The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1914-04-09
GUARDING THE NATIONS
CHIEF EXECUTIVE
President is Watched Over Day and Night By a
Band of Secret Service Men-Only Officer
in the United States Officially Guarded.

was bent on a little friendly call cn
Mr.. Roosevelt. Two secret service
men rode back to Oyster Bay with
him, and he now is in an asylum
for the insane in New York. In the
same institution is woman who
was a daily caller for weeks that
same summer at Sycamore Hill,
where she was regularly turned
back after trying to force her way
into Mr.. Roosevelt's presence until
she grew so violent that it was nee
essary to remove her permanently.
Twelve secret service men were
assigned to duty at Oyster Bay in
summer when Mr.. Roosevelt was
president. They roomed in the town
and stood guard at Sycamore Hill
in shifts of six hours each. They
seldom entered the presidents
house, their duties keeping them in
the open, where they patroled the
grounds and met all visitors. Inter-
views with Mr.. Roosevelt we're by
appointment, and callers that were to
be received were provided with a
credential card. Each morning the
secret service agents were given a
list containing the names of the Wis
itors expected that day, and from
that list they checked off each as he
came. No callers were permitted
to reach the house unless they came
by appointment, day or night. Sight
Seers who drove to Sycamore Hill
from Oyster Bay were permitted to
ride through the grounds in day.
light. but only with the understand
ing that their vehicles should not
stop nor any of the occupants alight.
In spite of the occasional violence
of mentally unbalanced persons who
tried to reach Mr.. Roosevelt" Mr..
Tate said a few days ago, the chief
troubles of the secret service men
were not with that class. Office seek
ers, unabashed by previous denials
of interviews with the president,
made most of our work. They came
from all directions except straight
up, and some of them were mas
ters of the art of manoeuverlng to
evade us. 1t was impossible, OF
course, for the president to see every
one who called, and it often was
difficult task to persuade some OF
the unlucky to go away"
The diplomatic difficulties of the
presidents protectors are greatly in
creased when the chief executive is
in Washington. There they must
meet and treat with all sorts and
conditions of people, attend all sorts
of social and political gatherings and
still perform their duty with such
discretion that attention will not be
attracted to them. incidentally, the
presidents guardians must be pro-
vided with extensive wardrobes, con-
tanning garments suited to all occas-
ions. If the president should go for
walk-and Mr.. Roosevelt had a
preference for extended cross-coun-
try hikes on the stormiest days
two men must be ready to accom-
pany or follow him. If there was an
afternoon function to attend the
secret service men were expected to
appear in conventional frock coats
and high hats If there was an even
ing at the theatre or dinner party,
evening dress was imperative. The
item of immaculate linen alone is
considerable, and the only part OF
the equipment of the guards sup
piled by the government is the heavy
Colts revolver that must be slowed
away somewhere on the person OF
each wherever he may go.