Killers of the Flower Moon

only be described as brilliant. But of what avail are many nights
and days of hard application to duty if the results are not
embodied in written reports? He has all the information in his
head but will not commit it to paper.” In March 1925, Hoover had
reinstated Wren but only after warning him, “Unless you measure
up to the standards that are now in effect in this Bureau, I will be
compelled to request your resignation.” White knew that Wren
would bring an essential perspective to the team. Some of the
previous agents on the case, including Burger, had betrayed the
kind of casual prejudice toward the Osage that was then
commonplace. In a joint report, Burger and another agent had
stated, “The Indians, in general, are lazy, pathetic, cowardly,
dissipated,” and Burger’s colleague insisted that the only way to
make “any of these dissolute, stubborn Osage Indians talk and tell
what they know is to cut off their allowance...and if necessary,
throw them in jail.” Such contempt had deepened the Osage’s
distrust of the federal agents and hindered the investigation. But
Wren, who referred to himself as one of Hoover’s “braves,” had
capably handled many delicate cases on reservations.