The Detroit times., 1909-01-05

cases We're undertaken In consequence
OF MIR. Hitchcock, the then secretary OF
the interior, becoming convinced mat
there were extensive frauds committed
In his department: and the raminca-
lions OF the frauds were SO far-reach-
Ing that he was afraid To trust his own
officials TO deal I'm thorough gong
fashion with them. one of the secret
service men accordingly resigned ana
was appointed In the Interior depart
lnent TO carry on this work. The hrst
thing he discovered was that the spe-
cial agents division or corps OF detec-
tives OF the land office OF the interior
department was largely under the con-
troll of the land thieves. and In conse-
quence the Investigations above re-
ferred To had To be made by secret SER
vice men.
IL the present law for WHICH Messrs,
Tawney. Smith. and the other gentle
men | have above mentioned are re-
sponsible. had then been I'm effect, this
action would have been Impossible, ana
most OF the criminals would unques-
| tionably have escaped No more strik-
| ing instance can be imagined or the
deslrability OF having a central corps
OF skilled investigating agents VINO can
at any time be assigned. II necessary
I'm large numbers, TO investigate some
violation OF the federal statutes, In no
matter what branch OF the public SCI.
vice. In this particular case most OF
| the men investigated who were PUBIC
servants were In the executive brancn
OF tho government. But in oregon
where an enormous acreage or fraudu-
| lently alienated public land was recoV-
cred for the government United
states senator, Mr.. Mitchell. and a
member OF the lower house MT VIII
hanson. were convicted on evidence on
| tanned by men transferred from the Sc .
| cret service. and another MEMBER OF
congress was indicted.
From 1901 to 1904 a successful IN
vestigation OF naturalization anairs
was made by the secret service, with
the result OF obtaining hundreds OF
| convictions OF conspirators who Were
| convicted OF selling Fraudulent papers
gress passed very wise law providing
| a special service and appropriation Tor
| the prevention OF naturalization FRAUDS,
| but unfortunately. at-the same ,lIne
| that the action against the secret ser
vice was taken. congress also cut down
| the appropriation for this specisl SER
vice, with the result or Gripping ths
| effort TO stop frauds In naturallzation
| The frgitives Greene and Gaynor. I'm
| plicated in a peculiarly big government
| contract fraud. were located ana ar
rested in Canada by the secre. se, NC
gone To prison for their crimes.
The secret service was used to ASSIST
| in the investigation OF crimes unoeI
thereto numerous convictions were Sc
cured and the Objectionable practice
was practically stamped out at leas'
In many districts. The most extensive
tory OF the treasury department wa.
| Investigated by agents OF the secre,
! service in New York and Seattle aho
| n successful prosecution OF the onend
ers undertaken. Assistance OF the ut
most value was rendered to the depart
ment OF Justice In beef-trust invest,sa
| ton at Chicago. prosecutions were 10,
| lowed up and fines inflicted The cotton
| leak scandal I'm the agricultural depart
ment was Investigated and the respons
| ible parties located. What was done ~
connection with lottery I'M .s.,sa ~ ~.
is disclosed In a letter Just sent TO m'
! by the United states attorney TOT Dei
aware. running as follows;
| The destruction of the Honduras
] National Lottery cOmnanN, success
| sur TO the Louisiana Lottery com
| pany. was entirety IN. work OF the
secret service. THIS eN-
| ceIIcnt work was accomplished by
Mr.. Wilkie and his subordinates.
! | though N might be timely To re-
call this prosecution.
Three hundred thousand dollars w
| fines were collected py the government
| In lottery cases Again, the ink con
| tract fraud in the bureau OF ehsroh
ing and printing "a bureau or IN,
treasury department. was investlgaieto
by the secret service and the gullly
| parties brought to justice. Mr.; Tawney
stated in the debate that thl'
was not investigated by the Sc,
there" conveying the impression
| that the clerk was not in tue Sc
! cret service As a matter OF fact, h'
| was In the secret service, his name Wa
| Moran. and he was promoted to assist
! ant chief for tho excellence OF MS Worf
| in this case. The total expense Tor tn'
! office and field force of the eecret ser
vice last year was S135,G00: and by thll
one Investigation they saved to the go'
! eminent over $500, 300 a year. Thanks u
| the restriction imposed by congress !
! is now very difficult for the secretary
| OF the treasury to use tho secret ser
vice freely even in his own department
| for instance. to use them to repeat VIVA,
they did so admirably In the case OF
this ink contract The government u
further crippled by the law forbiddina
Il 10 employ detective agencies. O'
course the government can detect the
most dangerous crimes. and punish tho
worst criminals. only by the use. either
OF the secret service or OF private dc
tectives; to hamper ~ In using the one
and forbid Il to resort 10 the other, car
inure to the benefit of none save the
criminals.
In conclusion, most earnestly ask IN