Cooley, Alford Warriner, 1873-1913

Silver cup dedicated to First Assistant Secretary of State Robert Bacon inscribed with the signatures of fellow members of the Tennis Cabinet, including President Roosevelt, Assistant United States Attorney General Alford Warriner Cooley, Commissioner of Corporations James Rudolph Garfield, French Ambassador J. J. Jusserand, Postmaster General George von Lengerke Meyer, Lawrence O. Murray, United States Forest Service Chief Gifford Pinchot, Herbert Knox Smith, and Assistant Secretary of the Treasury Beekman Winthrop. In addition to the signatures, the cup is inscribed with the date October 11, 1907.

Comments and Context

While president, Theodore Roosevelt’s unofficial “Tennis Cabinet” comprised an inner circle of unofficial advisors with whom Roosevelt would play tennis and discuss policy matters. Including men both from within and outside Roosevelt’s official administration, the group was influential in helping shape and carry out many of Roosevelt’s policies and reforms.

Collection

America

Postmaster General Payne was shocked at the clipping in the Washington Evening Star that stated that fourth-class postmasters are in the classified service, and believes that President Roosevelt is as surprised as he is. Payne had asked Charles J. Bonaparte to examine the Civil Service Act and rules and regulations to ascertain whether fourth-class postmasters were transferred to the classified service, and encloses the reply that he received. Payne balks at transferring the fourth-class postmasters to the civil service, as it would be a radical shift.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-09-15

President Roosevelt informs Attorney General Bonaparte that he does not want to any action concerning the southern railroads without knowing all the facts and is confident of a win. He believes Judge Peter Stenger Grosscup’s decision will be vital to the issue.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-08-15

Charles S. Mellen has asked President Roosevelt to expedite an investigation into his railroad company’s planned merger. The article notes this request comes the day after the defeat of Henry Melville Whitney, who had been in favor of the merger, in the Massachusetts gubernatorial election.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-11-07

Charles S. Mellen, president of the New York, New Haven, and Hartford Railroad Company, has met with President Roosevelt hoping to expedite a government investigation into his railroads. Mellen asserts that his company has not broken the law and argues that the government has no right to stymie the proceedings of private businesses in any case.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-11-07

Attorney General Bonaparte informs President Roosevelt that District Attorney Asa P. French waits for Roosevelt’s approval of the letter in Boston. Assistant Attorney General Alford Warriner Cooley is at the White House to answer questions. Bonaparte has been instructed on the importance of giving out communication immediately.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-08-23

Theodore Roosevelt has had an extraordinary campaign and continues to recover after being shot. He encourages Robert Harry Munro Ferguson to go on vacation with his wife, Isabella Ferguson.

Collection

Arizona Historical Society

Creation Date

1912-10-29

President Roosevelt has received the letter regarding the complaint of the Civil Service Reform Association. He has written to Civil Service Commissioner Alford Warriner Cooley to find out about the classification of the fourth class post offices. Roosevelt will take up all the cases with Henry C. Payne when he returns to Washington.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1903-09-11

Theodore Roosevelt thanks New Mexico Senator Bronson M. Cutting for his contributions to the Progressive Party.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1912-07-12

Theodore Roosevelt expresses his lack of knowledge about the political situation in New Mexico even though Robert Munro Ferguson, Alford Warriner Cooley, and George Curry have fed Roosevelt information. Roosevelt ends his letter by asking to see Cutting whenever possible.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1912-06-14

Theodore Roosevelt enjoyed hearing from Beekman Winthrop. Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt is recovering. Unfortunately, Alford Warriner Cooley is not doing well.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-11-14

Theodore Roosevelt invites Susan Dexter Dalton Cooley to stay on November 20, 21, 22, or all three days. He and Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt would enjoy seeing her. Edith continues to improve. Roosevelt recently received a letter from Susan’s husband, Alford Warriner Cooley , in which he reports on his recovery.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-11-14

Theodore Roosevelt previously wrote to Susan Dexter Dalton Cooley, but thinks he addressed it incorrectly. He hopes Cooley and her son, James C. Cooley can come over for a visit.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-10-31

Theodore Roosevelt sends his sympathies to Susan Dexter Dalton Cooley. Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt is also recovering after a recent accident and wants to know if Cooley and her son, James C. Cooley, can visit. He sends his regards to Cooley’s husband, Alford Warriner Cooley.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-10-27

Theodore Roosevelt informs Robert Harry Munro Ferguson and his wife Isabella Greenway King that Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt was thrown off her horse last week and was unconscious for 24 hours. Now she is slowly improving, and Ethel Derby Roosevelt has been devoted to her care.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

President Roosevelt enjoyed hearing from Frank Ross McCoy, and mentions the high esteem he has for McCoy both as a friend and as a member of his profession. Roosevelt wishes he could see the things that McCoy has mentioned seeing on his trip. He is glad that McCoy approves of his recent order to spread horsemanship in the army.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-12-28

President Roosevelt is glad to know about the situation between Assistant Attorney General Charles Wells Russell and Assistant Attorney to the Department of Justice Albert A. Richards, as well as the situation with the labeling of whisky. Roosevelt agrees with Bonaparte about keeping Assistant Attorney General Alford Warriner Cooley on as a special assistant and appointing Special Assistant Attorney General James H. Wilkerson in his place. 

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-09-17

President Roosevelt likes Assistant Attorney General James Clark McReynolds’s suggestion and asks Attorney General Bonaparte if he can wait until next week so they can review it together. Roosevelt is pleased with Alford Warriner Cooley’s letter.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-09-02

President Roosevelt relays his concern for the Cooley family to Susan Dexter Dalton Cooley as her husband, Assistant Attorney General Alford Warriner Cooley, recovers from illness. Attorney General Charles J. Bonaparte wrote him about Alford Warriner Cooley returning the check. He finds it a needless and irritating, yet endearing action. Roosevelt wants to help the Cooley family in any way, finding “it a very great privilege…to serve you,” as he greatly admires and respects them.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-09-02

President Roosevelt asks Attorney General Bonaparte to tell him the facts of a grand jury investigation concerning Charles F. Brooker. Roosevelt is concerned for his friend and Assistant United State Attorney, Alford Warriner Cooley, and asks Bonaparte if he can be given sixty days pay before ending his service. Roosevelt also asks for Bonaparte’s opinion on a letter from Emory Speer.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-08-14