The Taney County republican. (Forsyth, Mo.) 1895-1992, 1911-05-11
Burns Secret Leaks Ont.

/
Chicago detective against the McNam-
ara brothers for participation In the
Los Angles Times and other dynamite
outrages through the country will large
ly rest upon statements declared to
have been made by the accused them
selves without their knowledge, in the
hearing of unseen witnesses.
The discovery that the three opera
tives of Burns, arrested at Columbus,
O. while engaged in fereting out legis-
lative corruption there, had been using
a dictog1aph to overhear the supposed
ly confidential conversation of legis-
lators and lobbyist, is said here to fore
shadow the announcement of an even
more startling use of the instrument in
Los Angles case.
The fact that Burns has been en-
ploying such methods in working up
his cases against suspects has been
carefully guarded as one of his opera
tives the only person who knew of it
was K. M. Turner of New York inven-
tor of the instrument. Absolved from
the further obligation of secrecy about
it by acknowledgement of the former
Secret Service man, when his men
were arrested in Columbus that they
had been employing it, Turner told the
story today.
Burns said Turner has been
using the dictograph for year in all
of his important indoor work and has
found it very effective, in providing
him with means of keeping in touch
with the conversation of suspected per
sons in rooms to which he is unable
to gain access without betraying his
presence and showing his hand. In
this way he can place the transmittel
behind picture on the wall, the clock
on the mantlepiece or attach it to the
bed spring as is done frequently those
watching in an adjoining room with
pad and pencil in hand can keep an
absolutely correct and unimpeachable
record of everything that is said. Burns
nsed the instrument in the Illinois
Central scandal and in that connected
with Chicago and Western Indiana
case. Because of the facility with
which the transmitter, about the size
of an inkwell, was concealed its pres
ence was not discovered in either case
and invaluble information concerning
the plans of those on the inside be-
came known to the detectives detailed
to the investigation! When the COM
plete story of the case against the Los
Angles dynamiters is told, the part
played in it by the dictograph in re-
cording supposedly confidential con-
versations will add a new and dramatic
chapter to the scientific work of the
modern detective. In the past prose-
cutting officers have had to depend a
good deal on circumstantial evidence,
often not trustworthy. This does away
with such evidence where the instru-
ment can be introduced without at
tracing attention and definitely fixes
responsibility on those engaged in
crime or acts in violation of law"
Chief Wilkie of the United States
Secret Service has been using the die
tograph for several years and Burns,
while member of the organization be-
came acquainted with peculiar ability
to pick up a whisper in room and
make it distinctly audable in distant
room to which it is connected. The
instrument has been installed in Police
headquarters in Brooklyn for the last
thirteen months. It is also extensive
" employed in the financial district to
enable financiers to have secret record
kept of the conversation of visitors for
such reference as future needs may
make necessary. Most of the Offices
of the Standard Oil and John D. Rookie
feller's National City Bank are equip
ped with it.