Not surprisingly, Roosevelt and Bonaparte became friends. Their association was strengthened in the early 1890s, when Roosevelt made several trips to Baltimore to investigate corruption among its civil servants. Roosevelt leaned on Bonaparte for assistance and for insights into the city he knew so well. Roosevelt’s ensuing report to Congress recommended the removal of 25 officials for bribery and other crimes.

A decade later, Roosevelt—who had become vice president of the United States—would assume leadership of the nation after President McKinley was shot and killed by a violent anarchist in September 1901. When President Roosevelt needed a keen and impartial legal mind to look into allegations of fraud in the Postal Service and corruption in Indian Country, he naturally turned to Bonaparte, who led successful investigations in each case. In 1906, Roosevelt designated Bonaparte to serve as U.S. attorney general.