The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-02-07

izing himself with the locks of the vault so that he could stand at the lock with the works exposed and determine what combination another person was setting Here Burns again did some eliminating and deducing, but it took time to get ev- idence.
 Burns left San Francisco and came east. and was preparing to take a European trip for the government when he got a wire from Chief Wilkie to report m Washington.
 Wilkie had been sent for by Secretary of the Interior Hitchcock. who informed him that extensive land frauds involving millions of dollars had been discovered.
 "Can you do anything for us?" the Sec- retary asked.
 'I'll give you the star man of our ser vice." Willlie replied.
 But can he do anything?' said MT. Hitchcock.
 well. he has never failed yet,'' wilkis replied.
 So they started Burns out on May l, 1903. and it was not until September, 1906, that his task was finished, resulting in the conviction of United States Senator Mitchell of Oregon, Hyde & Benson. wealthy landowners of California, ana numbers of others. In addition to this work Burns was at the same time in- vestigating other matters
 Before these land cases had been dis posed of Francis J. Heney, who was att torhey for the government in November 1905. in the municipal campaign In San Francisco, had made the declaration that if called upon by the people of San Fran cisco he would undertake to prosecute Abe Ruef and the other grafters in the graft-ridden town. Ruefs candidate Schmitz, was elected. Later on Free mont Older, editor of a paper that had fought Ruef and the boodlers. came on to Washington representing committee of citizens headed by Rudolph Sprerkeis and James D. Phelan, and asked Heney if he would come back to San Francisco and carry out his promise. He said he would on condition that Burns could be got to investigate and procure evidence. Burns was let go by President Roose- yelt's own order. and he dug about in saii Francisco for three years. Schmitz was convicted and sent 10 prison Tor nye years.
 Ruef was sentenced to 14 years. Louis Glass vice-president and general man aeer of the Pacific States Telephone com- many, was sent to the penitenuary and numerous others. Including Mike Coffee. one of the supervisors, who tailed to keep his promse to testify E. S. Blake. who had attempted to fix the Ruef jury, ana a young Greek named Peter Claudlanus. who for a consideration of 5000 had agreed to murder Rudolph Spreckeis' Heney, Older. James l.. Gallagher. tne states principal witness, and Burns. claudianus exploded 20 pounds of dyna- mite in Gallagher's house. but not one of tbe eight people in it at the time were killed. Then he blew up three other houses belong to Gallagher, Claudianus was captured by George F. Burns, son of William l.. who has since died.
 During his work in San Francisco va rious attempts were made to get burns off the job He turned down one prioe of ss5 900 and another of sl0o.00. They sent women after him, but didn't get him. His principal indorsers for ms pres ent work with the American Bankers association have been Frank A. Nanoer- ,,p. president of the National City bank, and James NJ Beck, who was attorney fee inc government in the cases against Fay Tor and Bredell and their associaies philadelphia MT. Burns has wife ana folIr children. One of his sons is the su- rar;rtepdent of his fathers offices in Chf- rago though only 23 years of age.