The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1919-03-27

surrection, the first OF many wars in
which he was to have a part. Some
thing led him to seek work In Show
hogan, and he was here employed by
Paul & Emery to work In their mar
ket, then located in the building now
occupied by the Lewia Shoe Store.
His salary was $500 per month and
board With his employers he learn
ed to be butcher and meat cutter.
A few years later he and Alexander
Lumsden established a business Of
this kind In the basement of the South
Side Grocery. They built up a good
business, and at the end Of the year
Mr.. Cairns sold out and went to work
for Lyman Jewett and George Fair
brother In the old Paul & Emery
market About this time Mr. Cairns
was married to Miss Lillian Murphy,
daughter Of the late Dennis Murphy Of
this place. Following the market
business, Mr.. Cairns formed partner
ship with Levi C. Emery, originally Of
the firm OF Paul & Emery above men
toned, In the old brick store. In
1887 he sold out as his health seemed
to demand a change, and went to Cali
fornia, got his health back there but
did not find the country commercially
attractive, so returned to Skowhegan.
In 1889 he formed a partnership with
Everett T. Goodrich, this firm doing
successful business. In 1892 Darius
II. Bartlett became q member of the
company and the firm was moved to
the old Fletcher store. Mr.. Cairns
withdrew from this firm In 1897, going
to Burlington. VT. where he was
backed In small enterprise by Leslie
Brown and Fred Howes. Health
again went wrong but he had recover
ed early in 1899. about the time that
the Maine was sunk at Havana. Cuba.
On writing to Washington to offer his
service to the Secret Service Depart
ment, he promptly received telegram
from Chief Wilkie to report at once.
The Spanish language which ne had
learned during the insurrection in
Cuba, was a great asset He con-
tinued with the Secret Service Bureau
serving mostly In foreign countries,
during the Spanish War. Prior to
the War and after, he did Secret Ser
vice work, mostly hunting out coun-
terfeiters. having charge Of the State
of Indiana and Northern Kentucky
He was sometimes assigned to other
territories to work In big cases with
w. J. Burns and Matt Griffin, who
have since built up international rep
utation In detective work. Early in
1899 Mr.. Cairns was transferred to
the War Department for service In
Cuba, becoming Chief of the Bureau
of Special Agent of the Cuban Gus
toms Service and also having in
charge the Cuban Secret Service Blu
reau for the United States.
There were adventures galore in all
this, any one Of which would of itself
make good Conan Doyle story. Little
appreciated at the time, but of great
subsequent Importance to Mr.. Cairns.
was a chance meeting with young
man. w. Morgan Shuster by name,
who was a Deputy Collector in the
Cuban Customs Service. This ac-
quaintance affected Mr.. Cairns future
career greatly, as will hereafter be
shown. While in the Island Mf.
Cairns was under General Tasker H.
Bliss, then only a Major. who himself
was under General Brooks and Cen
eral Wood. In 1901 Shuster was
made Collector OF Customs for the
Philippine Islands. This gentleman
remembered Mr.. Cairns, his CUBAN
acquaintance, and sent for him TO b
Insular Surveyor Of Customs tor the
Philippines. Mr.. Cairns WAS also
requested to organize Secret service
Bureau to be operated throout' the
Oriental countries under orders from
VIM. H. TAFT who was then Secretary
OF war. This Secret' Service work
led to . new cheptsr Of edvenures in
China and Jak8n, especially during
the RussiAn~JapauesU War. Mr..