The Private Secretary [excerpt]

     Of the other secretaries to the President, Mr. George B. Cortelyou, now Postmaster-General, stood next to Colonel Lamont in the skill and wisdom with which he conducted the delicate and complicated duties of his office. He had such excellent training in White House official ethics as to be thoroughly qualified for the position when he became Secretary to President McKinley. Like Lamont he had tact and judgment and knew when to speak and when to keep silent. Callers at the White House, whether newspaper men, members of Congress, or others, were always greeted courteously by Cortelyou, and they had his ear if not his [34][35] voice. He told all that he believed it was discreet to tell and no more.
     Some of these men have had curious ways of imparting valuable information, and Cortelyou was one of these. I remember that one winter I was anxious to ascertain for my paper whom the President intended to appoint to an important Federal office in Kentucky as there was much local interest in the appointment. One Sunday evening I thought I might get a tip from Cortelyou, so I called to see him. He was a hard worker then as now, and frequently remained at the White House grinding away until long after midnight. After talking with him a quarter of an hour mentioning the names of a dozen or more of the applicants and those spoken of, I arose to go, none the wiser from the visit. Just as I was leaving, however, Cortelyou carelessly said:
     “Who is Mr. ——?”
     “Mr. ——, I don’t know. Why?”
     “Nothing much, but I heard his name mentioned in connection with the office. Good-night.”
     I got to thinking over the question as I went out, and the more I thought it over the more was I satisfied that there was something in it, and I did not sleep until I had knowledge of who Mr. Blank was, and tipped his name to the Courier-Journal. It is unnecessary to state that three days afterward his name was sent to the Senate.
     Mr. Cortelyou was devoted to Mr. McKinley and was with him when he was shot at Buffalo. A short time afterward in telling a friend of the tragedy he said:
     “I believe that the President knew the moment he was shot that he was a doomed man. I never saw such a look as he gave the wretch who shot him. It was not a look of passion or hatred, but a look of half scorn, half pity, wholly pathetic.”
     And then as Cortelyou recalled the tragic scene his eyes filled with tears.