Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-03-04

eral Prison At LeayenwOrth, Kans
This was the method Burns used
when Secretary OF the Interior Hitch
cock assigned Burns to some land
fraud ca srs. After i time Hitchcock
called upon Burrs for a report.
How far have you gomez"
Ear enough answered Burns, TO
know that -- Is taking graft
and Is chiefly instrumental in protect
ing the 'rauds"
The name Burns mentioned was
that Of Republican leader in the
West and man high in Washing
toms official circle, and a PERSONAL
friend Of Hltcheocks
Produces the Evidence.
stop right there" said Hitchcock
you can't accuse a man Of that sort
unless you have the evidence. Have
you got It? II not, get out Of my
office"
Burs put on his hat and walked
out.
But 30 minutes later Burns walked
I'm again with the man he had named.
and had him repeat TO Hitchcock the
confession he had made to Burns an
hour before
chief Wilkie once said Burns gets
confessions from practically every
criminal he goes after because OF his
marvellous knowledge Of the case,
which enables him to catch the Grim
inal upon his slightest slip"
Burns third degree" substitutes
psychology for brutality.
4 pointed example Of how Burns
employs the much-talked of process
Of elimination" in finding unfindable
a. t..
Dana Gatlin's story of the Abe Ruef
San Francisco case, quoting Burns:
Tracing a Letter Writer.
The public sees only outside facts
and results, and the missing links
make the outcome appear mysterious
III illustrate;
zone morning in 1905, while ! was
investigating the oregon land fraud
cases. I walked into the office Of Sec
rotary OF the Interior Hitchcock. He
seemed excited, and, az he was us
ually very placid, asked him what
was the matter.
There is letter'--he fairly bran
dlshed with valuable information.
And from such a coward
II read the letter.
"Mr Secretary, said therell be
no trouble in getting this man
"'Rut he doesn't sign his name
How are you going to find him
(Here Burns dropped into the voice
and manner Of the second speaker
without predatory comment)
We have a way sometimes. Il
spoke with purposeful mystery. The
Secretary looked at me- and l seemed
TO hear him thinking; but all he said
was
'You think you can do it?'
Yes, | think So
How II Was Done.
In q few weeks we got the letter
writer, and subsequently he was in
dicted in connection with the land
frauds
Now, let's see how this particular
mystery pans out" Burns leaned
forward his hand uplifted. preoccu-
pied again by the pleasure of the
chaseD
THE letter was from San Francis
co. You can get an anonymous let
ter mailed anywhere, but this letter
came from someone who, when the
land frauds were committed, was
close in with Benson and Hyde. of
San Francisco. the principal defend
ants. He was delivering goods that
not more than twelve persons could
have handed out.
Taking up the letter by the proc
ess of elimination, ! came to the con-
clusion that the letter was from some
person who had actually participated
IN the work. He told things he could
not otherwise have known; and his
information was accurate. The let
ter went on to say that Burns was
on the right track, but that he should
keep W his work The writer thought
had quit.
Il was able also by the process of
elimination to narrow the possible
list Of twelve down to five or six. in
Guiding the defendants themselves,
! though II wasn't likely they were Civ
ing out information on themselves.
Personal Traps Him.
81 inserted personal in the San
Francisco papers to the effect that the