Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-07-25
GOVERNMENT DETECTIVES
BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN.

| found it almost impossible to deal
with automobile stealing because
| stolen cars were almost always quick.
| ly taken to distant States for altera.
| ton and sale, the Federal law has
greatly enabled Federal investigators
to break up this form of crime.
Illicit garages have been ferreted out,
and gangs of auto thieves broken up
and imprisoned. The Durkin case in
Chicago, In which a Federal agent
was slain in the course Of his duty,
began as an auto theft case. Durkin
had been trailed, not literally fol-
lowed but carefully traced, through
| many States in stolen cars prior to
his attempted arrest which ended in
murder, of which he has since been
convicted.
Help Other Departments.
The Bureau of Investigation is
wholly separate from the prohibition
force, which belongs under Treasury
Department auspices. but Federal at.
torneys sometimes have the aid of
Department of Justice operatives in
building UP big bootleg cases The
recent trial of a bootleg ring in New
York revealed the quiet. secret hand
OF the bureau operatives. This was
case in which one witness testified
that a United States Coast Guard
boat actually ran whisky ashore for a
master gang OF bootleggers. This
!, witness, who was also one Of the de.
PENDANTS, testified to a long period
of hiding in New York and a later
fight to Canada. He had assumed
various names. His associates thought
he was safely missing" and so did
most of the Government authorities
Then one day he walked into court
and took the witness stand.
1t developed that Bruce A. Bielaski,
former chief of the Bureau OF In
vestigation and at the time engaged
as special Government counsel, had
never lost track of the man, and when
he was ready for him had sent officers
who brought him into Bielaski's Of
fee. A very few words showed this
man that Bielaslxi knew all about his
career, and he readily agreed to take
the stand and tell the whole truth.
Up to this point. while hundreds Of
columns had been printed about the
case since the first Indictment,
neither the public nor the press nor
most Government authorities even
knew that Bielaski was doing any
Government work.
Building Reputation.
The Bureau of Investigation is
building up for itself, since relieved
Of its war and postwar duties, a. repu-
tation similar to the Treasury Secret
Service. The latter service, which
has practically broken up counter
feiting and keeps its eye on other
offenses against the public finances,
and also guards the President of the
United States, has long been respected
and feared.
Both services pick their men with
care and put them through careful
training and probation periods. They
must learn, above all else, not to
talk. They must be satisfied with
the approval of their superiors, the
rewards. and the promotions of the
service, and the pleasure of serving
their country well, and get along with
out public acclaim. The less the pub
lie knows about them the better. The
Government operative seldom even
appears as a witness. His case
is best handled If handled with
out any appearance by himself even
in court. To do this he must be a
lawyer, or very well versed in the
law of evidence, and that has been
made a primary requirement. Hence
the Government detective of today
does not WELD a wicked sheer nor
an ugly club, but he Is the most
efficient investigator the country has
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