Evening star., 1935-03-05
White House Secret Seruice
Chief Besieged for Memoirs
Jeruis, Going to California on Duty,
Kne,c Threats to Presidents and
Enjoyed Condolences.

Richard Jervis, who has Just retired
as chief Of the White House secret
service after guarding Presidents for
26 years to take charge Of field Of
ice of the United States Secret Service.
is now being besieged with offers to
write his experiences.
These offers are coming from pub
fishers of books and magazines, as
we'll as newspaper syndicates and mo-
ton picture scenario departments. all
of whom seem to realize that this
Suave. keen-eyed. gray-haired operative
has story that would be a real thrill
Ter.
Few people know how many attempts
have been made to take the life Of
President or to destroy the White
House These have been frustrated
by the Secret Service and have never
been made public. Seldom a day
passes without letter being received
at the White House threatening the
life of the President or some member
Of his household These too, are kept
secret. Invariably these threats are
from cranks or crazed people and are
handled accordingly From his long
service at the White House, Jervis
knows about all Of them.
May Write for History.
Jervis was reluctant today to dis
cuss the subject. He did say. how
ever. that he has no intention Of
doing any writing as long as he re-
mains in the service. Possibly, after
he has retired he might consider
recording his observation. and ex-
perienceS more as matter Of history
than for any other reason.
Jervis was a dapper youngster of
20 when he joined the White House
detail a few months before William
Howard Taft became President. Five
years later he became chief Of the
White House detail when Joseph
Murphy was promoted to be assistant
chief Of the entire service.
During his long experience at the
White House Jervis has travelled many
thousands of miles with Presidents
and has talked and walked with them
on unusually interesting occasions. He
played golf with Presidents Taft. Will
son and Harding. He accompanied the
latter on his Inflated trip to Alaska
the Summer Of 1923 and was in the
hallway just outside Mr.. Harding's
door in the San Francisco hotel when
he heard the screams of Mrs Harding
when the President died He toured
the country with President Taft and
accompanied President Wilson on his
two Journeys to the Paris Peace Con-
ference: he went with Calvin Coolidge
during most Of his fishing expeditions
and was beside him in the little room
at Walter Reed Hospital when word
was brought to him that his son had
died. He accompanied President Hoo
yer on his cruise to the West Indies
and other journeys. including the ex-
tended trip he made during the cam
paign Of 1892.
Went on Island Trips.
Last Summer he accompanied
President Roosevelt On his voyage to
the West Indies and across the
Pacific Ocean to Hawaii. While in
Paris with Woodrow Wilson he was
his frequent companion during walks
about the streets. He also slept In
Buckingham Palace when President
Wilson visited there. and he was
present at several meetings of Wilson,
Lloyd George, Clemenceau Of France
Orlando, known as the big Four" of
the peace conference. Jervis' journeys
with Presidents included many trips
aboard the presidential yacht May
flower.
In appearance Jervis suggests
nothing Of an officer Of the law. Now
that his hair has turned q silvery
white, and his once athletic frame is