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Case file

1934-06-18

govinfo, United States Statutes at Large, vol. 48

Act of 18 June 1934, ch. 595, 48 Stat. 1008: Division of Investigation agents empowered to make arrests and carry firearms

The June 1934 act empowering the Director, agents and inspectors of the Division of Investigation to serve warrants, make seizures, make arrests without warrant for federal felonies in stated circumstances, and "carry firearms."

Date
1934-06-18
Kind
case-file
Source
govinfo, United States Statutes at Large, vol. 48
Retrieved
2026-10-12
Rights
An Act of Congress printed in the United States Statutes at Large. A United States government work, public domain under 17 U.S.C. § 105. The page is served by govinfo.

Page 1008 prints chapter 595 (H.R. 9476, Public No. 402), approved June 18, 1934. It empowers the Director, Assistant Directors, agents and inspectors of the Division of Investigation of the Department of Justice to serve warrants and subpoenas, to make seizures under warrant, and to make arrests without warrant for felonies against the United States in the circumstances the act states. It closes: “Such members of the Division of Investigation of the Department of Justice are authorized and empowered to carry firearms.”

The act came eight weeks after Little Bohemia and a month before the Biograph Theatre shooting. A year earlier, eight days after the Kansas City shooting, an Oklahoma City agent had asked headquarters for a Thompson gun. This page is the statute only and does not trace the Bureau’s earlier practice.

itemAct of 18 May 1934, ch. 299, 48 Stat. 780: punishment for killing or assaulting federal officersThe first of the May 1934 federal crime laws: "An Act to provide punishment for killing or assaulting Federal officers." The National Archives ties John Paul Chase's conviction for the killing at Barrington to this act.itemAct of 18 May 1934, ch. 304, 48 Stat. 783: the federal bank robbery actThe May 1934 act making robbery of a national bank or a Federal Reserve member bank a federal crime, with higher penalties for assault, use of a dangerous weapon, and killing or kidnaping in the course of the robbery.itemNational Firearms Act, ch. 757, 48 Stat. 1236 (Public, No. 474, 73d Congress), approved 26 June 1934The statute "to provide for the taxation of manufacturers, importers, and dealers in certain firearms and machine guns." It defines "firearm" and "machine gun," sets occupational taxes of $500, $200 and $300, and a transfer tax of $200 for each firearm.itemLetter from R. H. Colvin, Oklahoma City, to J. Edgar Hoover, 25 June 1933, asking for a submachine gun, rifles and pistolsEight days after the Kansas City Union Station shootings, the Oklahoma City agent in charge writes that agents have "only the small light pistols furnished by the Bureau" and asks for a Thompson submachine gun, rifles, .45 Colt automatics and ammunition.