A. Bruce Bielaski | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 2ndChief of the Bureau of Investigation | |
| In office April 30, 1912 – February 10, 1919 | |
| President | William Howard Taft Woodrow Wilson |
| Preceded by | Stanley Finch |
| Succeeded by | William E. Allen (acting) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1883-04-02)April 2, 1883 Montgomery County, Maryland, United States |
| Died | February 19, 1964(1964-02-19) (aged 80) Kings Point, New York, U.S. |
| Relations | Alexander Bielaski (grandfather) Oscar Bielaski (uncle) Ruth Shipley (sister) |
| Education | George Washington University (LLB) |
Alexander Bruce Bielaski (April 2, 1883 – February 19, 1964) was an Americanlawyer and government official who served as the second director of theBureau of Investigation (now theFederal Bureau of Investigation) from 1912 to 1919.[1]
Bielaski was born inMontgomery County, Maryland to the son ofMethodistminister Alexander Bielaski.[2] His grandfather was theCivil War CaptainAlexander Bielaski and his uncle was the firstPolish American inMajor League Baseball,Oscar Bielaski. His sister,Ruth Shipley, would head the Passport Division of theUnited States Department of State for 27 years.[3]
He received a law degree fromThe George Washington University Law School in 1904 where he was a founding father of the Gamma Eta chapter ofDelta Tau Delta fraternity.
That same year he joined theDepartment of Justice. Like his predecessorStanley Finch, Bielaski worked his way up through the Justice Department. He served as a special examiner inOklahoma where he "straightened out the court records" and aided in the reorganization of Oklahoma's court system when theOklahoma Territory became a state. Returning toWashington, Bielaski entered the Bureau of Investigation and rose to become Finch's assistant. In this position he was in charge of administrative matters for the Bureau. At the end of April 1912,Attorney GeneralGeorge W. Wickersham appointed Bielaski to replace Finch. As Chief, Bielaski oversaw a steady increase in the resources and responsibilities assigned to the Bureau.
After leaving the Bureau in 1919, Bielaski entered into private law practice. According toThe New York Times, while on a trip toCuernavaca,Mexico in 1922, Bielaski was kidnapped."[4] He escaped three days later, saving himself and the ten thousand dollars gathered to rescue him.[5] The local Mexican press accused him of "self-abduction" to gain notoriety.[6] Two weeks later, after he testified before a judge, the case was closed.
Bielaski was very involved in the Delta Tau Delta fraternity and the greater fraternity community. He served three terms as international president of Delt from 1919 to 1925. In 1924 He was elected Chairman of theNational Interfraternity Conference (currently known as theNorth American Interfraternity Conference).
Bielaski worked undercover as aProhibition agent operating a decoyspeakeasy inNew York City. From 1929 to 1959 he headed theNational Board of Fire Underwriters' team ofarson investigators. In 1938, he served as president of theSociety of Former Special Agents. He died on February 19, 1964, at the age of eighty.
| Government offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | 2ndChief of the Bureau of Investigation 1912–1919 | Succeeded by |
| Bureau of Investigation |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Federal Bureau of Investigation | ||
Italics denotes an acting director. | ||
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
