Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1927-11-13
BURNS AGENTS
sold OUT BY
own EMPLOYE
Former Kelly Field
Officer Helps u. S.
Weave Net Around
Detectives

WASHINGTON, d. G., Nov. 12.-R
Testimony that the Burns Detective
agency fabricated reports for use
should the defense in the FaIIs-Sin-
clair oil conspiracy case decide that
= mistrial was necessary, was pre-
scented today 70 the grand Jury in
eestlgating the surveillance Of the
trial jurors.
IL was furnished by one OF Burns
OWN operatives, who since October "a
had been assisting the government IN
weaving a net about william j..
Burns, his son. W. Sherman Burns
and the more thar a dozen detectives
sent here az the behest Of Henry
Mason Day. one OF Harry r.. Sin
rlair's confidential associates.
False Statement Charged
This operative IA William j. Me-
Mullin, Of Philadelphia, a World War
veteran and known TO Burns men as
William 8. Long, with the code desig-
nation Of L-36. He swore that those
declining the jury shadowing oper
ntions required him 70 swear 10 a
false affidavit on which William J..
Burns based his charge Of jury tam
perinQ BIZ government agents and
which was presented 70 the oil trial
Judge. Justice Frederick l.. SiddonS,
By counsel for Burns.
McMullin declared that az the
time the affidavit MSS presented,
the elder Burns, founder Of the de-
tective agency, knew hat IL was
false. This affidavit mad 70 do with
the alleged activities Of Harris r.
Lamb, a special assistant 70 the at
torney general, whom McMullin de-
elares was never Swallowed for even
n moment
Pinehot Appears
Some Of the high lights in McMul-
Inns whole story were made public
by District Attorney Gordon after
former Governor Pinchot Of Pennsyl-
sania had appeared before the grand
jury TO tell that McMullin had vol
unfairly come to him on October "a,
seven days after the Teapot Dome
trial started, and explained what the
Burns men were undertaking TO do.
Pinchot reported immediately 70
Owen .. Robins OF special govern
ment oil counsel. and plans then we're
laid 70 trap the private operatives.
Under orders of the government, Nc
Mullin continued 10 serve with the
Burns agency and the story Of how
he and the government prosecutors
outwitted the Burns men. including
william ]. Burns himself. reads al
most like a moving picture scenario.
As Gordon told the story in the
presence Of Pinchot and McMuilin.
the Philadelphia man. who formerly
was an insurance adjuster. was en-
ployed BY the Burns agency on Oc-
tober 10 and sent here on October
rs. after the oil trial jury had been
sworn In.
False Reports Signed
eMcMullin became SO disgusted
within a few days hat he went 10
Governor Pinchot." Gordon said. "He
had read in the newspaper that
Pinchot was in town and he sought
him out because, as he expressed IL,
he knew the governor was on the
level"
Robins could scarcely believe the
story at the outset. but had Nc
Mullin continue with the Burns men
and report 10 the prosecutors. Nc
Nuliin, Il was stated. became disgust
gu WAAMWHE HNA4AAA" ~ ANANAN NA
charge Of the Burns operatives. re-
quired him 70 sign reports which
both knew had not the slightest
foundation In fact. McMullin told
The district attorney that these re-
ports, bearing on the alleged move
nents OF Lamb were "a be used IN
the defense found IL necessary TO
move for a mistrial.
II was on the basis Of McMullin's
Yeports that government counsel fin
ally went before Justice Siddons 10
present the reports Of the activities
of The Burns men and ~ suggest q
mistrinl in which defense counsel
Ieined. This was On October 3f.
McNuIlin unsupported
Still the Burns people were In liz
rorance as 20 how the government
rot its information. McMullin never
came under suspicion and two days
after the mistrial was ordered, he
was asked 10 make an affidavit based
upon the false reports he said he had
signed concerning the activities Of
Lamb. ~the government agent" TO
which Burns referred in making his
charge Of jury tampering BY the gov
eminent.
As The story was related by Cor
don. McMullin declined Ia do SO un-
til he could see the report dealing
with Lamb. He was sparrinr for
time until he could see Roberts.
He was told 70 return 70 Philadel-
phia, which Ne did after reporting 20
Roberts. The report had been sent
70 New York and a Burns agent was