From 1880 to 1902, he was financial officer and superintendent of the Boys' Industrial School of Ohio. From 1902 to 1909 he was superintendent of the New York Juvenile Asylum (now Children's Village), becoming president of this institution. He was Assistant Secretary of the United States Treasury in 1909, but resigned in 1911 to become private secretary to U. S. PresidentWilliam H. Taft where he served until 1912.[2]