Evening star., 1915-07-11

painting or a piece of statuary which
has attracted his attention, casually
opens conversation with him. very
tactfully the officer attempts to draw
the man out, and usually his suspicious
are confirmed by strange, disconnected
utterances of the crank who, pleased
at having a kindly listener. rambles
on excitedly about his peculiar hobby
The officer. still conversing pleas
antly with him. manages to deftly head
him toward the captains office, where
he is again questioned and finally sent
away to be examined by the sanity
board. later being removed to the
Washington Asylum Hospital.
1t is the duty of uniformed police
men of the regular city police force to
keep a lookout for pedestrians on the
public thoroughfares whose actions
are out of the ordinary. II police
man has an idea that a certain man or
woman is demented. he accosts the one
under suspicion, and if. after line of
dividual is "off color" mentally. takes
him in custody. If the occasion de-
mands, he is later sent to the asylum
At the Union station many cranks
are taken in charge daily. being appre-
hended shortly after they alight from
the incoming trains. stranger just
entering the portals of the Capitol
whose strange actions attract an Of
ficer on watch is kept under surveil-
lance until what he says or does war
rants his being taken into custody.
Sometimes he accosts the offlcer him
self and the strange way in which he
asks to be directed to certain place
or person usually enlightens the Of
ficer as to his mental status.
A particularly vigilant and wary
force of secret service men are on
duty at the White House in addition
to the officers who work under Maj.
Pullman of the metropolitan police.
The cranks who visit the White
House number the largest of any who
invade the capital. They are Of all
of them desire to enlist the services
of the President in their behalf. either
in the way of procuring imaginary
property out of which they think they
have been defrauded. to drive off en-
emies who they believe are continu-
ally following and prosecuting them or
to pass favorably upon some article
which they have just invented and
which they believe will be boon to
mankind. Others who have the family
tree bug" usually tell the particular
officer who has happened to head them
Off that they are titled foreigners on
diplomatic missions from their gov
ernments. who merely wish to pay their
respects to the President.
The keen disappointment of these
"cranks,' who had believed they would
be welcomed with open arms by the
chief executive, onered one or ms best
cigars and a comfortable tapestry up
holstered chair in his private sanctum.
when they are denied even sight of
him is pitiful to witness. Sometimes.
however their disappointment turns to
rage, and it takes several officers to
subdue them and hurry them off for
observation.
Since the European war broke out
many cranks have stormed the White
House who have been mentally dis
turbed by tales of bloodshed and the
great loss of life in Europe. For over
a wear they have been absorbing all
sorts of war material, and 1t has preyed
upon their minds.
Naturally of weak mentality. 1t only
took some great disturbance such as
the European war, which is constantly
written about talked about and pic