The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1910-09-16

these keen eyed detectives are al
ways on the lookout Their work is
to prevent annoyance to the presi-
dent as well as to guard him from
danger. Several Washington police
men are also on duty at the White
House and 1t Is hard for person who
has scheme to unfold to the presi-
dent to reach even the outer offices of
the executives headquarters.
II Mr.. Roosevelt for instance, Is not
richer than Rockefeller and the Roths-
childs rolled into one, 1t Is entirely his
own fault, or, perhaps, that of the
guards who stood between him and the
fortune about to be offered him by an
inventor from Colorado, who dropped
In one day for the sole purpose of let
ting the president In on the ground
floor of corporation which he was
forming for the purpose of exploiting
a patent to utilize gravity.
Gravity, not steam or electricity,
was the coming power. 1t was to run
the world-railways mills, foundries,
all the great industries were to be
revolutionized by 1t. OF course, he
wanted the president to help him In
such trifing matters as the forming
Of his corporation and the securing of
his patents. Particularly he was to
compel the commissioner of patents to
Issue to him the necessary patents on
his invention.
Yet another, New Yorker, had
novel scheme to Illustrate the Ice trust,
In which he wanted the presidents
help. He wanted the president to make
congress appropriate enough money to
cut the Ice from around the pole, and
to bring 1t to the United States on war
vessels, for distribution in the various
cities where the Ice trust was opera
ting. This, he thought, would lower the
price of ice during the summer, when
prohibitive prices were charged
That man was regarded as decidedly
In the category of harmless" cranks.
1t would not have occurred to any one
that the president would have been In
any serious danger II his visitor
had succeeded in forcing his way into
his official presence, But after being
taken to st. Elizabe,h's he developed
the most violent form of mania, and
died within So hours, exhausted by his
paroxysms.
Indeed. the question Of dealing with
these people is always difficult one.
For no man ON earth can tell just when
crank Is harmless. Just when an un.
balanced mind will forsake the gro
tesque for the homicidal is a thing that
even the expert alienist would hate to
have to decide In advance. What seems
at one moment humorous situation,
to be dealt with in spirit OF gentle
cajolery. may in a moment become se-
rious even to the verge Of tragedy, The
fiimsiest excuse will, In nine cases out
Of ten, suffice to turn these would.be
guests of the president from their pur
pose, but there are cases which In the |
twinkling of an eye develop from In
sane obstinacy into insane fury.
Take, for instance. the case Of a
Sweds. regarded by the authorities as
about the most dangerous that ever
came under their notice. He came to
Washington In the spring of 1904, |
journeying most of the way from his |
home I'm Minneapolis In freight car.
He made his way to the White House
and demanded an audience with the |
president. that he might lay before |
him certain facts of an alleged perse-
cution.
He was led through the basement OF |
the White House TO tba snard room at |