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The Atlanta Constitution,

Wednesday, 20th May 1914,

PAGE 1, COLUMN 7.

With but one dissenting vote, the Board of Police Commissioners last night revoked the permit of the William J. Burns Detective Agency to operate in Atlanta. A recommendation will be sent to the Council at its regular meeting next Monday that the Burns Agency be deprived of authority to operate, and that the license issued to the concern be rescinded.

A resolution was presented and adopted alleging that the Burns Agency had violated numerous clauses of the compact made between the management of the agency and the police commissioners at the time application was made to the Police Board for permission to obtain a license for operation. It was said that the organization had failed in its promise to submit every operative of the service to the Atlanta police department for approval or disapproval, and that, in this respect, the agency had failed to allow the character of its working force to be controlled by the Board of Commissioners.

It was also charged that the Burns people had failed in its agreement to work in harmony throughout its operations with the police department; not only this, but had worked in discord with the police. Another allegation was that the Burns Service had failed to comply with its promise to undertake only such work as was set forth in its application to the commission when the request was made for operating a license such as banking and mercantile interests.

The resolution invoked the Sears Detective Agency, as C. E. Sears had applied for the Burns license, and had been in charge of the local activities of the Burns Service. The police permit was issued to Sears. The resolution was an outgrowth of the operation of the noted sleuth in the Leo M. Frank investigation. There have been rumors for weeks that the Board would take action against Burns at an early date, and there was no surprise when the resolution was presented last night.

Mr. Sears was at the meeting, as was Dan S. Lehon, the Burns side, who has been the center of numerous sensations during recent developments in the Frank case. Boots Rogers and other Burns operatives were also present.

A committee of three was organized to investigate the Burns local service and to report its findings to the Council. It is composed of Commissioners King, Vernoy, and Colcord. They were instructed to ascertain the operatives alleged to be working with the Burns Agency who were not approved by the commission. The committee will meet next Friday and will report to the Council at its regular meeting next Monday, at which time the Board recommendation will also be submitted. Mr. Colcord, who is on this committee, cast the lone dissenting ballot on the Burns question.

The matter went through the commission hurriedly. The resolution was read, presented, and a motion made for its adoption. It was put to question, which caused a momentary delay. No question arose. The vote was cast, after which Mr. Sears arose, saying that every man attached to the local Burns Agency had been approved by the police department. "I would also like to be able to make a defense," he declared. He was informed that the opportunity had passed, and the matter, voted upon.

City Attorney Mayson was called upon to explain the Board's authority in revoking the license or permits of detective organizations. He declared that only the Council had the power to rescind a license, although the Board could withdraw its permission to obtain a license. It was reported after the meeting that a strong fight will be made by the Burns officials in the courts. The service has connections with many prominent banking and mercantile interests in the city, and throughout the southeast, and is attached to the American Bankers' Association (ABA).

The date for the hearing of Dan S. Lehon and William J. Burns on the contempt of court charge is again indefinite. It was postponed yesterday morning by Judge Ben Hill as Judge Arthur Powell, attorney for Lehon and Burns, was out of the city and could not appear. Judge Powell will return to Atlanta today and will confer with Judge Hill over the resetting of the hearing date.

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