The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-03-29
BURNS RELATES INSIDE
 HISTORY OF SAN FRANCISCO CRAFT AND DYNAMITE SCANDALS

If Sam Gompers' ears didn't burn last night for about three hours, it wasn't the fault of William J. Burns. The detective spoke before a jolly gathering of the University club and the Seaside club at the lattef's club- house, and with an attendance of nearly 50O,. the famous sleuth spoke from s:3O to Il o'clock.
 He detailed the San Francisco graft prosecutions, the Los Angeles dyna- hitting case. the Columbus, O., graft cases and enriched his talk with a wealth of interesting anecdotes of per- Sonal experiences. But ever and anon did he return to his foe, Sam Comp CTS, president of the American Fed eration of Labor. By indirection he accused Gompers of bad faith, and then again he gave the famous labor leader the lie direct
 Burns riddled the political boss as a type. He praised the common sense of the great American people, and said that the people themselves were competent to settle any question, and that the people themselves were to blame for bossism because they failed to take the necessary interest in polt- tics to oust the bosses.
 The detective, faultlessly attired in evening dress, looked more the part of the successful business man than the sleuth hound. His clear, strong voice was audible at all times, and made it possible for the most distant auditors to catch every word.
 Much of what Burns said was not new to his auditors but like every interesting happening, when recount ed by one who has played an active part in it, the various clements of the : cases he detailed, rich in humor, not without pathos. and replete with the oft repeated stories of human frail- ties, compelled the earnest attention of every nearer.
 One of Burns first points of attack was the system of political bossism. What we want is leaders, not bosses, '' he exclaimed. tLeave any import ant question to the people, and as they settle it, they will settle it right, and settle it for all time to come''
 Unfortunately he added. many of those individuals who think they are possessed of superior wisdom are only feeling themselves and nobody else. The great trouble is that many men, you busy men of affairs, have come to believe that these bosses can settle your affairs better than you yourselves can settle them.
 Make it unprofitable for the cor rupt political crook who gets into of flee and then sells out the people. Teach that fellow he can't get away with it," said Burns.
 Then he dwelt upon the situation at Columbus. O., where he said there were a lot of political crooks, members of the Legislature, Senators who thought they were elected to go to the Legislature and see how much money they could get, not to represent the people, but to represent themselves.
 "Of course" interjected Burns, you can find crooks in almost every Leg islature." A storm of laughter fol- lowed this accusation. 'But I want to tell you that the day is coming when the people are going to stop it. Burns told how the manufacturing in- terests of Ohio came to him for relief from the legislative hold-ups. He sent his men there, keen, bright. clean, honest fellows, he said, who had instructions to get a room in hotel. and wait for developments. The men gave it out that they were interested in the passage of a certain measure.
 Don't you go to them," Burns told his men, They'll come to you' Aokea Aoa the ous 5peakar w on 6ad of the the o came in, and his price was $25.OOO for the passage of the bill The price was brought down to $5,0OO Then the de- tectiveS arranged for each of the leg islators to come after his share. They came, all who had been declared in, except the last, and he sent the ser geant-atarmS, who is now doing three and one-half years. And the legisla- tors are going up, one by one, as the trials are finishing.
 Burns f1ayed the crooked detectives and the crooked lawyers alike.
 Private detectives as class are the greatest lot of blackmailing thieves that ever went unwhipped of justice" !" said he.
 He reviewed the Erie, Pa, mauso- leum dissertation by private detectives who secured the work of running down the miscreants, told of the black hand letter written by the crooked and of tho orrocf af one nf