Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: THE ATTEMPT ON HIS LIFE THE fellow who shot me was cracked, and the doctors found him to be insane, so they put him into an insane asylum for the balance of his days. It was the best way to dispose of his case." Colonel Roosevelt was speaking of the attempt made on his life in Milwaukee during the campaign of 1912. "The man was cracked. He had been interested in a saloon that was in trouble while I was Police Commissioner, and, brooding on the thing, his poor brain gave away altogether. "I had no special reason for thinking that I was in danger during that campaign, certainly much less than I had in the time I was in the White House or at other times since. Of course, when I was in the White House a rather careful watch was kept upon those who might wish to destroy me, and persons approaching me too closely were scrutinized, but I was never very much worried about that sort of thing or gave it much thought. " More to save the nerves of the secret service men and some of my friends than anything else, I tried to be as little careless as I could consistent with a reasonable degree of freedom of action, but I wassomething of a fatalist in the thing, and I realized that however careful a man might be, there was bound to be some risk at all times. I have, I believe, been in more danger from friendly crowds that seemed anxious to crush me to death in their welcome, and to committees that would kill me with indigestion and overwork, than from anarchists or other cranks. "I was in the automobile when this fellow shot me; he reached over the edge like, and the next thing I knew was a flash and a fearful blow. It seemed as though I had been hit with a sledgehammer. I went through with my engagement to speak, as you know, but it was somewhat difficult. Otherwise, you know, ...