Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-03-03
Col. Crook Has Most Years of
Service to Credit.
BODYGUARD FOR LINCOLN
No Break in Record During Twelve
Administrations.
w. S. YOUNG RANKS SECOND
Has Had Charge Of Social Register
Since the Days of Presi-
dent Garfield.

When President Wilson takes up his
residence in the White House he will find
only Il corporals guard of the old EN-
ployes still on the joD. Maj. Loeff1er, for
more years than most people can count.
Chief Goorheeper at tie executive man
sion. has retired since President Taft s
administration began, and the only real
veteran still on the White House staff
is Col. William IL. Crook, Who has been
employed there without interruption since
January I. 1865.
Col. Crook was appointed during Presi-
dent Lincoln's administration. He was
Iincoln's bodysuard during the last few
months of the marty4ed Presidents life
and accompanied him On the trip to
Petersburg and Richmond, never being
more than few feet away from the
President from the time the party left
Washington until it returned to the White
House
Under Twelve Presidents.
Col. Crook is now employed in the Of
flee OF the Gisbursing clerk He has
served continuously under the following
Presidents:
Lincoln. Johnson. Grant Hayes Gar
field. Arthur, Cleveland. Harrison, Cleve-
land. Mckinley, Roosevelt and Taft.
During that time he has seen service
under twenty-seven secretaries to the
Presidents. A peculiar coincidence is
that. if he is retained. as seems proba BILE,
under President Wilson, even for a short
time. he will have seen service under
thirteen Presidents, counting Cleveland
twice because Of the interruption of four
years in the last democratic Presidents
occupancy OF the White House. This
Co. i 4
particularly benign influence on the af-
fairs OF the incoming President. causes
Col. CTooE 10 believe that he will con-
tinue to serve under the President for
a time at least. Col. Crook Is now sew
enty-three years old. but he declares that
girl as well as he could twenty-five or
thirty years ago.
Writes of Washington Life.
Col. Crook is the author of several
books dealing with life in the White
House and in Washington. the works
ton and knowledge Of the events de-
scribed. He is also writer of more than
ordinary ability, for the periodical press
and for the newspapers. his article de-
scriptive OF the events Immediately fol-
lowing the civil war and of White House
life and the intimate affairs of the Pres-
dents being Of great historical interest
and value.
The next oldest White House veteran,
in point OF service. is Warren 8. Young.
who has charge of the social register of
the executive mansion. Mr.. Young was
appointed in 1881, during the administra-
ton Of President Garfield, and has served
without interruption since that time. His
duties. as may be imagined. are exacting
In the extreme. and the incoming Presi-
dent would have considerable difficulty in
replacing him should 1t be decided to
name another man for the position filled
for so many years by Mr. Young.
Others Are Recruits"
White House veterans are the veriest re-
cruits as none of them dates farther back
than the administration Of President Nc
Knley. Rudolph Forster. assistant sec
rotary. is the ranking member of the
quartet whose tenure Of office extends
over a period Of about twelve years. M.
c. Latta, the man who bears the mes
sages of the President to the Congress.
Is next. n. P. Webster, employed as ac-
counting clerk, is the third. and E. w.
Smithers. chief of the White House teleg-
group Of veterans All OF these were
appointed to their present positions dur
ing the Mckinley administration.
One attache of the White House. how
ever who has been on the job for more
than twelve years, Is Clarence L. DAT
rymple, who sees and talks with more
White House visitors than all the rest
put together. Mr.. Dalrymple Is the police
man on the door during the day. having
charge of the White House day police
force by reason of his long assignment to
the position.
Keen Eye for Cranks.