New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-02-22

on April 10. six more men: on Nav Is and
June TO- one additional man; on August %. thres
additional men, These men were not assigned
to the Interior Department, but they were used
for the Interior Department cases under the De-
partment Of Justice How such officers dis
charged their duties in a previous case OF which
/ happen to have personal knowledge is shown
by the following letter:
Department Of Justice, December IS 1905
The chief OF the United States Secret Service,
Sir: The department is in receipt if a letter.
dated the 2lst instant from the United States At
trial and conviction Of Bartlett Richards and other
DEFENDANTS on the charge OF eonspirng 70 deraud
the in which several operatives Of your Office
Wheeler. and the United States Attornsy iakss oc-
cason. in making his report. 70 commend most
charge. Lucien c. Wheeler. and his Secret Service
The department is also in receipt OF letter from
the Secretary OF the Interior dated the 22d instant
done by the United States Attorney. his special
assistant. and Mr.. Wheeler, and transmitting
on the 21st instant. follows.
Il congratulate You most heartily on the splendid
work you have done in connection with the verdict.
which must give renewed confidence 10 all those
desire to add to What has been Quoted above
the appreciation Of the department here OF TIE
to be a conscientious and highly efficient insru-
me2taIJy IN oTlnging anoSt Tauch desired results
Il '''' ASIA - 's'y ALFoRD ". COOLEY.
Acting Attorney General
The limitation Of the use Of the Secret Service
was not in the least degree technical: It was
real and actual. If such a condition arose in
the Interior Department some four years ago
again arises in that department with this liui-
tation we should be prevented from employing
the Secret Service. and the result would Be
harmful to the government and of benefit only
TO the criminals, unless, OF course, We are abe
to build up precisely similar Secret Service IN
the Department OF JustiCs-in which case the
action of the Congress would have been effective
only as showing its disapproval OF the admirable
work done By Chief Wilkie and his division.
Unless the new Secret Service in the Depart
IL Taf Ell
lar fashion TO Chief Wilkes Secret Service y
will not do good and effective work. and cal
your attention 70 the fact that me result o. Lne
action OF Congress has hitherto been. oy the ere
alton of two secret services markedly 10 IN
crease the total cost Of this class Of vo-k-
LAND FRAUD CASES
The facts in reference to the detection ard
suppression of the land frauds and the punish
r1ent OF criminals engaged in them have been
made public again and again, but IN view OF me
report OF your committee II Is as Wei 20 FSLsE
came convinced that there were W-deSpread
frauds in his department and that MS own 1oIce
was unable TO deal with them Inrougl Sae
Department OF Justice he had a nunoer o. .
cret Service operatives assigned 70 Work On 70
Interior Department cases. together WIN o,!7
Secret Service operative who was assigned a.
rect 70 the Interior Department Mr.. HemenWay
speaks as If the Attorney General ana lHs go
rotary Of the Interior had rot known o. 49,
assignments as mater Of fact every So. q 20
signment was made on the written Ieques- -
the head Of the department Inc hrsC $50
OF the work in question was 70 mo Il-aL ,+-
departmental officislS had failed IN tneI Guy
and some Of them were according GlsnlsS es.
The results Of the assignment OF tne $500 $500
Service men-taken. Of course, N Co---i 70 +Ls
Department of Justice itself and OF tne acI.. -
of the recognized force Of special agents " -.
Interior Department-are found in the conyo
ton OF many defendants. some OF them oel-9
among the wealthiest and most innuentI1i -
pie in their communities; others sSdt 9s So
in the political world. one of them beng Z g.
ator and another Representative IN ConslSsSs,
while second Representative IN congress -
indicted If the limitation or the use ~ -
secret Service which your committee lphouS
had been in force at the time OF which spsaN-
the Sena tor the Representative ana me va -
men of wealth and high political influence w
were convicted would all have escaped pll1LsH
rnent I hold that such an outcome would haNS
been in the interest OF the criminals only
Once the emergency had passed. the need 1or
the detail Of the Secret Service men no longeS
existed and they were accordingly witndr4NH'
But the history Of these land frauds shows con-
clusively the need OF having some Secret Serves
body subject TO emergency detail to departments
in which it is not ordinarily employed
Before the Secret Service was used IN inc
Interior Department as I have above outlined.
the prosecutions for land frauds were insig
nihcant in their results. At that time there WaS
no effective desire shown to limit the use or re
Secret Service. Then the Secret Service aSeLtS
used in connection with these lana ILd-%'
and they secured the prosecution ana cohVlCllss
of many men. influential because OF their WeaLlI1
or their social political prominence korLn,
with there began that active agltatlon asdu.Ss
the use of the Secret Service which continusu
until the action Of the Congress last spring
P S-This letter is in part based on stars stars
ments furnished by the Attorney Genera 81
the Secretary OF the Interior. II has been a.
fully read over by them and the statements -
fact which IL contains. so far as they rerer -
the Department of Justice and the DepaIll-e.II
of the Interior have been checked ana appio'S-
by them.
With the letter statements showing requss's
of the Department of Justice for the assignments
OF Secret Service operatives during t9e vi2in<
1907 and the first six months OF 1908. ana GYMS
the number of men employed on Secret SerYlSs ,
or criminal investigation worA during tt ne, 10
lust passed. as compared with the year 1901 -
were inclosed.
COLUMBIA STUDENT OUT Or OANeGn
John G. Baragswanath. student OF Coiuniui-
University and a son OF the pastor Of the GIa-S
Methodist Episcopal Church, at No iS1 West ~
street this city, who was assaulted oE -
men q, the college campus on Friday night, -