The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1884-07-24
THE END OF ALLAN PINKERTON' S
STRANGE AND Rom NTiC CAREER

On the 10Th uay or August, 1873. His
parents were in humble circumstances.
his father, William Pinkerton, being
employed as Police sergeant by the
municipality. When Allan was but u
small boy his father died from injuries
received at the hands of prisoner
whom he was arresting, land the family
were thus deprived of their means of
support.
Before attaining his majority young
Pinkerton became imbued with the
sentiments OF independence ard reform
which were advocated by thosewho put
forth the " Peoples Charter" in Great
Britain, and he soon became identified
with the CO eiebrated Chartist movement
ofth. disatfected people. The Govern
ment resolved to crush this revolution
AIRY movement, and several of the
leaders were arrested aud transported.
Fearful Of his own safety, Allan Pin
kertOn resolved to leave the country
and seek refuge in America. Ac-
COrdingly in 1912 he was married to
Miss Jane Carfrae. and oh the follow
Ing day the young couple set sail for
America, landing at Quebec, after
perilous voyage, in which their vessel
was wrecked, and the suffering passen-
gers picked up by a passing vessel and
carried to that port. From Quebec
PinkertOn and his young wife made
their way to Chicago by the Lakes.
rhe young couple, owing To their mis-
fortunes, were nearly destitute, but
with stout heart he applied himself
to securing employment. Meeting
George. Anderson, who was then en-
gagged in the tobacco business, he ell
listed the services of that gentleman
in his behalf, and soon succeeded in
obtaining employment at his trade
that of a cuoper.
While employed afterward in his
business as a cooper, at Dundee, ILL.,,
he had frequent occasion to visit some
of the islands in Fox River to procure
materials for his stock, and while on
| ON one of these he discovered the ex-
istence of a gang Of counterfeiters, who
made the island their headquarters.
Having natural love for adventure,
and being stranger to fear, he deter
mined to thoroughly investigate the
entire operations of these counterfeit
ers, which he eventually succeeded in
doing, effectually breaking up the ex-
i.tence of the gang, and securing the
arrest and conviction OF John Craig,
the leader aud prime mover. together
with the most prominent and danger
Gus of his associates.
| When Mr.. Boone was elected Mayor
Of Chicago he appointed Pinkerton as
u detective of the city force. This was
the first appointment OF a detective In
Chicago. In 1852 PinkertOn became
impressed with the importance of es-
tablishing detective agency which
would be independent of political in
tluence, and by whose efforts the Grim &.
inal could be punished without fear or
personal favor. He accordingly asso-
ciatcd with him Mr.. Edward l..
Rucker, an attorney at law, and secur-
ing the patronage of several railroad
Companies, then in their infancy, they
started the Pinkerton Detective Agen-
cy, the first institution of the kind in
/ the United States. Rucker continued
with him only about year, when
PinkertOn undertook the entire man
agement. When the agency was first
established they employed some four
or five men, among the most prOmi-
nent being George II. Bangs, after
ward General Superintendent, and
who remained with Mr.. Pinkerton
until his death, which occurred last
year, and Timothy Webster, who,
while in his employ, WAS taken as Il
Union spy and executed at Richmond.
Va, during the Rebe lion. From that
small beginning the detective force
under Mr.. Plnkert"n's orders increas-
ed steadily until it NOW numbers nearly
300 men.
In prosecuting his business Mr..
PihkertOn made it his lntiexible rule
never to operate for rewards or on pay
ments contingent upon success, and
would never allow any of his opera
tives to receive any reward or gratuity
for his success. He paid his employees
literally, and worked for those that
engaged him at certain fixed sum
per diem (which was all that was ever
received. Another noticeable feature
of the nature of his immense business
and one of the strictest rules of his in.
stitutiOn, was that he never under
any circumstances could be induced to
operate in divorce case, or where
family matters were in dispute.
He leaves widow and three chill
dren, William A, the eldest, has
charge Of the Chicago office and the
Western Division, while Robert A. is
the General Superintendent and has
immediate charge of the Eastern Offices
His daughter is tho wife of William J. .
Chalmers, of the firm of Fraser &
| Chalmers i'm ChicapO