Donald Trump has been indicted by a grand jury on Thursday for an alleged hush-money payment made to adult film star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 US election. This makes him the first former president in the United States to be indicted, and he is expected to surrender and be arraigned next Tuesday. In contrast, Ulysses S. Grant, a sitting president in the United States, had been arrested for speeding in his horse-drawn carriage over 150 years ago – a unique case in history.
Grant was pulled over by police in 1908 for racing his carriage at the intersection of 13th and M streets in Washington, D.C., while he was still in office, according to a story headlined “Only Policeman Who Ever Arrested a President” in the Washington Evening Star. In 2012, then-DC Police Chief Cathy L. Lanier verified the event. Black Civil War soldier William H. West made the arrest. Grant’s passion for swift horses led him to periodically “test their mettle” by allowing them to gallop away.
There were numerous reports of speeding vehicles in the city, so police were dispatched to investigate. While West was talking to witnesses about the earlier episode involving a woman and child, he saw a group of fast carriages bounding towards him. The current president of the United States was behind the wheel of one of them. Grant had a hard time stopping him once West had halted him. Respectfully, West told him, “I want to notify you, Mr. President, that you are breaking the law by speeding along this street. Many other gents have been inspired by your speedy driving, gentleman. Grant retracted his apology and loped off.
West, on the other hand, witnessed Grant and company tearing down the street at high speeds the following evening. This time, it was a full block before Grant finally stopped. Despite the president’s protests that he was completely unaware that his speed was excessive, West apprehended him and informed him that he had to put him under arrest. Grant was taken to the police station and told to post bail in the amount of twenty dollars. The hearing was scheduled to begin the following day, but Grant did not appear.
Evening Star article’s veracity questioned by WaPo because some statements were more than 35 years old at the time of publication. But Grant and other fast drivers were given severe punishments. After 32 witnesses swore against the speeders, the court handed down “heavy fines” and a “scathing rebuke” to the other cars.
