Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1910-02-21
SERVICE
MEN EMPLOYED
BY GOVERNMENT
Army of Special Men Who
Report Violations of
the Federal
Law.
WAS ORGANIZED
IN YEAR OF l776
Established Coincident with
Creation of the Treas.
ury Department.
(By SIDNEY EsPEY }


the wake OF the evil doer who at
tempts 10 undermine the basic prin-
ciples OF the federal laws is an army
or secret agents. employed by the
various branches OF the government.
Tho scope OF this work not only en-
braces what is popularity known AS
the Secret Service, which particular
~ an adjunct of the Treasury De-
partment, but other branches of the
government The operatives are
variously called dark lantern men"
special agents vestigators"
and field operators" Their work
in general is TO report violations OF
the federal laws to their respective
apartments
The Secret Service OF the Treas
ury department which was establish.
I'd coiucident With iae erection Of
che department itself in 1878. heads
the list in effectiveness OF results ac-
complished by It's separate and di e
tinct corps OF detectives.
Tho Department OF Justice has it's
special agents; tho Department OF
Agriculture it's examiners, operating
under tho recently enacted pure food
law; the Department OF Interior, lts
examiners add special field agents.
who have saved hundreds OF thous-
ands OF acres OF land OF the public
domain from the speculation Of land
sharks; tho Depar tment OF Com
merce and Labor. itO examiners and
inspectors who deal with the Ques-
uons re pecting immigration, cor
porations. steamboat inspectors, ata.: !:
the Interstate Commerce Commits
sion It's dark lantern men, who keep
an eye on violations by railroad
companies, and the Treasury De-
partment. It's Secret Service who
have reduced the crime OF counter
feiters TO a minimum; and the In
ternal Revenue Agents. who have
practically broken up the business Of
Illicit distillertes
The Secret Service OF the Treasury
Department La under the leadership Of
Chief John Il. Wilkie. who has been
associated with that ONCE TOR about
twelve years. During that time he
has been instrumental in breaking up
several notorious gangs Of counter
teiters in Philadelphia, Mex York.
New Orleans, San Francisco and
other cities. The "revenuers have
practically put the Illicit disttlers OF
the "moonshine' district 0f- Ken
tucky and Tennessee out OF susiness.
The operatives who work the moon
shine country. carry on their cases
unhampered under detailed instruc-
tions from Washington. T'or this
reason very little information IL Civ.
on out TO the public concernIng their
activities. When a case" a. made
facts are usually reported 20 tho
central once in the Treasury build
Ing and prosecution In the federal
courts is undertaken. On some Of
these cases operatives spend months
.of work before On arrest is maco.
often living ia the nsigbborhood
whore Illicit disilling Is Thought 70
thrive, under an assumed character.
AZ different times the Secret Ser
vice is called In TO aid other depart
menS Durins tho isnd traud in-
vestigatiOn By the EeDartnent of
Interior, certain secret service men
were temporarily loaned 70 the de-
partment for the purpose OF working
up cases against alleged land grab
bers. in conjunction with special
agents Of that department. Tho TO
suit has been that many land
sharks" we're sent TO prison. while a
number OF criminal prosecutions are
still pending in the West.
Through tho efforts OF former Sc