The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-02-27
2 HE SKI N I. TIE 4
Federal Dc Give Bureau

eQeE01 Dete
Special A agents ef tie
By Rredei
The Bureau Of Investigation Is the
organize tfony which handles ali the
detective work OF the Department OF
/ Jgstlce. IT, IL the youngest Of the
detective bureaus OF the government,
having been in existence but half Il
dozen years. Yet, despite It's youth,
M Is one OF the largest of such
4 agencies in the federal service. The
ranee of Its work is greater than
that Of any other. 1t handles, for
instance, all the INVESTIGATIONS Of VI
1 Citations OF the national banking
laws. neutrality cases, fugitive cases,
antiFtrust cases. bucket shop eases,
bankruptcy cases, white slave cases.
| prosecutions for impefscnating an
officer and many others for which
| specific provision Is not. made else
where. N s..ss 7, y
The cases upon which these detec-
lives work are more important than
those handled by any other such
agency. Their inyestigations lead
TO the hailing into court OF the most
powerful corporations in the country.
They have to do with the relations
that exist between one nation and
another, and may mean war or peace.
The men who carry on this work are
Q new variety Of detective, and much
lof their work has little Of sleuthing
in II. Most Of them are college grad
yates and lawyers admitted to the
bar. Many are expert accountants.
lsAll are men Of personality and re-
source. The nature Of their work
places many requirements upon
them.
The Department Of Justice, for In
stance, not long ago suspected that
there was "a conspiracy in restraint
of trade among certain manufacture
Eers Of glass that Is used for hot
house roofing. Itswanted to ascer-
tain the facts. A special agent was
assigned to the case. His first duty
was to master. the detail of the bust
mess he was to investigate. Nursery
men are the chief Users of this glass,
so he studied the nursery business.
n He SO mastered It that he could
talk shop" He was then able to
assume the, role Of a nurseryman.
Re had also learned who were the
dealers IN this sort OF glass. AS a
nuraeryman who wanted Ito open UP
Inew hot houses on as1arge scale. he
visited these men He talked prices
land bargained with them. He found
that there were certain dealers who
had uniform prices. This indicated
an understanding among them. Hc
became friendly with some of these
|l6ealers.s Eventually one Of them said
| THAT he was unable to make better
price because Of an understanding
among the, dealers. He learned
further. that new, price might be
made in the near future as a meet;
ing was to be held of the men bound
by this understanding. He decided
to wait until after this meeting be-
Ifore buying his glass. In the mean
time he cultivated the acquaintance
/ LOT these dealers. He came to know
them SO we'll that when he appeared
lat the time OF their meeting, his
friends among them asked that he
might attend, as he was greatly IL,
terested in the result of their action
SO he was present and gained infor
nation at first hand about the delib
erations OF these men, and the fiXins
tiof a new price. When the meeting
was concluded, the minutes wer,
seized and the case was complete
There was no other course open Il
the dealers but to plead guilty.
The Bureau Of Investig ation has
branch offices in most Of the larg'
cities, and the men stationed a
these places keep an eye on thu
classes and interests that might VIC
late federal laws. One of these spe
ciai agents was breakfasting IN a. no
tel in q western city one morning
and the cashier OF one OF the bigges
banks In the city was eating crap,
fruit at a nearby table. He squeeze
The juice into a spoon, and as b,
raised ii toward his mouth, his hant
shook TO such an extent that the juic,
was spilled. Even this the specia
agent probably would neyerghave no
ticed. il the cashier had not glance,
furtiyely around to see IL anybod.
: had observed his nervousness.
: ~ The bank OF which this man wa
r the active Head was what is know
/ - - y, ffvri. :. -. rI,; a.