Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1871-11-15

INiiihH"N f'GHtHftN on tf>I'l y, lItN\-
D:yS amd ST TURDA rs, at Sir DoHcrs pc
Hn"o".
RECORDS OF CRIMINAL lllSToRr DESTROY
ED.-In addition to the great losses by the Chi
caro- confederation, Allan Pinkerton. the famous
tilcf catcher <llStanS Il loss which to him can-
not be replaced by dollars and cents Thnus
anil, Of thieves. and hundreds Of thousands of
Respectable people. were as fully acquainted
with the maine Of Allan pinkcrton As of the
name Of Thomas Jefferson or Jack the Giant
Killer, and his detective agency was as famous
an institution rs Boston Common. The system
over which he presided WAS the result OF years
Of patient toll and prrScvering energy, and the
reputation enjoyed by him was the fruit of that
toll and energy and perseverance. With huge
central Office in Chicago. and branches in New
York and Philadelphia, the champion thief
catcher had his prey So intentionally situated
a to be a the time in the tolls, only they
did ut know it. Mr.. Pinkerton started his de-
tcctivc agency IN Chicago in 1882, and two
wears later, when it began to assume large pro-
portions, the records Were commenced The
most minnt" details Of every case were all faith
fully +, cordc l.
The amou It Of matter thus created was as
toni<hing For the mere clerical work upon II
more than $jUODO had been paid. Ot such
curious records there were no less than four
hundred girantic volumes of great value
These were nearly all stored away in six of llar
rs largest safes, while the remainder We're
rIac,d in wooden cases. 1t is needless to state
tthlt every one Of them was destroyed.
Mr.. Piukcrton also possessed complete re-
cords of the secret service of the Army of the
Potomac They were of Immense value, being
not only the complete, but the only set IN cX-
>tcncr MIR. Pinkcrton. whose facilities Tor
obtaining correct information during those days,
were OF course very much greater than any one
else could boast. valued them at so .OOO The
Government had aMcady offered ST., 900 for
thrul-t!ty-nuc volumes aitogcthcr-and ne
gniatinn> were still going on. The whole set
pcrlHhcd.
Pinkcrton had in his employ large number
Of preventive policemen. whose occupation WAS
To watch while all tie city, sleeping, to chase
the roguc> that prowl hy night, aS the two
cons i arincS were wont to sing These men
had orders every night to make out report
when they came in. They had to give an ac
count OF their proceedings on their beat, the
condition of the weather, what unusual "Ircum-
stances they witnessed, who they saw, and
what they said or did to him or her. These
rcpn,rS were al COPIED into the records. There
were forty OF these pondcrous volumes, which
were obtaiucd at u cost OF $40 each. Their
value may be imagined They were frequently
consulted in court proceedings for the purpose
Of gaining information as regards the weather,
the condition ul the streets the presence or alb
S,rcc of the moon. and other policemen: There
were in all iorty-eight patromen, Who gave
each an account Of these particulars, and 1t Is
rrcsumabc that their accounts generally com
sided 50 far as atmospheric conditions We're
concerned OF course the records were all de-
Stroycd.
In Sma room adjoining MIR. Fullerton S
private office were Il number OF plain wooden
case, in which were stored the files OF the daily
papers since l>j4 There was not a copy OF Il
daily ur weekly paper issued since lS5+, OF
which Mr.. i'ukcrtun had not dupllcatc.-
Many were bound together, and lo1 volumes
covered them ALL There were printed lnstruc-
tiuns posted all around the wall; giving dlrec-
tiuns to the men. in case of fire, to move these
prri>hablc goods first, trusting the safes to pro-
trct the records. Owing to some nliSconstruc-
ton in the building one safe. containing some
of the account books and receipts from express
companies of money restored, Tell INTO the
street and escaped being melted. The con
tents were valuable IN their way, but to MIR.
Pmkcrtou only The other records were com
pIrtriv wiped ont. and with them was wiped
out the foundation for Il complete and exhauS-
tive history Of the Northwest, besides matter
enough for thrilling stories without endgrnuhd-
wu;k for sensational stories lnnulncra5lc. 1t was
Mr. piukcrtun intention to have some OF them
published in due time, When the parties were
dead or forgotten. Indeed many OF them were
already written and We're waiting but favor
able opportunity for introduction to the world
Besides these losses were others. The store
room where the di>gui<cs and other paraphcr-
MALTA Of detective were stored; the d"rutory