The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1912-09-29
By JAMES b. MORROW


cal college, baffied 4nterviewers and in
vestigators for years in all their attempts
to learn his name in full On the rolls of
scientific societies, in books and govern
ment records, at the bottom of letters
written by himself, in authorized bio
graphical sketches. everywhere and to
everybody, he was plain w MCGEE,
without periods. commas, or question
marks.
Naturally people wondered and specu-
lated Meanwhile W said nothing, cog
nomenally, II there happens to be such
an adverb in the English language. He
was shrewd and resourceful man. hav-
ing hunted raccoons as boy. and hav-
ing learned to be a blacksmith by pur-
chasing a shop and watching his hired,
man shoe horses and repair wagons and
farm machinery.
Apprentices in those days were
slaves" he once told me. II meant to
be a blacksmith, but I did not purpose
TO submit to physical servitude. Renting
a shop and buying the necessary tools,
sat down on the anvil and waited. The
thing happened exactly as 1 had figured
1t out blacksmith came along and
asked for a job. hired him and learned
the trade under his tutorship, doing the
heavy work with the sledge and keeping
my eyes open while he hammered the
iron and turned 1t with his tongs."
Still newspaper men thought them
selves sharp enough to trap him into
telling that which he was determined TO
keep to himself. I had parted for
moment or two when I confidently In
ouired: But what name did the minis
ter use when he baptized your?
Il have never undergone that pious and
peculiar ceremony" he answered. But"
he suddenly observed, I shall tell you
all about it I read Blackstone as
youngster and practiced law little, out
not for money. In one instance, my
name in a certain document was not
exactly like my signature at the end.
The lawyer on the other side scored
against me. Right there, I decided to
be W. J. MCGEE and never anything else
NOT William J.. nor Walter J., but just
W. j Coming to Washington and ap-
plying for an Office, 1 signed myself w.
J. MCGEE The application was taken
to Mai Powell head of the Geological
Survey If that's his name Mai Pow
ell remarked. and all of his name, then
the points should come out and he should
lie known as W MCGEE And I ac-
cepted his suggestion because it was
sound.
so far, so good" I said, but COM
ing right down TO brass tacks, what is
your name?"
wv T.
7 understand. Nevertheless, answer me
this: What did your mother call you?"
The question contained a brilliant turn,
! thought.
''Oh. she wasn't particular; she used
several names-'my SON and my boy
among the rest
And your playmates?" I inquired,
somewhat chastened by my quest
Usually I might say generally, they
called me by one of my nicknames."
Therefore, we passed on to something
else. Anyway, I had learned why the
periods came out, and that, to call in
the help of threadbare word. had been
the crux of the whole controversy ever
since it began.
How Burns Spots a Liar. Il
Detectives in the secret service of the
national government say that William ].
Burns invariably knows when a man
under arrest or suspicion is not telling
the truth. l asked him, when l inter
viewed him in Chicago, how he went
about the task.
Il don't go about it: 1 simply watch
and listen to what the other fellow has
to say" he replied "A liar, whether
in my office, in Jail, or on the witness
stand works his Adams apple in a Pc
culiar way, crosses and recrosses his
legs, or leans forward with a lowering
look Often he asks that questions be
repeated and then gives loud replies
His conduct is totally unlike the man
who is frightened or straight in his
answers 1t is so If he attempts to dis
guse his handwriting. He will slip, that
is. forget himself in the labor of COM
position and write naturally in places.
All the while, however, he imagines he
is doing a craftsma like job and cover
ing his tracks.
"AIl liars, thieves, and swindlers are
cyclists. They are smarter. they be-
lieve, than honest men. No matter how
carefully they plot, they overlook. as
has been truly said, a vital point in
their plan of escape. Caught, they re-
fleet upon their scheme while serving
in Jail and say to themselves: The next
time we shall come through AS soon
as they leave prison they try the same
scheme again, improved, as they think,
so that they are sure to get away. But
they fail at some other angle and once
more are behind the bars. So they live.
locked up for longer periods than they
are free. ever experimenting, always
failing, but learning nothing in the end.
The Burns declaration that the sup
posed safeguards of every criminal
amateur or professional, are defective
somewhere, has been substantiated with
in his own experience over and over
again Here is one Of the stories he
told me about Taylor and Bredell, who
rented part of a building In Philadelphia
and MADE plates lTOHl s4V'VoV'VV0
of counterfeit money was to be printed,
after which the plates were to be broken
I'D and the evidence of guilt destroyed:
IT had only theory to &C on" Burns
said. After sitting New York went
10 Philadelphia. Taylor and Bredell pre-
tended TO do a general engraving BUSH
ness. They worked in a back room,
taking the plates home at night. L
learned however that they locked up
the plates at noon when they went out
of the building for lunch. A boy opened
their shop in the morning and swept
the floor I had another boy meet MIN
on the street
"sDo YOU want to make 50 cents? my
boy asked. 49,.
Sure the other little chap replied |
"'Then take this bundle to the Hotel
Walton and give 1t to Mr.. Mathews, the
theatrical manager PIP $685..
II" Burns remarked, was Mr.. Math-
ews. The boy came. Yes, be would Ike 10
work In my theater. had him put on
a suit of velvet clothing and step into
the next room and see my assistant.
While he was gone 1 had a duplicate
made of the key that was in his pocket.
After that went In and out of Taylor
& Bredell's engraving establishment
about as 1 pleased. Nor did have to
break in the door. draw crowd and get
into an argument with the police. When |
tie plates were done, We raided the |
Diace"