Saturday, August 3, 2013

Day 134, August 3

Did you know that several presidents have been arrested?   Until I started researching for this blog, I had no idea that any president had been arrested or even that a president could be arrested.

Thomas Jefferson was summoned to appear in court in 1807 (when he was president) to testify in the trial of Aaron Burr who was being held for treason.  Jefferson refused to appear and set a precedent.

Two sitting presidents have been arrested.  President. U.S. Grant was driving a team of horses down Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, DC, at a brisk pace.  A mounted policeman pulled him over to the curb and brusquely informed the president that he had been going faster than the law allowed.

With great dignity, President Grant admitted that he had been going too fast.  He handed over a $20 bill as a fine and complimented the police officer for performing his duty.

Franklin Pierce was also arrested, when he returned to The White House from a social gathering.  On horseback, he ran over a woman.  A zealous constable arrested the president, but he was released immediately.

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