Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 19, Number 50, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 February 1898 — A MECCA FOR CRANKS. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

A MECCA FOR CRANKS.

WHITE HOUSE SEEMS TO ATTRACT MEN WITH WHEELS. All Seek to Have Their Wrongps Right* ed-A Close Watch Is Kept, and They Do Not Often Get Across the Threshold. Cranks of All Kinds. Washington correspondence: ‘

■ W WHY the White House ■JL f should be the paraBWlf disc of cranks is nnj* known, unless it is m\\ the reason that ■Mil j when a man begins ■ft,;j{| to suffer from what W is vulgarly , spoken of ’ as “wheels in his n head’’ lie imagines v* that Ins alleged I wrongs can be remedied by the Frost 1 dent only. He thinks

the President possesses sufficient power to do anything and everything. He might become dangerous should he learn that the President does not have the power lie imagines. But he never learns this, as no crank ever gets an opportunity* of seeing the President. The chief executive of the nation is surrounded by old, tried, experienced and true men. They can size up a crank as quickly as a detective can spot nn old criminal. President McKinley has been in the White House nearly a year, and during that time not over eight men have been arrested and taken away because their sanity was questioned. Not one of these cases has been of a dangerous character, although one man was disposed to use the vestibule of the mansion in which to preach a sermon. He spoke souiewhat loudly mid in a. broken accent. He was a German. Two of the cranks recently arrested were Germans. One of the officers at the White 'House is a German, and he has been able to get their stories from them without trouble. Both of the men had a form of religious mania. Met at the Door. Nearly all the cranks are arrested when they first enter the door of the White House. They do not understand the routine of reaching the President's office, and generally make their business known to the policeman who is stationed at the door or to the chief usher, who is a former policeman. Policeman Cisscl, who guards the main entrance of the White House, is an experienced man. He has held bis position for a number of years, and knows a criminal as quickly as a crank. Captain Dubois, the chief usher, is equally efficient iu this line. Between these two men the crank’s wandering mind soon unfolds, and then he is taken

away to a station house if he is considered badly deranged. If he is half-witted and absolutely harmless he is told to go home, and no attention is paid to him. Captain Dubois and Mr. Cissel scrutinize all callers ut the White House and shrewdly diagnose every case. In their years of service they have seen many men call at the executive mansion, and have learned, if any two men ever did, to read the humnu being without much trouble. Cranks frequently do not get ns far ns the front door of the White House. Some of them encounter the policeman who patrols the grounds in front of the executive mansion. They relate their stories to him nnd he nets without consultation with the other officials. Went Away Satisfied. Only once since the administration of President McKinley began has n crank reached the business part of the building. He wanted to set* the President, but if that could not be arranged. Secretary Porter would do. Ilis affliction was quickly seen, and lie was quietly watched by several employes, one of them a policeman, who is detailed to clerical work in the executive offices. lie was n Frenchman gnd had traveled much. He wanted some trivial matter regulated. An assistant clerk, representing Mr. Porter, heard the man's story and promised to attend to what he wanted. The man went away satisfied nnd has never returned. It would have been a difficult task for this man or any other to reach the President. Nearly every unofficial caller at the N\ bite House has to relate his business to some clerk or doorkeeper, If he wants to sop the President lie must talk with sonic one else. In this way his trouble is detected. Charles Loeffler, the fuithful old doorkeeper of the President’s room, has an eagle eye, and inis never failed to spot a man of suspicious character. Mr. Loeffler has little to sny at all times, hut he knows hit business, and is" ever alert. During the time when Mr. Cleveland kept himself so closely confined to his office Mr. Loeffler is said to have had some queer experiences. Both the former President and his secretary, Mr. Thurber, dreaded cranks, nml the heavy detail of policemen at the White House during the Inst administration of President Cleveland prevented trouble on many occasions. This force was reduced after President McKinley came in. President McKinley, unlike his*, predecessor, lias no fear of cranks. He goos”in nnd out of the White House when be see* fit, and is not accompanied by detectives, riding or walking nt a distance behind him. While the officials nt the White House prevent cranks from reaching him, it is ns much to prevent disturbance of his business ns anything else. The President lias ncVer been mobrated nt his tri-weekly public receptions, nnd there have been no unpleasant features at any of these. If there were cranks among the hundreds of people whom the President has shaken hnilds nt ench reception they have passed unnoticed. More trouble has been experienced from importuuiog office seek*

ers at these receptions than from any other source. These have been unable to see the President during his office hours, and wait in line with the throng of visitors to catch him at receptions. When they reach the President they stop to pour into his ears their woes. The officials wiio stand on each side of the President hustle thorn along, however. Once or twice there has been slight resistance to this, and the men had to be told very plainly to uipve on or take the consetiueucos. Disappointed Office Seekers. Tliis class of men often take a position at the end of the line of visitors, thinking by being the last the President will give them some time. He would probably..„be willing to do so if the officials did not interfere, following orders. This is The nearest approach to cranks the President has yet had. In point of desporatiop this class of men are regarded as worse than the genuine cranks. They have been disappointed in getting what they want, and are in a desperate mood when hustled on

and fail to get to' say what they desire to the chief executive. These men do not get an opportunity to see the President during business hours because lie is generally busy receiving official caller's. None of the cranks arrested at the White House in the last year have had cunning enough to carry out any scheme they might have, mid it is doubtful if any of them intended n wrong toward anybody. They belonged to n class of men not bright or kcou when in full possession of their mental faculties. The dangerous crank is the man who lias sen/so enough left to eoneeni Iris intentions and who refuses to tell his business to nny but the proper person. Such n man, if presenting a proper appearance in dress and otherwise, might evade the lynx-eyed officers stationed at the executive mansion, but there are nine chances to one that some of them would find him out and end his game.

A CRANK’S STORY.

MET AT THE DOOR.