The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1915-03-18

m6nL OF GfeS d6nt JOnnSOns Wet
among numerous events which Col
? Crook recalled in memoirs of hi
] half. century of white house service
He was taken from the Washing
= ton police force in 1865 and ap
pointed President Lincoin's body
guard. Prior to this he had served
in the union army. He accompan
led Lincoln on many of his walks
and drives, and it was bis duty tC
watch over the President during
public receptions.
| Col. Crook told often of how, on
the afternoon b. fore Linccln's as
sass nation, the President had come
to him in confidence and said that
on three succe ssive nights he ha0
had dreams which had foretold his
murder, Crook thereup begged the
President rot 10 GO to the theater as
planned. Lincoln insisted, and fur
thermore, would not hear of Crook
accompany ing him. He ordered
Crook to go home and rest As they
parted, Lincoln failed to say Good
night"-the only timr he ever fail
ed to say it, said Crook.
Col. Crook also always maintain
q that TIE substitute guard that he
.tht hCant nttts'td in tk'
play ana lett hls port # duty, and
that If he Inns If had been pr, selt
Booth would never have entered the
theatre. box 20 shoot Lincoln.
1t was Col. Crook, who, during
the rtxt a NH istralion, carried t."
Pr sidtnt john sou th, fist usw- Il
lns atqlMlal % nrath ~
charges II served as Johnson :
bodyguard, and on the dav the yer
dict 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
filled with tears, and he gulppd
when Col Crook burst in with the
tidings, later tLaI kirg him waIml,
for his trouble.
Col Crook was unusually close to
President Grant and the members
of his family, and in 1870 he was
appointed Executive clerk to the
President OF the United States y
Later, IN 1877. President Grant
made blm dleburs,ng fficer OF the !
white house, TIE position he held
during the suCCttdn & admlplstra
tlOns 1t was Uuiil x the Graz adj
that lie al the white
house began to bt more ceremonial.
Col. Crook told how he drove
6 uiteau, President GaIfield's assas,
sin, away from the white house on
occasions before b. finally succeeded
IN killing the President, Guites u
/ ad htel accusto M d to 90 into the
nj, ask after the health
Of the PRECEDENT, stay a short timr
and leave
He b. came obnoxious one day,
md orde RS w re- given to keep HIM
away On the morning Of the assas
.inatiOn the man returned to ask
.bout the Presidents health, aud
Crook was worried when he heard
II the affair The President was not
old of his fears, however, and in
me of his books of white house
memo its Crook tells how he fOurd
iai fed turning handsprmgs with :
lls SOUS that morning.
Crook was in one of the white
lou.p windows when CART d WIS
,ruu. bat back after MIIg shot The
vae Ct1sClcus and wavtd l
lis hand t. group Of whit nous,
mpioyees War; II ). Young, all u
Their veteran white house 'employe, u
nd friend of Crook, was with Gar. n
ield when he died and gave the y
rst announcement to tn world N
\ lille the President was lowering I
etween life and deatl Crook heard
nat he would be helped by some Of
luirrtl soup. SO he obtained spec p
u permit, shot some squirrels and p
applied the soup. m
Col. Crook saw five white house al
Marriages He collected letters and
her memrntoes of the various tn