The Van Buren press., 1874-03-24
THE DETECTIVES FATE.
The Murder Of the Detective Who Went
in Search of the Gadshillers.

The st. Louis papers had a statement
that the celebrated detective. Allen Pink
erton, was murdered near Kansas City,
Mo, a few days since. But the ST. Louis
Dispatch Of later date, gives another YER
sion of the affair 1t was not Pinkerton
The murdered detective was one OF
Allan Pinkerton's hest men. cool. eau
tious American, with great deal OF eX
periencc in western service. Tempted
br large sums of money offered by the
Governor Of Missouri and the post office
and express authorities, Pinkerton enter
tanned the idea for the first tune Of bag
giny the James brothers. About a month
ago he sent out this man on his mission.
The detective has been quietly at work
in Missouri, without even acqualntlng
the police authorities in this city of his
presence After visiting Gadshill and
tracing the course of the robbers, this
man, whose real name is withheld for the
present. assumed, upon such information
as he had obtaircd. that the James broth
ers were engaged in the work.
Then he went to Liberty, the County
seat OF Clay county in which these men
reside, and registered at the hotel as j.
w. Whicher. AS il in search of legal in
| formation he visited the office of the
| County Clerk, and busted himself there
for day or two in examining the plats
and land records, his real object being to
find the exact location Of the farm upon
which the brothers live. This was last
Tuesday. In the course Of his study OF
the records he fell into conve. sation with
Il County Official, in the course of which
the latter, from words dropped and from
watchlng the work Of the detective, got
an inkling Of the destination OF the man.
The detective having got his bearings,
deposited fifty dollars in the bank, and
went back to the hotel. Al five O'Clock
Tuesday evening he slipped away, and
Disgusting himself as q farm hand, took
the train ON the Cameron branch OF the
Hannibal Il st. Joe railroad, to Kearnev,
small station in Clay county near the
farm Of the james brothers, and ten miles
no theast OF Liberty.
1t was not Pinkertons idea that his
man should attempt the capture Of these
itH SlIIIic uHIItS't, NV tti'f WV ''CtNStlNC Y
enter upon his task with any such eXpec
lation. He was sent down as feelcr, II
being the intention that he should get
work as n farm hand in the ncighbor-
hood Of the farm aud there, after care
tul study of the habits and ways of the
James brothers, prepare plan, post his
chief and then assist in the capture.
The detective reached kearney Tues
day night and in accordance with his
plan started ont into the country in the
direction Oft the farm. After his departure
from Kearney nothing was heard from
him directly.
The suppostion is that the County Of
fetal who observed the detectives work
and conversed with him at Liberty, must
have given him away" and that after
he left Kearney he was captured by in
tercsted parties. who had been put on the
alert by his official.
Pinke ton has learned ofthe fate Of his
man and has already taken steps to secure
the body, give it burial and then follow
up the case, Once having fully entered
upon an undertaking Allan Pinkerton
never backs out. and this recent tragical
occurrence fairly pits the shrewdest de
tectives against The most daring viola
tors Of Law in the country.