Evening journal., 1915-08-07
New News Of Yesterday
The Physical Courage of
President Arthur
By Holland.

When Chester A. Arthur went to
Washington to begin life in that city
as President, Immediately after the
funeral of President Garfield. he be-
came the guest of Senator John p.
Jones of Nevada. Several weeks were
taken to put the White House in pro-
per condition for the President to
live in H. The building had been
much disOrdered during the long IL.
ness of President Garfield. and those
who were in authority estimated that
four or five weeks at least were nee
essary in order to thoroughly we'll
repair it and put it into livable con-
dition.
Senator Jones lived in one of the
granite houses on Capitol HILL and
he was understood to be the owner
of the house. He was one of the
two members of the United States
Senate with whom Gen. Arthur main
tanned most cordial relations while
President The other was Senator
George G. Vest of Missouri, and the
friendly relations maintained be-
tween President Arthur and Senator
Vest were due to something far
apart from politics. Both We're ardent
fishermen, and each recognized in the
other the peculiar qualities which
make the highly successful angler.
President Arthur's relations with SEN
stor Jones were begun long before
Mr.. Arthur went to Washington as
Vice-President. There was an unus-
ual congeniality of temperament
which made it possible to gain and
maintain intimate friendship. Sena-
tor Jones was a royal story teller.
and that was a quality which Presi-
dent Arthur himself possessed. Sena-
tor Jones was a keen student of hui
man nature. and he frequently de-
scribed to President Arthur in brief,
spigrammatic manner the distinguish
ing characteristics which identified
some of the leaders in each house of
Congress.
Some time in the autumn, after
President Arthur went to the White
House to live. having secured MS
sister. Mrs McElroy. as chatelaine,
had a chat With Senator Jones. in
which he described to me the sim
plicity as we'll as the courage which
characterized President Arthur while
ne was Senator Jones' guest
You know at that time" said SEN
ator Jones, "all sorts of reports were
n circulation. many of which. if true,
showed that President Arthur was in
constant danger of assassination.
heard so many of these reports that
became alarmed, although [ did not
mention any of them to MI. Arthur
himself. Mr.. Arthur's secretary re-
ceived many letters some of which
were threatening, while others urged
10 hn 90 81 I. q. n
Of the approaching assassin.
zone afternoon President Arthur
went out to drive and he was greatly
annoyed to find that two or three
Secret Service men were surrounding
him. He wanted to have them sent
away. He said they would destroy all
the pleasure he would take in the
drive.
"I told him that it was necessary
FOR him to think not only of himself
but of the nation. For there was a
period of two or three weeks when if
Arthur had been assassinated the
Presidential Office could not have been
illed. for there was neither president
of the Senate nor speaker Of the
House. II was in order to secure the
election of the President of the Sen
ate, so that his successor would be
provided for in case anything hap
pened to him. that President Arthur
summoned the Senate in special ses-
sion in October.
President Arthur said. when I was
cautioning him and urging him to ac-
cept the Secret Service escort: Sen
ator. all of these precautions are use.
less. II any one really intends to as
sassinate me. he will find way to dc