Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-09-07
MAI. BROOKS DIES
HERE AT AGE OF s.
Custodian Of White House
Property Was Well Known
in Official Life.

Arthur Brooks, better known as
Mai. Brooks to hundreds in ofnclai NE
of the CAPITAL, in which he had long
figured as colOred custodian or the
" hite House property and formerly
chief messenger to Secretaries OF
War. died today at his home. lso2
street, after a long illness. He was
Sc wears old.
Mai Brooks was CUSTODIAN OF 'he
White House during the terms or your
Presidents and served ten war Secre-
taries as messenger. Although suf-
fering from, a heart ailment two years,
he continued to perform his duties al
the White House and even went WIN
President Coolidge to the summer
Camp at White Pine. hut. becoming
worse. was forced to return TO ms
home here July %, after only briei
stay in New York.
!. Nor did Mai. Brooks confine MS
activities to- his official labors, beine
prominently identified with activities
OF his race. He formerly comma nded
the list Separate Battalion OF the
District Of Columbia National Iuaro
with the rank Of major. and upon re-
tirement some time ago was raised
to the grade of lieutenant colonel.
Held i'm High Esteem.
Mai Brooks was held in esteem by
all the Presidents he served. accord
ing to those in charge at the White
House.
Mai. Brooks was a bonded official.
az custodian of the executive ma nsion.
and was responsible for all the NOV
able property there. In this ca
pacity he also came in touch with the
Presidents personally, and was con-
sidered as their adviser in matters
of dress. Other men. under Maj.
Brooks direction. personally took care
Of the Presidents wardrobe, but the
counsel Of this ma was sought and
accepted by chiefs of the Nation.
President Taft brought Maj. Brooks
with him from the War Department,
where the major had been chief mes
senger to Mr.. Taft when the latter
was Secretary of War.
Although the intimate association
Of Mai. Brooks with the Presidents
of the United States naturally brought
him into contact with the private life
Of the White House families, reveal
ing matters which would have been
of great interest to the public, the
custodian, according to his son-in- law.
James Waters, who Is professor of
law at Howard University, was reti-
cent to a remarkable degree about
his work.
Kept Own Counsel.
"He rega rted his relation with the
Presidents almost as a religion said
Prof. Waters. land he would never
say a word about the President who
was In the White House at the time.
He would never impaIt even the most
trivial infOrma ton concerning the &C.
cupant Of the White House. not even
to the members Of his family. After
President left the Executive Man.
sion he would occasionally tell some
inconsequential story.
Mai. Brooks came to Washington
as boy, from Port Royal. Va, where
he was born. and at an early age en-
tered the War Department. He be-
came chief messenger to the Secre'
tary of War during the administra'
ton Of George w. McCrary. and
served with succeeding Secretaries
Alexa nder sRamsey. Robert T. Lin
coin. William c. Endicott. Redfield
Proctor. Stephen \. Elkins. Daniel
s. Lamont. Russell A. Alger. Elihu
Root and Mr.. Taft. Coming t" the
White House. he was custodian under
Presidents Taft. Wilson, Harding and
Coolidge.
Mai. Brooks is survived by his
widow: one daughter. Mrs. Florence
Waters. and two brothers. John n
Brooks and Edward Thomas Brooks
and a grandson, Arthur.
When he left the War Department
Mai. Brooks was succeeded as chief
messenger by F.. n. Smith, cousin
who has since occupied that post.
Funeral arrangements have not
| been completed.