William J. Burns, America’s Sherlock Holmes - Notebook Vol. 2020-3 — Briarcliff Manor-Scarborough Historical Society

By Bob Fetonti, Trustee

During the early 1900s, Briarcliff was home to one of America’s most famous detectives. His friend, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle called him “America’s Sherlock Holmes” and The New York Times called him “The greatest detective America has produced.”(1) He was asked to investigate federal corruption by President Theodore Roosevelt and served as Director of the Bureau of Investigation, forerunner to the FBI, under President Warren Harding. He was involved in many of the “high profile” cases of his time and his investigations made headlines. His career in government service and as a private investigator was marked by both public praise and scandal. “Burns became a star detective known equally for his ability to hunt down a clue and his penchant for chasing after the limelight.” (2)

*Figure 1 William J Burns Joan Goldborough BMSHS Collection*

In 1914 Burns visited Sing Sing Prison with his friend, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, as part of Doyle’s survey of the American penal system. Burns returned to the area in 1917 and purchased “Shadowbrook” on Scarborough Road. The rambling house sat on 13 acres surrounded by gardens and was home to Burns, his wife and six children. Here he entertained Al Smith, John Ringling, and author Owen Johnson, who used Burns as a model for his fictional detective, McKenna.

While living at “Shadowbrook”, The Burns Detective Agency became involved in investigating the 1920 Wall Street Bombing and Burns sent investigators to the Soviet Union in an unsuccessful attempt to extradite suspects. In 1921, Burns was appointed head of the Bureau of Investigation, a forerunner to the FBI. He was responsible for hiring the first female special agents. As head of the Bureau, he became involved in the Teapot Dome Scandal. He was criticized for his investigation of Senator Walsh at the request of President Harding and for reports that agents of the Bureau tried to intimidate journalists critical to Harding and the Bureau. Burns resigned his position at the Bureau in 1924, but his involvement in this scandal was not over. In 1927 the Burns International Detective Agency was hired by an executive of Sinclair Oil to “investigate” the jurors in the trial of Harry Sinclair, who had purchased some of the oil leases at Teapot Dome in Wyoming. Burns and his son, Sherman, were charged with jury tampering. Burns retired to Florida where he wrote fictional detective stories and accounts of his career for true crime magazines. He died there in 1932.
His son, Sherman, continued to live in Briarcliff and in 1969 the Burns International Detective Agency moved its headquarters to 320 Old Briarcliff Road. Believed to be the second largest detective agency in the country at the time, the company relocated to New Jersey in 1985. The building on 16.9 acres has been vacant since 2006 and is one of the “B Zone” properties now under review by the Village Board of Trustees.

*Figure 5: Burns International Detective Agency - BMSHS Collection*

Additional information can be found in the collection of the Briarcliff Manor-Scarborough Historical Society and on Wikipedia. There are also two books on the life of William Burns.

Front-page Detective: William J Burns and the Detective Profession, 1880-1930 by William Hunt

Incredible Detective: The Biography of William J. Burns by Gene Caesar

We invite everyone to come and stop by for a visit. The BMSHS is located in the lower level of the library next to the Recreation Department. Our offices are currently closed during the pandemic. Hopefully we will soon be able to resume our normal hours which are most weekdays from 10 am to 3 pm. We also invite you to submit comments, questions, and topics for future Briarcliff Notebooks at mail@briarcliffhstory.org.

NOTES
1. “The Man Arthur Conan Doyle Called ‘America’s Sherlock Holmes’” by Benjamin Welton, The Atlantic, Nov 20, 2013

2. “The Man Arthur Conan Doyle Called ‘America’s Sherlock Holmes’” by Benjamin Welton, The Atlantic, Nov 20, 2013

SOURCES
Changing Landscape by Mary Cheever, Briarcliff Manor-Scarborough Historical Society, 1990

“When Arthur Conan Doyle Visited Sing Sing Prison” by Anthony Czarnecki, Westchester Historian (Vol 94, No 4) fall 2018

“The Man Arthur Conan Doyle Called ‘America’s Sherlock Holmes’”, by Benjamin Welton, The Atlantic, Nov 20, 2013

Securitas USA: www. securitasinc.com

Wikipedia: William J. Burns, Burns International Detective Agency, Directors of the FBI, Eugene Schmitz

The Museum of the City of San Francesco: http://www.sfmuseum.org

“Multi-family use eyed for former Burns/Mearl property in Briarcliff”, The Examiner, November 22, 2018

“Burns Security Agency leaving Briarcliff Manor” by Ed Taglisferri, Gannett Westchester, August 5, 1983

“Battle of Los Angeles” by Kenny Kemp, American History Magazine, April 2020