The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-03-13
LINCOLN'S BODYGIJARD
DEAD IN WASHING TON
Colonel Crook, Dispensing Off
Ger at the White House, is
Victim of Pneumonia.
Or ASSOCIATES raas,s,
WASHINGTON, March Is

.
WASHINGTON, March Is Colo
mel W. n. Crook, disbursine officer
of the White House who was Presi-
dent Lincoln's body guard and who
had been In i1nate1y acquainted with
every president since j 3 so, died to-
day at his home here. He had been
ill with pneumonia more than .
week.
Fifty years OF service as a, White
House employee, through the admin
istrations Of twelve presidents, made
Col. liam IT. Crook one OF the most
familiar figures infthe national cap-
ftal, and in his old age left him rich
f In personal "reminiscences of the In
innate side OF White House life The
assassinations OF Lincoln and Garfield,
various weddings at the White House,
and the Impeachment OF President
johnson, were among numerous events
which Col. Crook recall ed !. In m emoirs
OF his half-century OF White House
service.
iHeWa taken from the Washington
police force In. 1866 and appointed
President Lincoln's body guard Prior
to this he had served in the Union
army. He accompanied Lincoln on
many OF his walks and drives, and it
was his duty to watch over theSpresi-
dent during public recept tons.
Col. Crook old often OF how, on the
afternoon before Lincoln,s assassina-
ton. the president had come to him
lin confidence and said that on three
successive nights he had had dreams
which foretold H HIS murder Crook
thereupon begged the presid ent not
to go 80 the theater that evening, as
planned. Iincoln insisted, and fur
sthermore would not hear OF Crooks
accompanying him. He ord cred Crook
to go home and rest. AS they parted.
Lincoln failed to say Good Nigh - - 3
the only time he ever failed to say8it
said Crook.
Col. Crook also always maintained
that the substitute guard that night
became interested in the play and left
his post Of duty, and that il he hin-
self had been present, Booth would
never have entered the theater-box to
shoot Lincoln.
1t was Col. Crook who. during the
next administrations carried to Presi-
dent Johnson the first news OF his
served as Johnson's bodyguard, and
on the daytthe verdict was expected
he was on hand When he was told
the news he ran all the way from the
capitol to the White House. The
presidents eyes filed with tears, and
he gulped when Col. Crook burst IN
with the tidings. later thanking him
warmly Cor his trouble.
& Col. Crook was unusually close to
President Grant and the members OF
his family. and IN 1870 he was app
pointed executive clerk to the press
dent Of the United States. z Later. In
1877. President Grant made MIN dis
bursting officer OF the White House.
the position shes held during the sue
ceeding administrations. It was dur
ing the Grant administration that life
at the White House began to be more
ceremonial.
g Col Crook told how he drove CUT
steau.s President Carl rd'ss assassin,
away from the White House on oc-
!casions before he finally succeeded In
killing the preside lent. Guiteau had been
accustomed to go into the reception
room. ask after the heaf OF the presi-
dent, stay a short time and leave. He
became obnoxious one day and given
orders to- stay away. On the morn
ing OF the. assaksina ion: n the man re-
turned to ask about the Presidents
health, and Crook was worried when
he heard OF the affair. The presi
dent was not told OF his fears, how
ever. and In one OF his books ofsWhits
House memories Crook tells how he