Malachi Lawrence Harney (11 June 1895 – 24 February 1984) was an American federal law enforcement investigator for the United States Department of the Treasury and the Federal Bureau of Narcotics and the coauthor of several nonfiction books related to law enforcement with John C. Cross. During the Prohibition era, Harney was Eliot Ness's boss at Treasury, responsible for the arrest and capture of Al Capone. Later in his career, Harney was one of the strongest advocates of anti-drug policies in the United States, publishing articles and giving speeches espousing the drug war.[1]
M.L. Harney | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Northwest District Administrator Bureau of Prohibition | |
| Appointed by | Secretary Andrew W. Mellon |
| Deputy Commissioner Federal Bureau of Narcotics | |
| Special Coordinator for Narcotics Department of the Treasury | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 11 June 1895 Duluth, Minnesota, US |
| Died | 24 February 1984 Hennepin County, Minnesota |
| Resting place | Fort Snelling National Cemetery |
| Alma mater | University of Minnesota |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch/service | United States Marine Corps |
| Rank | Second Lieutenant |
| Battles/wars | World War I |
The historical consensus today maintains that M.L. Harney was a racist who propagated racially motivated policies in law enforcement, especially in the creation and maintenance of anti-marijuana practices, and the rejection of black police officers in America.[1]
Early life
editHarney was a second-generation Irish American, born to parents James Harney and Anna (Ryan) Harney. His parents immigrated from Thurles, County Tipperary around the time of the Irish Potato Famine.
In 1917, Harney earned a Bachelor of Science degree in agriculture from the University of Minnesota.[2]
Shortly afterward, during World War I, Harney was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps, and fought in Europe.
Law enforcement
editProhibition era
editIn 1920, Harney joined the Bureau of Internal Revenue as a dry agent.[3] By 1925, Harney was already an assistant director, or "Dry Administrator," in the Bureau of Prohibition, responsible for all federal agents in Minnesota.[4] His duties involved investigating all violations of the Volstead Act.[4] By 1929, Harney declared St. Cloud and Stearns County were "no longer wet," and were now "just as bad or worse" as Winona, Ramsay, Dakota, Morrison, and Benton counties.[5] By 1930, Harney was the director of the bureau's Northwest District, including all of Minnesota, North and South Dakota, Iowa and Nebraska.[6]
At the Chicago prohibition office, Harney oversaw Eliot Ness and the other Untouchables and dry agents at Treasury and was responsible for the arrest and capture of Al Capone.[7] Harney intervened when the Capone squad was disbanded after the trial that initially sent Capone to jail, and Ness desperately attempted to keep his squad together. Harney wrote to headquarters on behalf of Ness:
"I do not need to elaborate on the situation which confronts me in Chicago. I have an ambition to make a real and lasting impression on the hoodlums who have monopolized the illicit liquor industry in this vicinity, and I need the assistance of every capable Investigator that I can acquire."[8]
After Capone was convicted, Harney promoted Ness, who moved into a corner office of the Customs Building in Chicago.[9] In September 1932, Harney's brother, James Gerald Harney, who was a dry agent under Harney's command, was shot and killed during an investigation in Tamarack, Minnesota.[10][11]
Bureau of Narcotics
edit
When the Federal Bureau of Narcotics was created in 1930 and Harry J. Anslinger was made its commissioner, Harney was appointed to be Anslinger's staff assistant, while still maintaining his duties at Prohibition until his replacement was found.[12]
In 1936, Harney became assistant commissioner for the entire agency.[3] As assistant commissioner, Harney coordinated the efforts of agents as George Hunter White, Garland H. Williams, and Charlie Siragusa.
Later, Harney became the Chief Coordinator of all six Treasury Department enforcement agencies in the fight against illegal narcotics, also acting as technical assistant to the Secretary of Enforcement at Treasury. [3]
As Harney explained the differences in an article that he wrote for the University of California Press:
"It should be borne in mind that the Bureau are confined to a rather narrow range of specifically enumerated drugs. These are opium... alkaloids and derivatives of opium (including such products as morphine, heroin, codeine, Dilaudid), and semisynthetic derivatives of opium... wholly synthetic substances... opiates... the coca leaf and its derivatives (cocaine)... marihuana... cannabis... The Federal Bureau of Narcotics does not have responsibilities in connection with many other chemicals generally described as dangerous drugs such as... barbiturates, amphetamines, tranquilizers... hallucinogens..."[13]
In 1951, Harney advocated for what he called "extra duty pay," for all federal investigative officers and agents for time undercover. He testified in support of the Civil Service Commission recommendation 21.[14]
By 1952, Harney was special assistant to Treasury Secretary John W. Snyder, responsible for housecleaning the department.[15]
Harney retired from the Treasury in 1956. [3]
The Informer in Law Enforcement
edit
In the 1950s, Harney and John C. Cross developed a system to identify the motivations of informants in law enforcement and espionage.[16]
The six basic motivations for an informant in law enforcement were identified as:
- Fear
- Revenge
- Perverse
- Egotistical
- Mercenary
- Repentance or desire to reform[16]
They also identified the 4 basic motivations of a traitor in espionage.
- Money
- Ideology
- Compromise
- Ego[16]
Springfield Department of Public Safety
editAfter retiring from 35 years in federal service, Harney was hired to develop the Division of Narcotic Control in the Springfield Department of Public Safety. He worked to develop this division for two and a half years, before becoming Springfield's first Superintendent of Narcotic Control.[17] He served in this position until his resignation in 1960.[17]
Personal life
editHarney died in 1984 in Minnesota at the age of 84.
Harney's complete personnel files and all case files and correspondences related to Harney during his days as a dry agent were destroyed by the National Archives and Records Administration in 1991 at the request of Steve W. Milline at the Treasury Department.[18]
References
edit- ^ a b "Book Discusssion [The Drug Wars in America, 1940-1973]". www.c-span.org. Retrieved 2024-08-15.
- ^ The Annual Register for the Year 1917-18 (PDF). University of Minnesota. 1918.
- ^ a b c d "Treasury's M. L. Harney Retires". The Police Chief. 23 (2). International Association of Chiefs of Police: 24. February 1956 – via Internet Archive.
- ^ a b Pfleger, Helen Warren (1975). "Volstead and Prohibition: A Roaring 20's Memoir" (PDF). Ramsey County History. 12 (1): 19.
- ^ Brainerd Daily Dispatch (1929-11-07). 1929-11-07.
- ^ "Dry Battle Fought Hardest on Volstead's Home Ground – Era of Strict Enforcement Due to New Regime in Northwest". The Standard Union. Brooklyn, N.Y. August 22, 1930. p. 45. Retrieved 2024-08-15 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Valentine, Douglas. The Strength of the Wolf, The Secret History of America’s War on Drugs. p. 22.
- ^ Perry, Douglas (2014). Eliot Ness: the rise and fall of an American hero. New York, New York: Viking. ISBN 978-0-698-15145-1 – via Internet Archive.
- ^ Lindberg, Richard (1999). Return to the Scene of the Crime. Cumberland House. p. 12.
- ^ "James G. Harney | Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives". atf.gov. Retrieved 2024-08-15.
- ^ "Dry Agent Searching for Brother's Killer". Times Union. Brooklyn, N.Y. September 26, 1932. p. 2. Retrieved 2024-08-15 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ McManus, Richard L. (2019-01-01). "Some Unpopular History of the United States --1610 to 1933 2nd edition". same.
- ^ Harney, Malachi L. (1967). "The U.S. Bureau of Narcotics". Current History. 53 (311): 23–30. doi:10.1525/curh.1967.53.311.23 – via University of California Press.
- ^ Hearings – September 6 and 7, 1951. Superintendent of Government Documents. September 6–7, 1951 – via Internet Archive.
- ^ "House Probes New Scandals in Liquor Tax". The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. Brooklyn, N.Y. August 6, 1952. p. 3. Retrieved 2024-08-15 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c Madinger, John (1999). Confidential Informant: law enforcement's most valuable tool. CRC Press. ISBN 0-8493-0709-0.
- ^ a b Harney, M.L. (June 1960). "Notes on Capital Punishment". The Police Chief. 27 (6). International Association of Chiefs of Police: 16–20 – via Internet Archive.
- ^ Miscellaneous Records of the Office of Law Enforcement, 1934-64 (PDF).