| Publication information |
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Source: Philadelphia Inquirer Source type: newspaper Document type: article Document title: “Shooting Avoidable, Says Operative Griffin” Author(s): anonymous City of publication: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Date of publication: 8 September 1901 Volume number: 145 Issue number: 70 Part/Section: 1 Pagination: 7 |
| Citation |
| “Shooting Avoidable, Says Operative Griffin.” Philadelphia Inquirer 8 Sept. 1901 v145n70: sect. 1, p. 7. |
| Transcription |
| full text |
| Keywords |
| McKinley assassination (public response: Philadelphia, PA); Matthew F. Griffin (public statements); McKinley assassination (personal response); Matthew F. Griffin; Secret Service (protecting McKinley); Samuel R. Ireland. |
| Named persons |
| Leon Czolgosz; Matthew F. Griffin; Samuel R. Ireland; William McKinley. |
| Document |
Shooting Avoidable, Says Operative Griffin
Local Secret Service Man Talks of Attack Upon President
There was some comment in this city yesterday
as to whether the attempted assassination of the President was due to any carelessness
of those who were detailed to guard the Executive. Many seemed to think that
greater precaution should have been observed.
Local Secret Service Agent Matthew F. Griffin,
when questioned concerning the probable laxity of the guard upon the President,
said: “I believe that had a sufficient number of secret service men been in
attendance upon President McKinley on Friday he would not have been shot.” Mr.
Griffin is well qualified to speak upon this subject, as he has personally met
the President, and has often been assigned to guard him. He was a member of
the surveillance corps in 1896, at Canton, prior to the inauguration, and also
at McKinley’s first inauguration at Washington and during the journey from his
home to the capital.
Operative Griffin said that while the President
is shaking hands with a crowd in a public place those who are detailed to guard
him keep a careful lookout for suspicious persons. “It is my opinion, and remember,
it is merely an opinion, that the appearance of a man in the line with a handkerchief
around his hand would have been noticeable and put the secret service men on
their guard. Of course, agents are often handicapped by arrangements, and can’t
always use all the precautions they would like to.
“President McKinley, however, had absolutely no
thought of any danger threatening him. He showed this by constantly walking
about without any protection. It is probable that this is the reason why no
detective was near enough to him to have ordered any suspicious character out
of the line.”
Secret Service Operative Ireland, who was near
the President at the time of the shooting, and who grappled with Czolgosz after
the second shot was fired, was formerly stationed in this city. This was two
years ago. He is now located in the Rochester district.