded. had been true to his
oain oil Once ne would never nave Deon
placed I'm such mn embarrassing prcdlca-
ment. or course, the President had re-
ceiyed bis crcdcntials-for this same state
official had told him TO hurry on to
Washington and receive them from no less
person than the President himself
While conducting him from tho Whlto
House grounds the Secret Service man
nGreed with hun that the incxplicablo
loss OF these credentials was absolutely
objectionable and q most unfortunate oc-
currencc.
crank with n strange hobby was the
ono who came TO the White House with
the commendable. but most alarming de-
sire 10 pay or his creditors at any price.
He was from Pittsburg he said, and
asked that his Identity he kept secret,
ms he feared tho dissemination OF tho
news Of his visit to the Capital would
cause panic among his creditors. He
owed them the stupendous sum of $7OO.
His one desire was TO pay every creditor
To the very last cent. He had evolved |
a most consoling little scheme To earn |
money by Offering himself To Dr. Harvey |
Wiley, the government pure food man, |
aS a member Of his celebrated "poisou |
squad" upon whom food experiments were |
The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1909-05-15

MasSachusettst Hoy. Incidentally 1t may
be mentioned that ,some of the most In
fluential senator's and representatives in
Congress from fheNBay Stntc can be de-
pended upon to, work hard to have Sec
retary Meyer retained In the Cabinet so
long as he may desire to remain there.
Explanations; lf he were out he might
take 1t Into his head 10 come TO Congress
from Massachusetts. and that would mean
n shake up In the present delegation,
Secretary of the Interior.
Richard A. Balllnger. Secretary OF the
Interior, is the representative OF the Pa
ci6c Slope In the new Cabinet. and. like
almost nil the newcomers, he Is n law
yer, Born in Iowa, he. like Secretary
Meyer. graduated from Harvard, and
then, taking Horace Greeley's advice, he
sought the land of opportunity. In the
favored Pacific Northwest he literally
grew up with the country, and has ever
been regarded az one OF the leaders OF
the bar In the Puget Sound country, His
codI0catlon OF the laws OF the State of
Washington brought him considerable
fame, and he served with distinction as
n Judge of the Superior Court.
About flyc years ago the people of Scat
tie, against Judge Bnlllngcr's protest.
elected him mayor. and the thoreughnoss
of the municipal housecleanlDg which he
inauguruted attracted the attention of
The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1909-05-15

has been Mt the head of tho Department
OF Agriculture that President Tnft con-
cluded that bo could not do better than
retain the man who might almost he de-
nominated the "fnther'' OF this branch of
our government. Consequently Secretary
Wilson when he rotlres Will do so with
a record OF longer service In the Presi-
dental Cabinet than any other man In
the history of tho nation.
Secretary Wilson Is the only member
OF President Tafts official family who IS
not a native OF The United States. He Is
a Scotchman, and came 10 this country
when lad OF II. His parents settled in
Connecticut. but threc years later the
young man removed 10 Iowa and set out
10 carve his own career as a farmer Incl
dcntally he got into politics. being elected
to the state legislature for several success.
sive terms. and ultimately being chosen
speaker OF the Iowa House of Representa-
tivcs. Then he came to Congress and
served several years, and finally. for n con-
siderable interval before entering the Cab
met he was professor OF agriculture ut
the Iowa Agricultural College and director
OF the Agricultural Experiment Station
Thus he gained both practical and
theoretical knowledge of farming which
fostcrcd that broad. progressive policy
which has made our governmental Depart
mcnt of Agriculture one of the most won.
dcUful institutions In the world.
Secretary of Commerce and Lnbor.
Charles Nagcl, the new Secretary OF
Commerce and Labor, is a lawyer and
graduate of Yale. 1t might be suspected
that these qualifications alone might be
almost sufficient TO explain his presence
in the Taft Cabinet but they by no means
make up the sum total OF Secretary Nagel's
assets When n man untnctfully remarked,
recently In the hearing of the Secretary
that he had never seen Mr. Nagel's name
mentioned In connection with any famous
The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1909-05-15

50 TIE Tuft regime can scarcely bo
designated young mans admin
q istration" In the sense that the
term was used during the Roosc-
- vct tenure at the White House
Particularly is the changed condition no.
ticenble Within the charmed circle of the
Cabinet The former president by the
selection Of men such as Bacon. Cortcl-
you, Garfield and Ncwbcrry, showed a
disposition to place power In tho hands
Of men under, rnthcr than over, 20 yenrs
Of ngc President Taft. on the other
hnnd, with n lawyers respect for ripe
experience. has recruited cabinet tho
average age OF which is nearly oS years.
and were 1t not for the youth OF Post
mnstcr General Hitchcock, the baby OF
the Cabinet, whose AZ yenrs materially
reduces the average. the 0gurc would be
nigh go
Seldom has a Presidential Cabinet dis
closed the range OF ages to be seen In
the Taft otficlnl family. As has been
said, the now Postmaster General Is but
A. and Secretary of the Navy Meyer.
hoIdoyer from the coterle of compara-
lively young men In the Roosevelt cabl-
net. Is only 81. Secretary Knox Is Sc
and Secretary Dickinson md Attorney
General wickcrsham are each 5s- Then
comes ScCCCtiTy NhEcl, Will us W. h'u
next In the ascending scale Is Secretary
Macvoogh, who confesses to 81. Flnnlly.
We como to Farmer" James Wilson,
whose "a summers make him the DEAN
OF the body by virtue OF age, as well rs
10 point of continuous service as a cabi-
net officer.
Somewhat In contrast, too, to the pre-
ecding Cabinet is tho circumstance that
most OF President Taft's advisers wore
chosen because of their experience and
attninmcnts rather tbnn because of per
soual relations. Theodore Roosevelt took
pleasure In surrounding himself with
cronics md old friends, whose identity
insured harmony OF Ideas and ideals. So
far from exacting any such passports TO
his Cabinet, the present Chief Magistrate
chose some men whom he knew only by
reputation. and. Indeed President Taft
met somo of the members OF his official
household for the first time when they
came 10 Washington to assume their new
The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1909-05-15

duties With others-Wilson. Knox and
Mcyer-hc was we'll acquainted through
service In tho Roosevelt Cabinet.
Secretary of tho Nnvy.
George Won Lengcrkc Meyer. who was
promoted from Postmaster General under
Roosevelt TO he Secretary OF the Navy
under Tnft, Is one. of the few men ln
tho present Cabinet who can 10y claim
10 no legal training. IDstend he belongs
10 that increasingly numerous class OF
Americans of which the late Mark Hanna
was conspicuous eNamplc-shrcwd.
capable business men. who. having cI-
hausted tho thrills OF the business world,
turn to politics for new sensations. or
course, n plentiful surplus OF this worlds
goods Is necessary for the citizen who
would thus enter stntccraft by the short
cut but on this score Secretary Meyer
suffers no handicap. his own fortune bav-
ing been augmented by his marriage to
the former Miss Alice Appleton.
Secretary Meyer comes OF an old New
England family; he Is q graduate OF Hor-
vnrd md Boston has been home To him
all his life. His political career started
ms member OF the Boston Common
Council and In due course he becnme
speaker OF the lower house OF the Mas
sachusettS legislature using In Tint en-
has since had removed to Washington
aud Installed for his departmental work.
During the Mckinley administration Mr.
Meyer made his entry into national poll
tics as Il Republican national committee
man. and later President Mckinley np-
pointed him United States ambassador to
Italy He served at Rome and later at
ST. Petersburg, where he handled accept
ably problems growing out of the Russo
japanese War. and then came home to
cabinet berth.
This blue stocking OF the Presidents
nlvlsory council was q member of Roose-
velts tennis cabinet" and Is likely to
be enrolled In President Taft's golf cab
met" The Meyer family will inevitably
be thrown much with the Tafts II, rs Is
now planned. the President and his house
hold become neighbors of the Meyers In
the fashionable summer colony at Man.
chester by- the Sea, on the north shore of
The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1909-05-15

q CAKCELY month OF tho four
u years In office of n President OF the
N United States pusses that At isuSt
~ one crnpk. more or less mentally
derangcd, does not cnll at the White
House TO tell him exactly how the AT
fairs of government should be managed
or to beg an utterly foolish favor at his
bands
And tbero is scarcely one crnnk out OF
oll that may call within that allotted
time who ever sees the President fncc 10
face. Chief Wilklo and his Secret Sery-
Ice operatives aud the employees ut tho
White House are ever on tho alert for
such individuals. They haudIo them
promptly the minute they arc recognized
for what they are Once in a very rrent
while generally ycars-a crank may get
hy tho guards and speak personally with
the President. But such an occurrence
't ms rare as q Snowstorm In Florida In
August.
They come-thcsc crnnks with 'mis-
sions OF the utmost lmportancc-from
all wnlks In life and IN all guIses. Mnuv
Of them nre well educated and give but
slight indication OF their mcntal dernnrc-
mcnt Though the majority OF them arc
men, large percentage OF whom arc
ioTclSp Dornv women are not infreauentIy
found among them. Fortunately most
OF tbcm are harmless and nro To he nitIcd
rather than ocnsured for tho aueer con.
cepts of their unbalanced minds Hut
the guards cannot afford to take cbonces
with nuy OF them. Thcy arc either en-
1olcd into leaving upon some attractive
pretext or elected firmly md decis,velv
Many OF them are serious; A fcw nre
tragic and violent, but the majority src
merely pitishIy humorous and rrotcsouc
Whatever their nature, they must 6rst
convince tho policemen Of the White
House squad and the Secret Service mon
OF their sanity and harmlessness before
tney can so much IA remain I'm tho White
HOUSE grounds During President Roosc-
veit'F administration many 81 ,bcso
oranss were apprehended and sent tn the
Government Hospital for tho Insane
ncross the Potomac River, or returned to
their homes and friends. Whether Mr.
toft VIII he equally bonored remains TO
The police department blotter IN tbo
District OF Columbia shows the names
OF 81 arrests. since 1900 of men and
women who visited the White House on
special mission 10 the President
1T may seem strange that bur fcw ~
'ncse crsnks arc from tho District OF Co.
The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1909-05-15

men all over the country, including Presl-
dent Roosevelt When Judge BnlllnGer
declined reelection ~ mayor, Roosevelt
drafted him for service as commissioner of
the General Land Office. branch OF the
government service which Just then nf-
forded peculiar opportunities for Judge
BalIlnGer's thorough conscientious rat
Ting OF dry homes. This was his intro
duction 10 official life at the national
capital, and after II brilliantly successful
career he returned 10 his law practice
In Seattle, During the last presidential
campaign Judge Ballinger was field mar
Sbal for the Republican national organi-
zatlon In the Northwest and President
Taft carly selected him as the man to
represent the West Coast in the new
Cabinet
Secretary OF Agriculture.
James Wilson veteran of three admin
istratioDS is probably the most picturesque
figure In the present Cabinet as he was In
Its predecessor, When William H. Taft
purtured an ambition TO start fresh In the
presidency with n brand-ucw Cabinet be
did not exactly expect 10 retain the pres
cnt Secretary Of Agriculture. However
he was speedily dclugcd with such n food
OF communications from farmers and farm
crs' organizations III all parts OF the coun-
try in support OF the policy pursued by
Secretary Wilson during the Il years he
The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1909-11-09
BRAVE OLD PIG I.
SAVES HER LITTLE
ONES FROM A FOX
In Battle In Sly She Drives Tusk
Through Reynard's Skull,
Killing Him.

JACKSONVILLE, N. j., Nov. o.
Martin Specht, farmer of Weston,
was startled last evening when he
heard loud commotion in his pig
sly. He hurried out, but on reach
ing the pen Specht found the ex-
citement was due to the presence
OF some strange animal.
The young pigs were squealing,
and at regular intervals there
came loud snort from the old
SOW, followed by strange bark
ing which Specht thought might
be that of a dog. He climbed up
on a barrel alongside the fence
and with a lantern saw that the
intruder was large red fox.
Reynard had tried to steal one
of the sleeping little pigs, but it's
squeals aroused the mother, who
attacked the fox. The invader
tried to get out again, but the
jump was too high to negotiate
from such narrow space.
The fox, driven to desperation,
had turned on the defensive. He
took a stand in the corner, and as
the brave old sow dashed at him
he snapped his jaws savagely. The
SOW closed in and before Specht
realized what had happened the
fox was in his death throes on the
floor.
Subsequent examination showed
that the SOW had driven one Of her
tusks clear through the skull of
the fox and into its brain.