Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1915-03-13


Fifty years of service n a White House
employe. through the administration ~
twelve presidents. made Colonel Crook one
of the most familiar figures III the ia
tIunal capital, and III hi- Old age left him
rich IN personal "reminiscences uf the init
mate side ~ White House life The az
~a~~matiun> of Lincoln and Garfield. va
riou- weddings al the White House and the
Impeachment of President Johnson, were
among the numerous events which Colonel
Crook recalled m memoirs or his half
century of White House service.
lie wa~ taken from the Washington po-
lice force ~ lsG5 and appointed President
Lincoln bodyguard. Prior ~ thi~ h. had
served IN The Union army. llc accompanied
Lincoln Oh many ~ hi~ walks and drives.
and il wa> hi~ duty ~ watch over the
president during public receptions.
| Colonel Crool, told often "a how. IN the
aiicrnuun before lInruln'~ a~-a~~iantiun.
the president had come - him IN conf
I
nights be had had dreams which foretod
hi~ murder. Crook thereupon begged the
president not to 20 to the thcater that
evening, a. planned. Lincoln insisted. and
I Furthermore would not hear Of Crook ac-
rompanyIng him. IT, ordered Crook ID 20
home and rc~t. ~ they parted. Lincoln
failed tu ~ay ''gond night"-the only time
hc ever failed to Say II. said Crook.
Colonel Crook also alway- maintained
that the substitute guard that night became
interested IN the play and left hi post of
duty, and that ii he himself had been
present, Booth would never have entered
I the thvatcr box to shoot Lincoln
/ II wa~ Colonel Crook. who. during the
next administration. carried To President
Johnson the iir~t news of hi acquittal on
impca chment charges lie served n John
SOM hodyguard. and 81 the day the yer
he wa~ told the news H. ran I'LL the way
v from the capitol H. the White House. The
president ewes filled with tears. and ~
gulped when Colonel Crook burst III with
the tidIng~, later thanking him warmly for
h- trouble
Colonel Crook was unusually close 10
President Grant and the members of hi
family and in 1870 he was appointed ''exe-
cutive clerk to the president of the United
States" Later. IN 1877. President Grant
made him di~bur-ing officer of the White
House, the position he held during the sue
cccding administrations. II was during
the Grant administration that lite III the
White House began IL w. more ceremonial.
Colonel Crook told how ~ drove Gui-
Itcau. President Garfield assassin. away
from the White House on occasions before
he finally succeeded IN killing the pre~i-
dent. Guitcau had been accustomed to
20 into the reception room, ask after the
health of the president. stay short time
and leave. He became obnoxious one day.
and orders were given 10 keep him away
ON the morning Of the a~~a~~ination the
man returned 10 ask about the president
health. and Crook was worried when ~
heard Of the affair. The president wa- not
told of hi fears. however. and III one "a
hi- hooks Of White House memories Crook
tells how he found Garfield turning hand
springs with hi sons that morning
Crook was in one of the White IIou~,
windows when Garfield was brought back
after being shot The president was con
Sciou> and waved hi~ hand to u group oi
White House employees. Warren :. Young
another veteran White House cmploye, ant
friend Of Crook. was with Garfield whcr
he died. and gave the first announcement
to the world. While the president wa It'll
'hoverng between life and death CrooI
heard that he would be- helped by som,
squirrel soup, he obtained Specia
permit. shot some squirrels and supple,
the ~oup.
Colonel Crook saw FIVE White IIouS,
marriages. lIe collected letters and othe
momentoes of the various presidents unde
whom he served, including notes from al
the presidents who spoke in the highc~
terms Of his faithfulne~~ and abilities. Ol
! the occasion of hi 50th anniversary .
|, entering the White House service. whc
\ H. celebrated January, 1915. ~ wa pre-
r -entcd with 4 beautiful cane. given "
4 President Wilson and members of IN
White House staff.