Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1912-08-09

Uncle Sans laws and 1nsututIons'
Among the shrewd young lawyers
In the bureau Of investigations-tne
new secret service It is called OF the
Department of Justice. number OF
more than ordinarily capable men
have been found. men whose shrewd-
ness and persistency have proven
stumbling blocks for violators 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. U. law school in this city in 1907.
But In the four years since he has
been with Uncle Sam he has turned
an extraordinary legal mind, backed
by 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 at
torney general, has gathered around
him
When William F. Boland, to Scran-
tor coal operator who preferred the
original charges against Judge Arch
bald. had succeeded In calling his
charges to the ATTENTION Of the pres
ident, the latter instructed his attor-
ney general to have the charges sift-
Gu to the bottom as quietly as posi-
bic. and make report to the White
House. Realizing not only the seri-
oL5ness of the charges. but the difh-
Guilty which would be experienced by
any one attempting to sift them with
ont notoriety, Mr.. Wickersham called
in Mr.. Brown, and put him on the
case. His instructions to Brown were
to get at the bottom Of the facts, re-
gardless Of who might be hit, and re-
port his findings.
Mr.. Brown had to start in on mass
OF indefinite. hearsay evidence
brought by Boland. To corroborate
or refute this he had to go into
country dominated. practically owned,
by railroad interests. and interrogate
people who not only feared this rail-
road influence, but were distinctly
friendly to the man whose record
Brown was trying either to clear or
hopelessly discredit. He had to get
from these people information with
out the powerful lever of the subpoena
or other legal advantages.
1t was with full knowledge OF these
difficulties that Attorney General
Wickersham selected the quiet young
lawyer to make the investigation.
Brown had stood the test of fire be-
fore. In spite Of offers Of brides,
threats of personal violence, and the
use Of great political influence in an
effort to eliminate him from the gov
eminent service. he had ruthlessly
prosecuted the campaign against bank
wreckers bucketshops, and fraudu-
lent stock selling concerns which had
been instructed to his care by the de-
partment 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 sorrow.
When Mr.. Brown reached Scranton
he found conditions no less difficult
than he had anticipated That he
overcame these difficulties is strongly
testified to by the House Committee
on Judiciary, which by unanimous
vote declared for the institution of
impeachment proceedings against
Judge Archibald almost entirely up
on the framework of the case Brown
made out without the help Of a sub
pOena