The Elbert County tribune., 1914-03-06

and Wilson-and on this subject he
Is word miser, writes Lambert St
Clair in Golfers
Now. IL they would select baseball.
the weather or something like that for
discussion he would gladly consider
any fair offer. On such topics he con-
verses ably and affably. or living
first men of the nation he probably
knows more and says less than any
man in this country.
Wherever the president has been
during his term of Office in the last IL
years, at work or play. on land OF sea,
afoot or horseback. Sloan generally
has been at his elbow. Yet few peo-
pie know him by sight. for his job is
to be never noticeable and to keep his
eyes open and his mouth shut. In
Washington's official circles. where he
is best known. he is Jimmie" Sloan,
able-bodied gentleman.
When ] learned-not from him
that he had received fiattering offers
for lectures, | asked him why he did
not accept. He grinned and said:
Its not for me; I'm a working
man"
That explains why Sloan has made
30 good on his job that three presi-
dents have retained him without ask
ing his politics. He knows his work
and he likes 1t. He is born protect
or. His father before him was sheriff
of Vermilion county. Illinois, and when
he died he was in the employ OF rail-
road as a special officer. A brother,
Henry, was deputy sheriff, and later.
in the Illinois state fire marshal's Of
fice, he made an enviable record. The
first time | ever saw Sloan was back
in 1890. out In Danville, Ill. He was
deputy sheriff, but wore only a small
star
Within three years began to read
In the newspapers that Sloan had
reached the White House, via the Sc
cret service, SO l just naturally had
to brag around our town about seeing
him face to face. Something told me
then that Sloan no longer was lacking
In regalia. ] pictured him as being
dressed like a military aid with a
sword swinging around when he
walked and making his left leg all
black and blue. Again, when ! re-
fected that he really was high grade
detective 1t occurred to me that possi-
bly, he had six or eight sets of false
whiskers to help keep his identity Sc
cret SO that he could slip into an
archists' meetings and learn their
plans.
Time came when | saw him on duty
in the White House, and / never was
more surprised. asked for Sloan and
he was pointed out right away. He
sat just outside the presidents office.
and he WAS dressed like a business
man rather than soldier or a Hawk
shaw. He was the best tailored and
best groomed man in sight II he wore
star did not see it.
A presidents protector does not
work union hours. When the presi-
dent leaves the White House 1t is
| Sloan's duty to. go with him.
There are other secret rervice men
detailed to the executive offices. but
Sloan is the chief staff and personal
bodyguard. Many times he works
every week day at the office and then
spends part OF the night motor riding
with the president, or at a theater-
which President Wilson attends fire.
quently-and again is on duty on Sun
day. He seldom is more than a few
\ feet away from the president in pub
lie Every move made by the execu-
tive and those about him is noted
carefully by his bodyguard.
Sloan's life under President Wilson
is quiet compared to what 1t was un-
der Colonel Roosevelt. Because Sloan
was of the athletic type the colonel
admired him greatly and they we're
boon companions. It was nothing un-
usual to see them trudging around
Washington in the rain late at night
or galloping over the hills in the day
time. Under President Taft life for
Sloan was less strenuous. though he
walked many miles across golf links.