The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-07-04
THE LATE ALLAN P1NKERroN.
How He Worked Up Great Cases-The De-
struction OF the Reno Gang.

How He Worked Up Great Cause.-The De-
struction OF the Reno Gang.
louisville Commercial.
sOh yes knew Allan Pinkerton very well, y
said Captain Bligh, chief of detectives. Il be-
came acquainted with him in Washington during
the war At that time be hadn't the reputation
that be died with. y
eThat must have been about the time he es-
corted President Lincoln through Baltlmore2n
1T was just about that time
How did Lincoln happen toengage Pinkerton
for that prrposeq
Lincoln knew him in Illinois, where Pinker-
ton at that time was known a shrewd aud
daring man, and account of his keenness
Lincoln engaged him to see Aim safe through to
| Washington
When did Pinkerton quit active work as a
detective9n
Il think the wiping out of the Reno gang over
in Indiana was the last real active work he ever
engaged in, although he may have worked on
other jobs since then without my knowledge,
but hardly think he did"
WAS the breaking up of that gang of express
robbers due to Pinlkerfon's exertionsp
Yes indeed; he worked for months on the
case, and finally the three Reno boys and Jim
Anderson were taken out of the New Albany
Jail and lynched. Ill never forget the night we
met at Seymour, Indiana few hours after the
robbery had been committed / had gone over
there with Mr.. Jones, the agent Of the Adams
Express Company at this point. Shortly after
got there, Larry Hazen, a Cincinnati detective.
put In an appearance, with Alfred Gather, the
superintendent of the express company A few
minutes later locomotive came tearing into
town, carrying old Allan Pinkerton and his
shorthand reporter
His shorthand reporterls interrupted the
journalist
Yes, he always carried a shorthand reporter
with him when gathering the facts and circun-
stances connected with q case and to that is due
great part of his success as detective. Well,
as was going on to say. old Allan Pinkerton ar
Tiu Il a
Gather off TO one side and have a long talk with
him. At first the express messenger was sus-
pected OF having been in eolinsion with the rob
beers. he had been tossed out of the ear, you
Will remember and BATTERED a little The ex-
press messenger was then at Seymour and after
Pinkerton and Gather had had their first talk
they took the messenger into the express Office
and held him up for ar all night talk. The
shorthand reporter was on hand, and as the
messenger strung out his story of how the
robbery was committed every word of
it was taken down. Then, when he had
finished, be was asked to repeat it The second
statement was taken down as was the first, and
the two We're compared Then followed rigid
examination and cross-examinaten, every word
of which was reported, but the messenger stood
the severe test and it was decided by Pinkerton
and Gather that he was innocent Of any collu-
sion IN the robbery
How were the perpetrators finally run DOWN.
Well from the very first the Reno boys
were suspected, but this suspicion was not
allowed to get abroad. They lived only
short distance from Seymour ana
could be had at most any time, but the object in
not arresting them was to recover the stolen
money and bonds if necessary. handkerchief
belonging to one Of the boys wasfound on a road
leading from the scene of the robbery TO the
Reno house. subsequently Anderson went on
to New York to negotiate some Of
the stolen bonds but before he could
be arrested no had jumped to Canada, and the
Reno boys had followed right after him. Then
it was that Allan Pinkerton's work commenced.
He soon located his men, who were making no
particular efforts to avoid detection. thinking
themselves perfectly secure while on Canadian
soil. "A warrant sworn ont, charging them
with assault with iutent to kill the express mes
Senger This was an extraditable offense. Then
followed a long fight in the courts resulting IN
the men being turned over to the United States
authorities. So bitter was the feeling at Sey-
nour against the gang that Pinkerton did not
dare take his men there "A vigilance committee
had been formed, and it was ready to 1ya8ch the
gang as soon as 1t struck Seymour Fer safe
keeping the prisoners were taken to New AL
bany. Determined to have the prisoners the
vigilance committee went down to New Albany
one night, but upon arriving there found big
political meeting in progress, and they returned
to Seymour In a couple Of weeks or 50 they
made another visit, opened the jail, took the
prisoners out and hing them. +"
did Pinkerton make much out of the job2'
Not any more than just so much per day for
himself and men and their expenses, but think
it cost the express company somewhere IN the
neighborhood of 100000 The company made
a little fight to break up the gang and spared
no expense IN doing SO. p
did Pinkerton work alone in the Reno caee27
+'Hes. he wouldn't work in amy case any other
way. He always had an understanding before
taking ease that mo other detectives should be
employed. He never cared to have the work
performed by himself undone by other detect
ives and Eor that reason he worked aloDe.r
tWas be a man of extraordinary sifrewdnessp
We'll yes; ,sho1lld rathersay he was. His
forte was in examining suspected parties He
talked very slowly and said but very little lie
had q way OF repeating the same question over
and over again. and if the party undergoing the
examination was guilty. he would invariably
weaken and confess everything, or furnish clews
that would lead to the datection and conviction
of the guilty parties.
Did he make much money cut of the bust
ness2Y
Il guess he was worth $3.50, 900 at the time of
his death. He never worked for rewards. He
charged all the way from $6 TO Stopper day and
expenses for himself and men, and his bills in
some cases ran away up to All enormous figure;
but he never stopped in 3 case until be had
ferreted it to the bottem.b