Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1884-10-10
MistellameaMs.
PINKERTON'S TRAP.

81 was just thinking" said Capt. II.
j. Linden, superintendent of Pinker-
tons Detective Agency, on his return
from Chicago, where he had been attend
ing the funeral of Allan Pinkerton, "of
the wonderful will power and untiring
perseverance Of the man whose body has
been laid to rest. Very few persons,
unless they were intimately associated
with him, would believe that any person
could possess such patient persistence,
which surmounted obstacles that to or
binary men would appear like impossible
mountains.
"Maj. Pinkcrton was man with a
big heart, | don't think he knew how to
do mean thing. He was one of those
honorable, fair-minded men, who, while
giving everybody their due, exac!cd the
same for himself In matters of business
he insisted on getting every penny that
belonged to him, and once he made a
promise it was lived up to it it cost him
every penny he owned in the world -
His likes and dislikcs were intense If
he became your friend no amount of cal
umny on tho part of your enemy could
change his opinion but if he disliked
you neither arguments nor entrcaties
could shake him an iota.
"Maj. Pinkcrton's perseverance aud
ingenuity we're the secrets of his success
in all his undertakings. Il he could not
accomplish his purpose by one plan he
Immediately resorted to another. His
mind was wonderfully fertile in expedi-
ents, and it was rare thing for him to
fail when he had once set his mind upon
success. You can form some idea Of his
ready tact aud capacity for planning in
the case of the coored murderer, John
son, of South Carolina, who killed an
enemy under the most brutal circum-
stances. Maj. Pinkerton was pretty
positive os to the mans guilt, but it was
impossible to obtain complete chain Of
evidence. With the natural secretve-
ness of his race johnson refused to fall
into any Of the man-traps laid for him
and make n confession, which was Pink
crton's object.
after weeks of patient but abortivo
work, novel plan was hit upon The
murderer was surprised one morning
when he won't take pillow into field to
find it spattered with blood. In the
open field where he was TO work the muir
derer found little pools of blood along
the course he was to pillow. When he
went back 10 tho stable he was startled
by seeing the bloody imprint of human
hand on the stable door. Every hoe OF
rake, or other farm implement that the
man picked up had blood on it. When
nightfall came the murderer was so par
alyzed with fear that his teeth were chat
tering and he was afraid to 90 to bed
IIe believed that the spirit Of his victim
was haunting him
The detective and his assistant noted
these symptoms, and were confident that
the right plan had been struck at last.
1t had been after a fashion, and there
was horrible proof given the next day
johnson was found in tho barn with his
throat cut from ear TO car. lie had
killed himself rather than endure the
fortunes Of a guilty conscience. need
not explain that the blood marks which
frightened the murderer's guilty soul
were tho work Of tho detectives, and moi
Of spirits.
1T was in that kind Of detective
work that Maj. Pinkerton cxcellcd. Hc
could change bis tactics 80 that the man
or men he was seeking would be led into
a trap when they thought they were get.
ting out Of one. There arc scores and
scores Of such instances, but they have
all been published from time to time rs
they occurred, and do not suppose
would interest you. 1t was one Of Maj
Pinkerton's rules 10 conceal nothing from
the public Of public interest, after The
work was done and it was another in
flexible rule to tell the public nothing
before the job was finished or while j
was in progress. From this he ncvcl
departed, and his sons, William ant
Robert, who are their fathers successors
will adhere TO it as rigidly as the found
or Of the agency did."-Phitad. Press
White stockings are coming back int