The Washington herald., 1912-06-30
Overcome Obstacles
In Archibald Case
WriSLey BroWn Looming Large in Department OF
Justice StaH-A Hard Fighter.

Just as the charges and pending i'm
parchment proceedings against Judge
Robert W. Archibald. of the United States
Commerce Court. bid fair TO unmake one
man. so the sitting of those charges and
the preparation OF the case against the
Federal Judge promises TO disclose to the
country a new and scintillating figure
maong the guardians Of Uncle Sam S
laws and institutions.
Among the shrewd young lawyers in
the bureau Of investigations-the new
secret service II is called-of the Depart
ment Of Justice, a number of more than
ordinarily capable men have been found,
men whose shrewdness and persistency
have proven stumbling blocks for viola
tors OF the law, big and little. Few.
however, have been called upon to stand
the tests Of strength which Wrisley
Brown. one OF the youngest Of that body,
has come through victorious.
Mr.. Brown is only twenty-eight years
old. He graduated from the G. W. L.
Law School in this city in 1907. But in
the four years since he has been with
Uncle Sam he has turned an extraordi-
nary legal mind, backed by a bulldog
persistency and a natural ability to solve
men and problems of human nature, to
such account that he is recognized as
one Of the strongest figures in the body
Of legal lights which wickersham, Taft's
fighting Attorney General, has gathered
around him.
wickersham Selects Brown.
When William P. Boland, the Scranton
coal operator who preferred tthe original
charges against Judge Archibald, had
succeeded in calling his charges u the
attention Of the President, the latter in
Etructed his Attorney General to have
the charges sifted TO the bottom as quiet
ly as possible, and make a report to
the White House Realizing not only the
seriousness Of the charges, but the difi-
Guilty which would be experienced by
any one attempting to sift them with
out notoriety, Mr.. wickersham called In
Nj. Brown, and put him on the case.
His instructions to Brown were to get
at the bottom Of the facts, regardless
OF who might be hit, and report his
findings
Mr.. Brown had to start in on a mass Of
indefinite, hearsay evidence brought by
Boland. To corroborate or refute this he
had to go into a country dominated. prac-
tically owned. by railroad interests, and
interrogate people who not only feared
this railroad influence, but were dis
tinctly friendly to the man whose record
Brown was trying either to clear or
hopeiessly discredIt. He had to get from
these people information without the
powerful lever Of the subpoena or other
legal advantages.
Expected stin Opposition.
Further, he mad to work with the
knowledge that both the Attorney Cen
eral and the President would be happy
If he could honestly report in favor
Of Judge Archibald. and that any move
on his part might be hampered by the
powerful Penrose organization in Penn
sylvania, Of which Judge Archibald, a
Taft appointee recommended by Senator
Penrose, had long been a member.
II was with full knowledge Of these
difficulties that Attorney General Wick
ersham selected the quiet young lawyer
to make the investigation. Brown had
stood the test Of fire before. In spite Of
offers Of bribeE threats OF personal vio-
lence, and the use Of great political in
huence IN an effort to eliminate him from
the government service, he had ruth |
lessly prosecuted the campaign against
bank wreckers. bucketshops, and fraudu- |
lent stock selling concerns which had |
been intTusted to his care by the De-
psrtment Of Justice. He was hardly /
known outside Of Washington to the |
great mass Of the people. but the forces |
Of evil he had attacked knew him to |
their sorToW.
When Mr.. Brown reached Scranton he