Los Angeles herald., 1910-01-30
His Two Big Cases.

his Two Dig NdSSS'
Every one in the West and also every one anywhere
who has followed the San Francisco municipal raft
and the timber land fraud prosecutions, knows William
J. Burns who is called Never Fail" Those two vital
cases were his post graduate in his profession
and gave him a record makes him without ques-
ton one of greatest detectives of the time But
few persons beyond those who have been directly as
sociated with him familiar with his personality
or with the steps that have brought him into national
prominence
When a reporter for this newspaper entered the
nticos of the new detective agency few days ago he
was ushered into room where quietly dressed bust
ness man sat at a small desk. At least the reporter
saw no particular difference between William D. Burns
and anv prosperous business until he slid into
seat few feet away. 1t is not correct estimate OF
his appearance say that William j. Burns might be
Il lawyer or a manufacturer promoter or physl
cian He might, but the observer would know at
second glance that he is of these things Ihere
is something about him that puts him outside the
ordinary professional commercial class-a sugges-
ton of keen, fearless, detecting intelligence IN MS
WIDE clear eye; impression of bodily and mental
alertness in of his head and shoulders; an IN
defnabe hint ulterior outlook and judgmentpe
hind his frank, ready, unhesating manner Perhaps
one would not go up to him in crowd and point him
out as a detective but having known him as
such one would certainly say that he is well equipped
for his particular line of effort
And still there is little of the ordinary policeman
nopularly conceived about Mr.. Burns. He is OF
medium height, with just tendency TO weight soft
reddish hair and mustache light brown eyes and small
hands and feet He does not look day over thirty
seven though he is considerably more than that ana
his cheeks almost chubby For the rest he has the
ouiet command and repose of the of action who
is sure of himself and his abilities talks well and is
without pose affectation
81 was brought up among detectives ana TO the pusi
ness of catching criminals" he said easily in answer
to question. 'AIy father was police commissioner
in Columbus, Ohio, and while was still boy was
able to study police methods and to aid in sowing
crimes 1t attracted me, and when became older
drifted into it naturally.
"The first case of any Importance on which was
engaged in Ohio. There was big uproar over
election frauds perpetrated by of forged tally
sheets picked up information, and, being near
the authorities through my father was asked to WORK
on the case accepted and obtained part
of the evidence that uncovered the crimes and con-
vcted those responsible for them. After that was
empoyed by private agency in st. Louis for time,
and in 1890 1 went into the Secret Service where
remained until 1906 when took up the San Francisco
graft case"
GLOW about your methods Mr., Burns; deduc-
tom began the reporter.
.Nothing to it," said the detective vigorously. Il
see what you're coming to- You mean these mys-
teres built up with pen and solved by the color OF
cigar ashes Whenever you hear man talk about
clearing up crime the way Conan Doyle or Gaborau
work it out in print you can know he's bunk talker
"The only thing that goes for detective Is Just
nain common sense. It's not nearly so brilliant OF so
attractive or such good material for fiction as the
genius of Sherlock Holmes But it's the way that
criminals are captured and convicted apply TO my
business simply the ordinary principles OF system
and foresight and practical handling CT facts and
patent investigation that man does who runs store
or n factory And do it without going into trance
"Do start out with a theory? Well, yes. When
YOU base enough threads in your hands you fall N