The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-10-16
Has Seldom Had BOdyguard Since He Left the
 White House
HE DEPENDS UPON
 HIS OWN AGILITY
Feels That He Is Amply Able to Care for Himself-Has Had Some Narrow Escapes in
 Past Years

feallzed fully the danger of an attempt at assassination to which he was ex- posed Colonel Roosevelt never gave much heed to his personal safety and seldom had the protection of a body guard after he left the White House. He relied almost entirely upon his own strength and agility to defend him. self.
 Colonel Roosevelt was asked recently whether he took any precautions to defend himself He replied that he never worried about his own safety.
 When a man I do not know comes er,' he said, T take one quick look at his hands. If both his hands are in sight and empty I think no moro about it. If a man attempted to draw weapon, well, I'm pretty quick my self"
 His Own Philosophy Colonel Roosevelt has a philosophy of his own. which has In it tinge of fatalism.
 When l was in the Spanish war; he said, If there was a charge to be made or a fort to be taken, I never stopped to think of danger of myself After the charge had been made or the fort taken I might have stopped to think that I had had close call, but that was all."
 | 1t was the same way, he explained. ! ip his other affairs. He often gave hint of his views in his speeches, say Ing that a leader in public life should serve to spend and be spent and that whatever fate befell him he should not | pf, mi n al n ha eac cf aside" He cared mot rap,' he said. what fate befell him.
 Colonel Roosevelts expertness in de- lending himself was demonstrated by the manner in which he disposed of a man who rushed at him through crowd in Fargo. N. D., two years ago. As the man lunged at him, Colonel Roosevelt shot out both hands and grasped the mans right arm with a vice-lilSe grip, making 1t impossible for him to draw a weapon. In a flash he whirled the man about and pushed him back off the platform.
 That was a trick I learned in the COW country" he said.
 Knows Something of Jiu Jitsu The ex-President also knows something of jlu jtsu, and considered himself well able to handle an adversary who got within reach. He realized, however. that his ability in this direction was no pro- tection from the attack of a man fin crowd
 Friends of Colonel Roosevelt were con- stantly In fear of some such happening as that of last night, especially during the Aheat of political campaign. but the colonel himself laughed at their fears. He would have no guards with him on his trips and although in the larger towns and cities attachments of police were usually assigned for his protection. at other times on his journeys no such pre- cautions were taken. On his private car during his present trip, aside from his secretaries and Dr. Terrell his physi- clan, were Col Cecil Lyon of Texas and Phillip Roosevelt, a young cousin, one or both of whom always accompanied the colonel on the watch for any sign of dan ger. During Colonel Roosevelt's primary campaign in the spring he took with him Regis H. Post, former governor of Porto Rlco and Travers b. Carmen of New York, q former football player. who al- ways rode on running board of the coloneTs automobile or cleared the way for him through crowd when they were walking, put during the present campaign Colonel Roosevelt dispensed with this form of protection
 Walks Unattended
 When he fig at home Colonel Roosevelt is accustomed to ride or walk with per- feet freedom over the countryside and through the woods about Sagamore Hill, frequently walking 10 or 10 miles unat- tended. Not once during his years at Sagamore Hill has an attempt at his life been made, although during his term as President a report was circulated to the effect that he had been shot at. When he is at home Colonel Roosevelt inva- riably spends large part of each day at outdoor exercise. keeping himself in trim physically, as though he were an athlete Despite the fact that he has been engaged in one of his hardest cam paigns for several weeks the colonel was, in the best of condition except for q campaign throat" when he was struck down last night.
 It Is his custom to spend two hours each morning on horseback. and in tho afternoon to play tennis row, chop down trees or in the summer to go into tho hay field. Colonel Roosevelt never has used tobacco. seldom takes alcoholic drinks and always insists upon having eight hours sleep each night His mode