Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-03-03
Taft's Secret Service Men to
Continue at Posts.
THREE NOW IN THE SQUAD
L. c. Wheeler, r. L. Jervis and
James Sloan Care for President.
POLICE AID AND HAMPER. TOO
Official Escorts Have Difficulty Prov
ing Their Identity in
Some Cities. SSSl

Some Cities. %
Unless there are orders to the contrary
from President Wilson or Mr.. Tumulty.
his secretary. the secret service guard
for the new President will. he James
Sloan. l.. {. Wheeler and Richard l..
Jervis, all old and experienced men in
the work. They are the same men who
have been with President Taft-Sloan and
Wheeler throughout his administration
and Jervis for several years Sloan is
the senior of the trio. lie Went on the
White House assignment with President
Roosevelt ten years ago. He has trav-
eled in every state OF the country with
Roosevelt and Taft.
Wheeler has been the advance guard
for the travel of the two Presidents. Ills
duty is to visit each city or town i'm ad-
vance of the arrival OF the chief execu-
tive and make arrangements with the city
officials for thorough police protection.
likewise closing ND the details OF the re-
ceptions to the President in each place.
making suggestions as to the best man
ner of holding the receptions 10
save time and 10 meet the convenience OF
the distinguished visitor. Through the
are any bad men in the town likely 10
give trouble.
Always Travel With Him.
Sloan and Jervis travel with the Presi-
dent. keep close to him during every
movement on and off the train. watch
those who approach him, and are alert
every minute of the night and day except
when the President is sleeping.
In Washington. when the President is
on duty in the executive Offices. ell three
men are on duty during the wori;.ng
hours of the chief executive They
scrutinize the callers at the executive Of
noes and If suspicious man Or woman
appears there one OF the trio soon ascer-
tains the fact, in conjunction with the
police officers. and acts accordingly. The
policemen at the door of the executive
offices come in contact with visitors first,
and If their suspicious are aroused they
quietly give the tip to the secret service
officers. If the policemen fail TO observe
anything out of the ordinary in a crank
the scret service men investigate.
First Operator Was Killed.
There is no record where either Roose-
welt or Taft had unpleasant experiences
from cranks or others. The use of secret
service men at the White House did not
begin until after the assassination of Nc
kinley. One man was placed with Roose-
Welt at first He was an operator named
Craig. He was killed at Pittsfie:d. Mass,
when trolley car ran into the carriage
containing the President. Craig and sew
eral others. The number of operators
after that was gradually increased TO
three.
In his travels in and around Washing
ton the President has motor cycle police
men as an escort. There is an under.
N hath
the police department Of the city that
the police department is to look after the
President in automobile and other trips
where motor cycle officers can be used.
Ii the President goes to a dinner or
other function in the city the secret sery-
ice officers and the police officers work
together. Travelling In his automobile.
however, the President Is followed bv
two men on motor cycles. keeping less
than half block behind him. Officers
been the two men performing this duty
as rear guard for President Taft
Notify Police Of Trips.
. The secretaries to the President al
ways knows where and when he is to
go away from the White House. They
notify the police department 10 have the
motor cycle men ready. Brown and Davis
have burned hundreds of gallons of ga So
line in their fast machines while ayiag
behind the faSt-moving. automobile OF
President Taft, who likes nothing better
than swift rum over the good roads In
the District
The secret service men have their great
est troubles with the police in cities away
from Washineto Local authorities
everywhere assign many police officers
to give protection to the President The
policemen do not know tho secret service
men, who are in citizens clothes IL
often happens that big policeman Will
collar Il secret service man who is stick
ing close 10 the President, and the de-
tectiVe has trouble i'm explaining who lie
is. The blue-coated mon have been per-
sistent in hanging on TO the detectives.
even after e:sp!ana tons, believing the
stories told them are false.
Deaf Ear to Explanations.
AT New Orleans some years ago Toe
Murphy, now the head of the secret