The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1909-10-02
MAN CARRYING CAMERA
AND REVOLVER TRIES
To GET CLOSE To TAFT.
Secret Service Men Have
Desperate Fight With a
Man Before Arrest Is
Made by Officers.

PORTLAND, Ore, Oct. Gar
rying a revolver Of heavy eaIlbre
and a pocket full OF cartridges, Ar
thur Wright, OF Lowell Center,
Mass. attempted TO thrust bis way
toward President Taft today while
the chief executive was passing In
an automobile. but was disarmed
and arrested before he could reach
the president
The affair occurred at the Sixth
and Morrison 81. corner Of the
Portland hotel. which Is the tenn
porary Taft hosiery.
The parade In honor Of the presi-
dent had reached the corner when
a secret service man accompanying
the president saw Wright thrusting
his way through the crowd. Call
Ing 20 several policemen. the presi-
dents guard sprang toward the
man.
Struggle Follows.
A sharp struggle followed. and
when Wright was securely hand
cuffed a 3S-calibre Smith & Wes-
son revolver was taken from him.
Wright also carried a score Of cart
ridges ia his coat pocket and
camera IN his hand Pinned on his
vest was special poiiceman's star,
bearing the name Lowell Center.
Mass"
At the police station Wright was
charged with carrying a concealed
weapon and viii be held pending
an investigation OF HIS character.
Police Captain Bailey. who took
part In the arrest, said that the sus-
picious actions Of Wright attracted
the attention OF the presidents
bodyguard.
Cause for Alarm.
Not only was his manner Of en-
deavoring 10 reach the forefront OF
the crowd a cause for alarm. but
the captain declared that Wrights
manner OF carrying the camera
first attracted the government
agents attention.
Wright refused to make any
statement 10 the police regarding
his action except TO say that he
wanted 10 get near the president to
take picture. The police. how
ever. In view OF the circumstances
place little credence in this asser-
ton, and believe that Wright was
using the camera as an excuse 10
get as close TO President Taft as
possible.
First OF Its Kind.
The arrest OF Wright Is the first
TO have occurred on the continental
trip OF the president Although
there were several thousand per-
sons massed In the vicinity OF the
hotel when Wright was seized only
those In the immediate vicinity saw
the struggle and witnessed the
mans arrest. President Taft did
not know that an untoward event
had marked HIS progress through
Portland'E streets and was surprised
when informed that a man was I'M
der arrest The president. however,
was closely surrounded by his body
guard and escort and as Wright did
not succeed in getting entirely
through the crowd that lined the
sidewalk. the incident did not at
tract his attention.
Relatives Wealthy.
Wright Is a tall. dark complexion-
ed man % years of age. He de-
clared that he carried his revolver
on ranch In Montana but the
weapon is almost new
This afternoon he said that his
relatives in Lowell Center, Mass,
were wealthy and that he was APP
pointed a special officer there in
order to protect their property.
Discussing the arrest, Captain
Bailey said;
After a man dressed In plain
clothes In an automobile preceding
that of President Taft had yelled
TO me- noticed Wright edging his
way through the crowd.
Attracts Notice.
ellis peculiar manner and the fact
that he was carrying the camera
backward and at his side aroused
my suspicion and | ordered him
back He kept coming forward and
then | showed him back I felt
something hard lnslue his coat and
jumped him Detectives Snow and
Coleman ran up and after a short
tussle we had him nailed and then
found the revolver on him. In his
pocket were about dozen OF loose
cartridges"
When arrested Wright was stand
ing on the east side of Sixth St, OPP
posite the Hotel rortlaal main en-
trance through whi& the president
was passing in his automobile.
Carrying the camera IN his hand he
maintained q position in the front
rank OF the crowd. Watchers also
Gnu, him NJ tho ITnfatt Station In fha