Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-07-05
ALLAN PINKERTON,
The Career OF a Great Detective-How
He began Life and Worked up the
Agency Which Bears His Nnme-SOme
Famous Mysteries Which He I'm.
rayelcd-PrOtecting Lincoln.

Allan Plnkert0n, the famous detective, died
In Chicago on the LIST instant His life was
filled with startling events. He was born in
Glasgow in 1919 the son of a small tradesman
He married young and Immediately after left
for the western hemisphere, landing in Canada
new post village in Bruce county Ontario, is
now named after him. The young couples
early struggles were series Of hardships, and
after many vicissitudes PiGkerton went to Chi
cago, where he engaged in the cooper trade
He afterward moved to the neighborhood of
dundee, ILL.,, where he purchased small farm.
This was, as near as can be ascertained, about
1S47. PInkerton was then about % years Of
age. and it was then that he made his first de-
tective ventures as an amateur. Horse thieves
were onthe rampage in those days, and Allan
PinkertOn, after having been successful In
hunting down q rascal who had stolen one Of
his horses, was employed by neighbors. until his
reputation as detective reached the adjoining
counties.
INVITED TO CHICAGO.
What gained him reputation all over the
state. and even farther, was in exactly the same
line. At that time there was very little ready
money In the country districts of the northwest.
and this scarcity was partially supplied by the
checks of the Milwaukee Fire and Marine Insur-
ance Company (now Mitchelrs bank). which
were crude and easily initiated Pinkerton suf-
1ered by the forgeries. and he succeeded in hunt
ing down one of the forgers-John Gray, a Yer
mont man. The merchants of the country en-
pOyed him to run down the other fcrpers. and
Pinkerton succeeded in that. He was then in
vited to Chicago, followed the invitation, and
was made deputy sheriff of Cook county. This
was IN lS49. and in the same year Pinkerton re-
ceiVed the appointment as special agent OF the
treasury under Secretary Guthrie In this. and
also in the position of mail agent. he distin-
guished himself by numerous brilliant pieces of
detective work.
The first established agency was bepun in
Chicago in 1858 Beginning with a handful of
trusted employees, Allan PnkertOn steadily in
creased his business until there are now 'Pink-
erton agencies" in the principal cities of the
ohion employing thousands of men and women
IN every state of the Union. Men of good char
acter are alone employed. The various agencies
at present employ about two hundred first. class
detectives, men and women, whose nav ranges
from % a day to $1,000 per year.
EsC0RTING LINCOLN TO WASHINGTON.
The feat which gave Allan Pinkerton a
national reputation was to conduct Abraham
Lincoln safely through Baltimore to the inau-
guration in Washington. Pinkerton knew of
the plot to assassinate the Presdent-elect in
baltimore, which was then completely in the
hands of rebel mob. Rotous scenes and
attacks upon Federal troops were the order OF
the DAY. 1t was said. though the story was
speedily denied. that PinkertOn accomplished
lis hazardous task with the aid of one of his
female operatives, who occupied the same seat
III the car as the President. who wore q bonnet
with thick veil which completely concealed his
well-known features. A shawl thrown over the
knees gave "Old Abe the appearance of an
elderly lady, as whose companion posed Pinker-
ton S lady detective. The latter is buried in q
OnlcagO cemetery, where q space is reserved
for the Pinkertons and their employees The
graves are decorated once year. Allan Pinker-
.oii, aIthoush TO all outward appearances cold
and unsympathetc man, never forgot friend or
Those who served him faithfully
hhen the war broke out President Lincoln
Sent lot Mt. PlnkertOn to come to Washington
ana authorized him to organize the secret SER
vice ulvlson OF the army. the first government
ponce force ever organized in this country This
was done with Mr.. PinkertOn at the head. under
HE nom de plume of f. j. Alien. In this capacity
ne served the country during the war; leaving
MS Chicago office in the charge of capable peo-
PIE, ana at the close of the war went back to
take charge himself.
SOME BIG RoBBERIES.
His first important case on resumnn his for
press company, near Baltimore, by throwing
the safes from the train while in motion and
getting away with over 100000. This case.
'''NS
cess the thieves. six in number being arrested
tried and convicted and the money all recovered.
some time later came the robbery of the Harm
Gen express company. in Baltimore by which
T2oC0O was secured; the thieves i'm this ca 50
were also convicted and the money recovered.
1 ne next important case was the robbery of the
Carbondae bank. at Carbonda!e, Pa. in which
the thieves were arrested and the money SAC. 900
recovered. Following these came the robbery
OF inc Adams express company on the New
York and New Haven railroad. on January 6.
1866. The thieves. six in number INCLUDING the
brakeman, entered the express car by wrench
ing Off the lock and bursting the safe They Sc
cured about $4,000 from this exploit Through
the efforts of Mr.. Pnkerton and Mr.. Frank
Warner the latter being at the time superin-
tendent OF the New York ofice), the thieves
were convicted and the money all recovered but
about $1,000, the most of which was after
wards returned through Catholic priest The
arrest and conviction OF the robbers of Mylarts
bank at Scranton, Pa, next followed
The next case of Importance Of which Mr.
flnkerton had charge was the robbery by Nor
ton and Thompson from the express car of the
Merchants Union Express Company on the
Hudson river railroad Of 100000. These men
were tracked to Canada and there arrested, and
In spite OF all that money could do and the help
which they received from corrupt government
officials they were extradited to White Plains.
n. Y. They afterwards broke from prison and
raided the Boylston Bank in Boston and then
fledto Europe.
THE RENO BROTHERS.
In the same year came the death of the Reno
brothers and Anderson. of Seymour. Indiana
These men were desperadoes of the most pro-
nounced type. They robbed stores and express
trains, burglariZed safes, and their very names
became a terror along the railroad lines in that
section of the country. Entire discontnuance
OF express service was seriously thought of by
the companies. In 1868, near Osgood Station
Indiana they robbed the Adams Express Com
pany OF S97 900 by boarding the train, throwing
the messenger from the car. opening the safes
and deliberately apprOpriating their contents
This case was given to Mr.. Pinkerton.
and Simeon and Bill Reno were arrested
by him at Indianapolis. Frank Reno and
Charles Anderson fled to Canada were
pursued to Windsor. Ontario, and extra
dited after long siege of more than three
months During the trial which followed
another portion Of the gang, for the purpose of
screening the prisoners and throwing suspicion
from them, attempted another express robbery,
but OF TINS MI. PlnkertOn was fully advised and
for them After one of the men had
been shot the rest were captured. but before
awaiting the action of the law the indignant
and outraged pOpulace of the county took them
out and hung them within full view of the
jail. When Frank Reno and Carries Reno were
returned to the United States they were thrown
into jail at New Albany, Indiana. in COMPANY
with Simeon and Bill Reno. About three weeks |
after their arrival there one hundred masked
men marched to the Jail, having come in on the
north-oound train, overpOwered the sheriff and
Ialier and hung the three RenOs and Anderson, |
and that ended the banditti in Southern Indiana.