South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1913-12-27
STATESMEN
REAL AND NEAR
by FRED c. KELLY.
BY FRED c. KELLY.

day, there are times when a good lie
or two is absolutely essential
"Of course" explained Burns. I'VE
don't call IL lying, but finesse, which
may be the same thing. though il GER
tainly sounds more polite and gen
teel."
Burns cited couple of nlustra-
tions in proof. as ne declared, OF the
Justification OF lying.
Some years ago when Burns was
in the United States Secret Service,
one Of his most important cases was
that Of the famous Monroe head
counterfeiters. 1t was a particularly
important case. inasmuch as the
counterfeit bill was one Of the first
detection even by the experts For
several weeks Burns and his assist
ants had worked in Philadelphia on
that case and finally had brought
things to a focus. one more day and
they would have their victims, but il
was necessary 10 go TO Lancaster Pa.
to make the arrests, and moreover il
was essential to proceed with extreme
caution. The least suspicion that
they were being watcher would have
driven the counterfeiters TO the great
uncharted land of Whereabouts I'm
known.
Just at that stage of the game a
young reported from one Of the Phil
adelphia afternoon papers popped
into Burns hotel room with this eX-
ultant information:
Mr.. Burns" said he. i've found
out what you're doing here!'
Now, II the young man really did
know what Burns was doing there.
and should say anything about it,
Burns was distinctly up against a dis
tressing situation and the intricate
work of several weeks would go for
naught Whether the young chap
knew or did not know the truth,
Burns was well aware that for him to
show alarm might be fatal. So he
merely inquired, casually;
"All right IN bite. What is it
I'm doing here?''
You're here" replied the report
er. with conviction, ION the trail of
the Monroe head counterfeiterS."
II Burns had been afflicted with a
weak heart he would doubtless have
died right there. Or il he had mere
ly given one convulsive move of an
eye winker, it would have confirmed
the. young mans suspicious.
SO the detective did neither. He
threw about himself a great fake
cloak Of unconcern, pulled his cigar
and asked:
Very well, then, since you know,
what is il you wish TO see me about"
"Oh. 1 simply want to get a few
facts from you to embellish the
story" replied the youth, guilelessly.
Nav. naw." laughed Burns. keep
ing up his disinterested air, I'm per-
fectly willing for you TO print what
ever you want to about me, only. of
course l can't be quoted in the mat
ter-inasmuch as there's no truth in
it. Go ahead and print il, though,
and I won't say anything about il.
That is, won't deny it. In that way
you can get the credit and there will
be no harm done"
Yes, but | don't want TO print il
unless it's So" declared the young
man.
We'll. then" observed Burns. in
his winning, fatherly way, better
leave it alone, son. Do as you think
best, though.
And he began 20 ply the young man
with questions about street car routes
political scandal and other topics, for
the sake of changing the subject
Then suddenly remarked Burns:
do you know, I've half a notion
to tell you what l really am doing
here. You're young and full of enter
prise and ginger. and without throw
ing any salve. there's something about
you that 1 like. If I could just trust
you to keep q secret for another "a
hours or So"
It'll be just like putting your Sc
cret down a Well" exclaimed the
youngster.
"I really have no right 10 give it
out" said Burns. but Chief Wilke is
going to be here from Washington
this afternoon, and I'm going To try
to talk him into giving the story to
you. All yoG'll need to do then Will
be TO sit tight for a day or a day and
a half and then you'll have an eXclu-
sive yarn that'll shake the town."
when do l get it," asked the re-
porter, eagerly.
"Oh. come back here at 4 o'clock
or half past" suggested Burns, with a
yawn.
The moment the visitor was gone,
Burns rushed to the long distance
phone and CO He'd up Chief Wilke in
Washington. He told him that some
thing frightfui had happened and 10
come TO Philadelphia on the next
train. Wilke did. Burns laid the sit
uatiOn before him and they began to
grOpe for a substitute story to give
to the paper. in order 10 drive the
cOunterfeiting story clear out of the
papers mind. For an hour or more
they sat there trying TO hit on some
thing plausible, and at last sthey
dreamed just what they wanted.
That was the year of the Spanish
American war, and this was the story
Burns and Wilke thought up: 4 CO.
terie Of whoselasale coal dealers in
Philadelphia were known to be Sc
cretly selling coal to the Spanish
government. 1T was believed that
when the facts came out the public
would be so incensed over such an
unpatriotic and traitorous proceed
ing that the men would be in grave
danger of lynching. The thing would
have 10 be handled with great care
TO avoid bloodshed. They expected
10 make public the names OF the
wicked coal dealers the next day.
With the assurance that he would
have the exclusive Information on the
details OF this great story when it
broke. the reporter with the tip
about the counterfeiters went his
way until the morroww. That night
Burns and his men captured the
commentators RurnS saws no * Ger