“A. M. Briggs,
Hotel Claridge, New York City.
“Just received following telegram from Chief Bielaski: ‘Replying your letter 14th, Briggs should be encouraged in organization volunteer association. Be glad talk with him about matter. Letter follows.’ Personally, foregoing makes me very happy, as it does you, I am sure. Please wire what day you will confer with Chief. Clabaugh.”
On March 20, I received the following telegram, dated New York, from Mr. Briggs:
“Hinton G. Clabaugh,
Bureau of Investigation, Chicago.
“Great news. Will see Chief Washington Thursday morning nine thirty. Please arrange appointment. Briggs.”
I then wired the Chief of the Bureau, and on March 22, Mr. Briggs wired me from Washington as follows:
“Hinton G. Clabaugh,
Bureau of Investigation, Chicago.
“Very satisfactory interview. Chief has approved. Organization, our original plan, to be formed immediately. See you Saturday. Briggs.”
Thus it was that Chicago was the first city in the United States to have such an organization. It was the idea of Mr. A. M. Briggs, and of no one else. Although in public speeches, letters and upon other occasions he has been generous enough to credit the idea to me, I want it positively understood that the whole scheme was his thought, and it is due to his untiring energy and sacrifice that the organization was started and put on its feet during the early period of its history, when many people were inclined to look upon it and ridicule it as “a bunch of volunteer detectives, etc.” Mr. Briggs personally defrayed all expenses in the early history of the organization. National headquarters were here in the Peoples Gas Building and the Chicago Division was formed as well. Thomas B. Crockett was Assistant Chief of the national organization prior to the time, or until the time, he was made a Major in the Army, and assigned to the Intelligence Branch, Central Department.
At the beginning of the war, the Bureau of Investigation handled all complaints of violations of so-called federal war laws, the enforcement of which were not specifically charged to other departments or bureaus by statute. In time, however, the military authorities established a bureau of Military Intelligence, and the Navy established in Chicago the Aid for Information and Naval Intelligence Bureau.