The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-08-01
PURDY'S RISE At
CAPITAL RAPID
Minnesota Man Is Now Ranking
Official in the Department
Of Justice.
BY w. w. Jermane,

Washington, Aug. 1.-The rise of
Milton D. Purdy in Washington has
been so rapid as almost to bewilder At
first one of the general assistants to the
attorney general, now, after the lapse
OF a few months> he becomes the first
the confidential adviser Of his chief and
the second man in the department Of
justice.
Mr.: Purdy will draw a salary of
$1,000, which is within $500 Of as much
as that received by the attorney gen
eral: In his old position he received
$4,000.
Mr.. Purdy gained his original ap-
pOlntment as the result Of the careful
and energetic work done by him while
assistant district attorney for Mime
sofa in connection with the merger
case. He was in full charge Of the
Northwestern end Of this important
case, and his management Of it greatly
pleased both the president and the at
torney general.
First a Disappointment. r..a..
Mr.. Purdy was then a candidate for
appointment to the office of district at
torney for the full term, in succession to
+: G. Evans, then recently deceased.
State politics cut him out Of the place,
however, and G. @. Haupt, of Fergus
Falls, personal friend and former law
associate of Senator Clapp, was ap-
pointed. Mr.. Purdy felt badly over his
failure to get this position, to which he
was so clearly entitled on merit, and
when he returned to his private practice
in Minneapolis, it was with the feeling
that he had not been fairly treated. In
this feeling large number of the citi-
zens of Minneapolis joined.
This failure, however, turned out to
be blessing in disguise, for In short
another assistant attorney general in
Washington, the president sent for the
attorney general and said that he
wanted the place offered to Purdy. The
Minnesota senators were taken into the
president g confidence afterwards, and
there was nothing for them to do but
consent, which they did very gracefully
and the more readily because there was
no good reason why Mr.. Purdy should
not have the place.
Took High Place at Once.
In Washington, Mr.. Purdy at once
with one bit of important work after
another, and in the end he came to be
looked upon as one of the brightest
young men who had been in the de
partment of justice in many years. He
was assigned to the prosecution Of sew
eral Of the spectacular postoffice FRAUD
cases, tried in this city, and secured
convictions. His latest important as
signment was to membership in a spe
cial commission of three men, appointed
by the president, to make study Of thu
immigration question, and report to hin
before the meeting Of congress thi
fall. That report is almost ready to b,
written, and upon it ally legislation tina
may be proposed will be based. Thu
president will take his cue from it TO-
the purposes of his message.
Minnesota is we'll represented In cab
met circles. Mr.. Purdy is now tn
I ranking man in the department. of JUS
tice, while Professor Hays holds sim
liar position in the department of agri
culture. Both men are credit to tn
state from which they come, and Mime
sotans may follow them in Washington
in the confidence that they will acqui
themselves well.