The Washington herald., 1909-02-08
DIFFERS
WITH PRESIDENT
Continued from PAGE one.

II appears there has been dissatisfac-
ton for some tine with the plan CT de- 4
falling Secret Service agents for special
duty in cases OF fraud on the public
domain Einsily. through an arrange /
ment proposed BY The Secretary OF yhs
Interior. II was decided that all theWork /
Of Investigation In such cases. before and {
after indictment. should be intrusted 70
special agents Of the Land Ofce-
This plan met with the approval Of
the Attorney General. AS stated, It was
decided upon as a result OF negotiations /
that long antidated the action Sf Con-
gress in placing a limitation upon the I
Secret Service that made II illegal 10
detail agents Of that branch Of the gov
ernment for work in executive depart [
ments other than the Treasury.
TIE direct question was put to Mr- /
Garfield whether the plan not 10 utilize
Secret Service agents IN detecting land
frauds was decided upon as a result OF ,
the knowledge that Congress had de-
termined 20 circumscribe the activities
Of the agents Of that branch OF the gov
ernment. Tie question was framed IN
this manner:
IN any negotiations IN connection with
the division OF this work was II ever sUg-
gested that the object OF making a divi- /
sion or an arrangement that Congress
was about 20 prohibit the use % the
Secret Service in the Treasury Depart
ment or other departments OF the gov
ernment7 -
Secretary Garfield replied as follows.
Il do not recall anything Of the kind.
There wss nothing OF that sort in my
mind"
Reform Measures Adopted,
Mr.. Garfield became Secretary OF the
Interior in March. 1907. Shortly after he
took charge he came 10 the conclusion (
that measures Of reform would have 10
be adopted fl order that frauds on the
public domain might be more effectively
prosecuted All through the first year
OF his administration negotiations were
In progress looking to the work OF in
quiry being assigned solely 70 department
agents. thus taking It out OF the hands of
the Secret Service agents Up to that
time taere had been a great deal OF de-
lay IN many cases. He remembered one
case tnat was twenty years old.
Under the new system % inquiry great
progress has been made IN pushing IN
ouiries into the land frauds. Within the
last year information has come TO the
department that land valued at more
than Slo0009, 0o0 had found It's way into
the possession of persons 20 whom Il is
alleged il does not legally belong
To push such cases % the point Of
prosecution IN the courts. If need. be.
I Secretary Garfield asked that an apDTO-
priation OF $i.oo.od9 be placed immedi-
ately At hts disposal and It Is highly
probable that this sum VIII be allowed
/ for the purpose
An interesting side light on the meth
DDS OF the department In detecting land
I frauds was given by Secretary Garfield
In certain Instances. he said, agents OF
I the Department cf Justice were used for
special work. For example, they were
! employed 10 watch jurors. shadow wit
/ aesses. and perform other acts. which
members Of the Committee on Appropria-
+ tions declare would be punished as con-
I tempt OF court by some judges Er.
/ Garfield explained thus.
There are certain classes OF investi-
/ cations which they agents OF Depart
ment cf Justice) might be called 10 make
that our men are not fitted or qualified
/ for. and Il IS such classes as I have
/ spoken of-the watching OF a jury, snd so
I forth That has occurred IN a great many
/ instanceS-or the checking OF z grand
/ jury or a petit jury, the action Of wit
i nesses. and things Of that kind which are
7 detective work. the shad0wing work in
4 the trial o. a lawsuit-our men are not
fitted for that, and therefore when they
i have asked for our men TO help them in
I that way, We have not been able TO do
It."
In Hands OF Department.
But IN the main. Secretary Garfield told
the committee, all the evidence IN cases
OF land frauds was now collected by the
agents in his department. the only excep-
ton being those he had outlined.
I With one exception, Secret Service
agents had never been used directly By
the Interior Department in detecting land
( frauds The Department OF Justice. how
ever, had asked for 2 loan OF such agents
for the collection OF evidence IN cases
that were 10 be presented TO the Fed
eral Court for prosecution.
( The exception noted was that OF Burns.
who was engaged in the Oregon land
frauds. and who later became associated
with Francis J. Eeney in the crusade