The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1915-01-06

They simply called me Colonel
and 1t stuck" said Crook today. "Nov
everyone gives it to me as a righ
and have long since stopped tryine
to explain that it is only an honorar,
distinction"
When President Garfield was as
sassinated Crook was in the window
OF the White House as he was carried
into. the building.
/ The President recognized US and
although suffering excruciating main
he waved his hand to u.s." said Crook
when saw Guiteau recognized him
as man had barred from the White
House some weeks ago. He had been
accustomed to come into the recep-
ZION room, which was then in charge
OF, to write letters. One day l gave
MIN some old English note paper of a
peculiar light blue tint on which to
write. He left only to come back and
demand more. l told him that 7 did
not nave any more. He became very
mad and demanded:
You don't know who / am.
guess
I said: I didn't know that you
were anyone in particular
Well | am the man that made
Garfield President" he said.
which one l asked, and he left
very angry. l reported the affair to
the secretary and he told me that
thereafter Guiteau was to be kept out
OF the White House. | had a custom
then of making rough sketches of
Guiteau that was first printed in the
New York Graphic, it being the only
picture or sketch available that night
Has Seen Five White House Brides.
Colonel Crook saw five White
House brides united in marriage.
They were Miss Nellie Grant: Miss
Plat, niece of Secretary Hay who
married Gen. Hastings Miss Frances
FOLSOM who married President Cleve-
land; Miss Alice Roosevelt and the
Misses Jessie and Eleanor Wilson.
He was in the White House when two
White House babies, daughters of Gen.
Grant and President Cleveland were
born.
He was made disbursing officer OF
the Executive Offices, on March 8.
1877, and has held that position up
to the present time.
In the stirring days proceeding and
during the Spafish-American war Col
Crook was on duty both night and day.
He and President McKinlay had much
In common because of their joint mem.
bership in the Grand Army of the
Republic. He was in the White House
when dread word came from Buffalo
that the bullet of the assassin Colo.
gosz had reached its mark. And he
was in the White House on the never.
night when the body
of the martyred President started on
its last journey home to Canton.
At all times Col. Crook was EN-.
pioyed in the White House proper
until Col. Roosevelt established the
present executive office during his |
term. Then the Colonel with the 9th
er attaches moved there.
In his Washington home the Colonel
retains many interesting momentoes
Of his career. Many of them are
in value. Chief of course
IS the little card, with the imprint OF
the White House in one corner OF
which President Lincoln wrote to the
that he could not spare Crook to go
10 the front after he had been drafted.
But there are others also of value.
On January 2S, 1881, Gen. Grant wrote
% General Garfield as follows:
Col. William H. Crook has been in
he Presidents office as a clerk for
seventeen years. l can recommend
1im as very worthy and very Ell.
,ient."
Expression From Presidents.
On March 8, 1885, Chester A. Arthur
wrote:
my Dear Colin the multitude oil
affairs can find opportunity only to
iictate this hasty and inadequate ex
preston of my high appreciation OF
he faithful manner in which you have
discharged the multiform duties as
igned to you"
From Princeton, N. j., January TO-
S79, Former President Cleveland
wrote:
81 gives me great satisfaction to
estify to the regularity and pains
aking effort with which you discharg
ID your duties during the two terms
If my Presidency"
Former President Harrison, who IL
errupted the continuity of Crovat