Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-01-03

be borne by these departments. Even
when secret service ageut is assign
ed to duty in the mint directors of
flee his expenses must be met by the
appropriation for the mint bureau.
At present 100000 is allotted by can
gress for the support of this service.
This sum is said to be wholly made
lquate, and at the next session of con
lgress a vigorous effort will be made
to expand the scope OF the service
PnI eulc-pc it, q, re ..r.aii, n.
agents entering the secret service
undergo n rigid lnenI III and physical
discrimination, conducts, personally by
the chief of the division. The quail
fications prescribed include n thor
lough knowledge nf criminal methods
and familiarity with the law, such as
is practically gained by police expert
ence, as well as the intellectual abil-
lity to discriminate between evidence
and suspicious Implications. This is
essential in preparing for the presrn
tation of prosecution before a dis
trict attorney. Each agent no mat
ter where he is to operatA, must he
recommended by the chic, who has
lendeavored to divorce politics from
appointments. The civil service regu-
lations contain special exceptions for
the appointment of the TREASURY de-
tectives.
The average age of the agents in
the service at present is b years.
Most of the men received their de-
Itective training while in the employ
of railroads, express col. panies, pO.
lice departments and private detec-
tive bureaus. Some of them served
terms as sheriffs and others are skill
ed in some special way viii II adj pts
them for the work.
One of the superadded duties of the
secret service is caring fog the prrsi-
dent. In the United States statutes
there is a provision prohibiting the
employment of private detectives by
any branch of the government. This
law was passed nearly 10 years ago,
after the Homestead strikes, and AT
that time the question was agitated
of legislating against the employment
of Pinkerton agents by private cor
porations. Thus officers must be bor-
rowed from the secret service when
a presidents bodyguard is needed.
The United States is divided into 20
secret service districts, each having q
superintendent in charge, and the
necessary assistants. The districts
are arranged with reference TO the
detection and suppression of counter
feiting. Western New York consti-
tutes one district. 4 written report
from each man in each district is
daily exacted by the chief of the di-
vision.
In the early part of 1895 w. f..
WillIie. who was for several years n
Chicago newspaper man, became the
chief of the secret service bureau. He
began at once to reorganiZe the SER
vice. Each agents record was eX-
amined and a number of men were
dropped from the service. Under the
reorganized system men are severely
dealt with for drinking and lying. All
officers taken in the service in the
last two years were previously train
ed in some detective work.
The agents now most under the
gaze of the public eye are Foster. Gal
laCher and Ireland. George Foster
has been in the service about 10 years.
He is about 4S years old, and has a
powerful physique. He lived ut San
y
keeper of the Ohio legislature, was
assistant doorkeeper of the house OF
in Washington and
was then appointed as custodian OF
the secret service bureau. He was Sc
Iected for McKinley's guard because
of his strength.
Gallagher was trained in Chicago
in some private police work, and en-
tered the service in Washington about
12 years ago. His record shows that
he is an alert and active man, who
has served with credit in emergencies.
Ireland has been in the service two |
and a half years. He was graduated |
in law, and had experience as news
paper man. All of these men had rec
ords full of exciting and dangerous
detective experiences. Caring for the |
president being a adopted duty OF
the division. Foster was borrowed to |
take along to Buffalo, and Ireland |
and his assistant, Gallagher, who |
were permanently stationed there,
with him. While these |
men were severely criticised for not |
the presidents assassina-
ton. there has been no charge made |
against them.
The United States secret service
had irs origin in the early SOS, under
the auspices of the war department.
II actually grew out of the fact of |
CAPTAIN Lafayette F. Baker of the |
Union army, offering his services TO
Secretary Seward as n police scout to
gather information concerning the |
army. During the war |
TIE United States began the issuance |
ii greenbacks. Then came the first |
bpearance of "green goods" men. BY |
an act of congress in 1861 or 1862, |
$4,000 was appropriated for the |
of Bakers service to
suppress counterfeiting. The super
vision of the service was then under