The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1912-07-26

to have the charges sifted to the bot
tom as quietly as possible and make
report to the White House. At that
time Wrisley Brown, aged twenty
eight recent graduate of Columbia
law school, held post in the bureau
OF investigation Of the department OF
Justice. Mr. Wickersham put this
young man on the case, instructtng
him to get at the bottom Of the facts,
regardless of who might be hit.
The job that confronted Mr.. Brown
was one that might well have dis
couraged a less resolute man. He had
to start In on a mass of indefinite,
hearsay evidence brought by Boland.
To corroborate or refute this he had
TO go into country dominated, prac-
tically owned, by railroad interests
and interrogate people who not only
feared this railroad influence but were
distinctly friendly to the man whose
record Brown was trying to either
clear or discredit. He had to get
from these people information without
the powerful lever of the subpoena or
other legal advantages. Moreover, he
had to work with the knowledge that
both the attorney general and the
president would be happy If he could
honestly report in favor of Judge
part might be halted by the powerful
Penrose organization in Pennsylvania,
OF which Judge Archibald, a Taft APP
pointee recommended by Senator Pen
rose, had long been a member
1t was with full knowledge of these
difficulties that Attorney General
Wickersham selected the quiet young
lawyer to make the investigation.
Brown has stood the test of fire be-
fore. In spite of offers of bribe,
threats of personal violence and the
an effort to eliminate him from the
government service he had ruthless
~ prosecuted the campaign against
bank-wreckers, bucket shops and
fraudulent stock selling concerns
which had been intrusted to his care
by the department of justice. He was
hardly known outside of Washing
ton TO the great mass of the people
but the forces of evil he had attacked
knew him to their sorrow.
When Brown reached Scranton he
found conditions there no less diff
cult than he had anticipated. That
he overeame these difficulties is
strongly testified to by the vote Of
the lower house which determined by
an almost unanimous vote that
Browns findings were sufficient to
warrant the institution OF 1mpeacn-
ment proceedings in the upper branch
OF congress.
In Scranton II was one continuous
fight to get possession of the facts.
1t required, too. almost unlimited per-
severance and tact, Many witnesses
were examined, the most of them
reluctant, and the personality of the
investigator was the strongest weapon
at his command. When he returned to
Washington, few weeks later, he was
armed with so many facts that the
report he made drew the instant at
tention Of the president.
The president at once transmitted
Mr.. Browns report together with the
evidence to the house. The action
of that body in ordering the i'm
parchment showed how thoroughly
the young attorney had worked up
the evidence, for 1t was almost entire
ly upon his findings that the houses
action was based.
Wrisley Brown has a charming
personality. Unusually quiet and
courteous his manner Is almost that
OF studious, self effacement His ag-
gTessfveness is shown in his work
rather than In his conversation. He
Is close observer of human nature
and to his study Of it he brings a
keen, analytic mind.