Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-03-06
RETIRING PRESIDENT SAYS HE
WILL GO TO AFRICA MARCH %
AND IN MEANTIME WILL AVOID
ALL PUBLICITY.
SIMPLICITY MARKS
HIS JOURNEY HOME
ROOSEVELT AND WIFE TRAVEL
ED IN ORDINARY PULLMAN
WITHOUT SECRET SERVICE
MEN; HIS WIFE KNITTED.

Oyster Bay, March 5.-Ex-president
Roosevelt announced today for the
flrst time that he will sail from New
York for Africa on March 23 on the
steamer Hamburg. Roosevelt said he
had received SO many letters, tee-
grams and cablegrams that 1t would
be physically impossible for him to an
sWer one-tenth of them, and that
while he appreciated the sentiments
expressed in the various communica-
tions and would like to answer them
1t would be impossible to do so. He
added he would have nothing to say
on any subject nor would he attend
any pubic functions before departing
on his hunting trip.
Journey Marked by Simplicity.
Philadelphia, March 5.-Theodore
Roosevelt, last night private citizen
once more, had no message to give to
the American people after his seven
years term as their president He
passed through this city at sso7
o'clock. His last words to all on leav-
ing Washington and since then were,
"Good-by and good luck"
These e3 preston he has uttered all
most incessantly for week to friends
numbering thousands, but the SINGER
ity with which he said these farewells
did not diminish In the least. His last
farewell greetings were to a number
OF people who rode in the same car
with him. including number of
newspaper men, who asked him to say
Few words as q good night message
to the country. He refrained how
ever. from saying anything for publ-
cation and announced that any state
ment which might appear as coming
J. l.1 11. 10
No Secret Service Men.
During the trip from Washington
the former president and Mrs. Roose-
welt Travelled in a most democratic
manner They were abroad an ordin-
ary Pullman car, unattended in any
way. No secret service men accom-
panied Mr.. Roosevelt, because he had
protested against this. He and Mrs.
Roosevelt occupied drawing room A in
the Pullman car Clytie of the regular
express from Washington to New
York. This had been made homelike
by friends of the two travellers, who
htd sent boquets of roses, red and
white to their room.
Bring Lunch to Train.
A luncheon was served tete "a -tete in
the drawing-room shortly after leav-
ine Washington. 1t had been carefully
prepared by the White House chef
who had put in delicacies he knew
both liked, and sent bv messenger to
the train. The former president con-
versed constantly during the trip with
Mrs. Roosevelt. and often laughed
heartily At Baltimore only a half
dozen persons succeeded in locating
the car windows Of Mr.. and Mrs.
Roosevelt's drawing room. The former
| waved his hand to them in response to
| their salutations.
Another small group of persons
gathered outside the car windows of
the former president at Wilmington,
Del. and thesa people We're rewarded
with a picture of simple domesticity
Sitting in the front seat was Mrs.
Roosevelt, knitting industriously with
o.. fashioned needles.
Storm Delays Train.
Opposite her sat the ex- president
smiling happily at her. Both looked
pleasantly at those assembled outside
the windows and bowed acknowledg-
ments to their greetings.
When the train reached here. about
three hours Lite, Mr.. and Mrs. Roose-
welt were at dinner. There was no
crowd to greet the former chief ex-
ecutive and his train halted only a
few minutes before continuing the
| journey to New York.