Evening star., 1934-12-15
FUNERAL TODAY
FOR !. T. W|[K|E
Former Head of U. S. Secret
Service Became Public
Utilities Magnate.

Funeral services today for John E.
Wilkie, former chief Of the United
States Secret Service, recalled many
Of the spectacular exploits Of the
man who directed the Governments
agents from 1898 to 1918.
Mr.. Wilkie, IA, died in Chicago
Thursday and the funeral was to be
held there today. Prior to his career
as secret service director, he served
as city editor of the Chicago Tribune
and later became a public utilities
magnate there.
Mr.. Wilkes most brilliant achieve
ments as head of the Secret Service
were checkmating Spanish spies dur
ing the Spanish War and
the smashing of q 10000, 900 coun-
terfeiting ring in Philadelphia.
He broke up the latter by opening
an engraving Office in the Quaker City.
Advertising for expert engravers, he
soon found the one who had made
the plates for the counterfeiting gang,
and through him sent 13 persons to
prison.
Story Of Spanish Spies.
One story Of Spanish spies, at least,
comes down to us. The Spanish agent
in Toronto, a Senor Carranza, for
merly naval attache in Washington,
was closeted in his quarters for an
hour and half the morning of May
s, 1898, with black eyed, dark faced
young man whom the American secret
agent had never seen before. He
heard enough of their conversation
through the walls to learn that the
newcomer had been engaged as a
special agent Of the Spanish govern
ment. After the interview, the young
man boarded a train for Washington
Formerly a British subject, he had
been naturalized and for time served
on the cruiser Brooklyn, but had lost
his place. He was willing to sell any
information he could get.
Agents picked up his trail when he
alighted at the Washington terminal,
followed him to his boarding house on
E street, saw him enter the Navy
Department, where he remained for
two hours. Then he returned conyen-
tionally enough to his boarding house.
Not long after he again emerged.
making his way to the Post Office. As
he dropped his letter in the slot, the
deft hand Of an operative snatched it
quickly out. Taken to Mr.. Wilkie, it
proved to contain important naval
information. The young man was
arrested at ii that night, and hanged
himself in prison two DAYS afterward
Most Satisfying Achievement.
In 1911, when a reporter asked Mr..
Wilkie his most satisfying achieve
ment, the former newshawk replied
Immediately:
My happiest achievement was the
introduction Of the ne-day-off- "A week
system among the reporters of the
Chicago Tribune when I was city
editor"
Born in Elgin. Ill, April 27. 1860,
ne was the son of a noted newspaper
man. Frank B. Wilkie. He began on
the Tribune in 1877 and was twice
sent abroad as its representative.
He was chosen chief of the Secret
Service by Frank A. Vanderlip, then
Assistant Secretary of the Treasury,
whom Secretary Gage had told to en-
list gentleman, a diplomatist with
executive ability. a man who can be
at home with prince or pauper, of
perfect honesty and, above all. a man
OF perseverance. Mr.. Wilkie accepted
the surprising offer after a week of
deliberation.
His widow, Mrs Jane Ormsbee Wilkie:
a daughter, Mrs. Ira j. Owen, and a
son, Donald w. Wilkie of Los Angeles.
who has just published a book, en-
titled Secret Service Agent" survive
him.