The New York herald., 1874-09-08
Letter from Colon el whitley.

BRANCH OFFICE. SECRET SERVICE DIVISION, !
TREASURY DEPARTMENT, No. So BLEEcKER ST.,
NEW YORK, Sept. 4, 1874 J
TO THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD
For some time past the management Of the
Secret Service Division Of the Treasury Depart
ment has been the subject OF newspaper criticlsms
favorable and otherwise, and have been IN re.
ceipt OF numerous letters from all parts Of the
country asking II 1t were true that the secret SER
vice Is to be abolished and supplanted by q system
Of awards, and requesting my views In the matter.
Finding 1t Inc xpedient even to attempt to reply to
so many correspondents, have thought that one
letter addressed to journal OF wide circulation
like the HERALD would be the best and most expe-
ditiOus mode Of answering all inquiries.
1t has been stated that an effort would be made
to have the secret service abolished for the pur-
pose OF establishing in its stead . system OF re-
wards contingent upon the conviction of persons
found guilty OF the crime Of counterfeiting, and
that the results produced by the service as now
managed were not commensurate with Its expen-
ditures These statements have been made with
out an accurate knowledge Of the acts a. set forth
IN the Official records OF the Secret Service Division
Tor the past five years. Personally care but little
about the matter; but my interest In this branch
OF the public service as owerful vindicator Of
the laws and terror to the criminal classes COM
pels me to say that there is no tenable ground
upon which such statements can be based. As to
THE SYSTEM OF REWARDS,
that system had been tried for years previous 10
the organization OF the secret service. and had
not only failed In the detection OF counteretters in
very great degree, but had become such stencil
In the nostris OF the people that public opinion,
and Que regard Tor the proper administration OF
justice, compelled judges to charge against prose.
cuti0ns instigated In the hope OF a reward while
CONVICT
where the witnesses where TO be compensated by
the blood money accruing TO them as the result
purpose OF ridding the country Of q sys.
tenn that had become absolutely infamous.
OF countereiting unlike most others, is conieder.
Rted and national in It's character; ramifying
from one end Of the land to the other, and em-
ploytng men OF tue most ingenious and subtle
minds, whose experience In this most intricate
and closely studied "fraud Of frauds" is such as
to almost DEFY detection, at least by any ordinary
method. An equally ramiying organization, COM
posed OF men working IN the interest OF law and
order having an enlarged experience in the ways
OF criminals, permeatlng ali parts OF the country
and yet having a central head to winch they are
responsible is alone able to cope successfully with
this, the most complicated OF Oil crimes.
In other frauds upon the governments such as
violations or evasiOns OF the customs ana internal
revenue laws, where the offences begin and end in
the same district. local forces or forces working
disc0nnecIcdly can be made available, but IN sup
pressing the crime u counterelting which,
beginning IN one district, may enter into and cor.
rupt every other, nothing snort OF q system by
which It can be followed from place to place until
Overtaken and utterly destroyed can be OF any
service. As to the statement that
THE RESULTS PRODUCED
Dy the laDors OF this service have not been COM
mensurate with the expenditure, the records OF
the division will bear me out In the assertion that
more has been accomplished in this direction
any other Branch 0u o the TSasS pnoo 'SaS ssra,cs
These S facts acts are amply supported BY the figures
have been made since the month Of Nav, 'ae 1859
when assumed charge or the force. $40 arrests,
by ofcers OF this SERVICE OF Offenders OF all classes
against che United States laws. During the same
length OF time the Oflicers have made more than
$50 seizures OF smuggied goods. also Two steam.
ships Tor violations or the customs laws, and sew.
era breweries and illicit stills iOr VIOLATIONS OF the
internal revenue laws. More than million repre-.
sentative dollars IN counterfeit money have
also been captured together with l5O sets of
plates, dandy rolls and litnographIc stones
presses aud other material 1or manufacturing
made IN upwards OF 1000 cases OF suspected fraud
upon the Treasury in the matter OF false and raud
ulent pensions and bountles, and detailed reports
made TO the department In each case. During
one year alone dishonest bounty agents were com.
PEELED by oicers Of this service TO return upwards
OF $4,000 to soldiers OF the army whom they ithe
agents. had defrauded out OF II.
The above results are for this one district The
records OF the work accomplished IN other dis.
tricS make an equally good showing, the whole
forming an array OF lacts wnicn suggest the most
profound consideration OF any Recommendation
but effective machinery by which such Important
results have been produced. am aware That the
determined DE ,n and uncompromislng stand which
which has been the prevailing policy OF thus service
since ! have had 1t In charge, has called
forth she Ditterest enmity OF the violaters OF law
everywhere, ami II Is not unfair TO presume tnat
they have been working covertly to assist to
destroy power which they could not con troll and
which they iet must eventually destroy them.
My integral iaith that the right Will ultimately
prevail and that all sCnemes ConcOcted for tle
mere purpose OF injury aud wnicn have their bases
IN perjury and suDornation OF perjury must fall to
the ground, Is the most desirable evidence to me
that the Vaccinations OIL the criminals apOye al
luded to Will also fail. Very respectfully,
h. Y. WHITLEY, Chief Secret Service Division.
PROBABLE HOMICIDE,