The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1932-10-07
Bureau of Investigation Is
Least Advertised.

Washingron.-One of the least ad-
vertised and yet most spectacular of all
federal agencies is the bureau Of in
vestigation of the United States De-
partment Of Justice. To most casual
citizens the bureau is just a name, II
ii is known ar all. The credit for ia
nous cases in which the clinching
evidence against an international thief,
a defaulting banker, or a confidence
man on the high seas was furnished
by an agent from the bureau is gen.
orally given the police
The bureau agents, credited as be
ing the ace detectives in the United
States and American possessions,
avoid the Imelight. Although every
agent is trained in law and account
ing their work is highly secretive. Pub
Lefty is avoided as in contrast to the
counting Of publicity by most investi-
eating bodies.
Some of the most dramatic crimes,
made famous in play and story, come
under the Jurisdiction of this body.
Their field includes crimes on the high
seas. treason. violation Of the national
banking and bankruptcy laws, thefts
from interstate shipments. bribery,
crimes on Indian reservations, escaped
federal prisoners. civil rights, and
domestic violence, and all others not
assigned 10 a specific agency.
In two fields. especially. the Depart
ment Of Justice agency is the protec-
tor Of civil rights and liberties. AS a
co-ordinating policy agency the bu-
reau aids in the capture and convic-
ton Of thousands Of state and national
laws. AT Washington the most CON-
plete fngerprint bureau in the world
is maintained for the aid Of all police
agencies.
Not only are the prints of federal
violators maintained but the prints of
any fugitive wanted by any police de-
partment for any crime from leaving
the scene Of an accident to robbery
with a gun are kept. A free posting"
system. by which any police chief can
have the fngerp-ints Of a fugitive
placed on file is maintained. The
prints Of every arrested man is
checked each time against the files
and cooperation given the correspond
ing police chief.
The arrest and conviction Of Gene
Fins for murder is a case illustrative
Of this work. On February Z, 1881. the
bureau received from the police de-
partment ar Tulsa, Okla, the finger
prints Of Gene Films with a notation
that he was wanted for the murder
Of a police officer. Checking the files
II was ascertained that two days pre-
viously a fngerprint card was received
from St. Paul, Mimi, stating that one
Raymond Parker had been arrested
for investigation. The two prints were
identical and Fins was tried on the
murder charge in Oklahoma and SEN
fenced 10 life Imprisonment. Another
murder suspect was arrested through
the same system as a result of leav-
ing the scene Of an automobile acct
dent.
The other field in which the bureau
comes most in contact with business
and civic leaders is in the investiga-
ton Of all bankruptcy frauds. Prac-
ticaIly the only protection legitimate
business has against the confidence
man and swindler who avails himself
Of the loopholes in the bankruptcy
laws, the bureau investigators are con-
stantly busy checking the schedules
Of bankrupt petitioners. Thousands of
dollars in hidden assets have been re-
turned through this agency.
All violations Of the national bank
ing act come under the jurisdiction
OF the bureau. One Of the most noted
Chicago cases Of recent years was the
arrest and conviction Of John E. NAL