The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-04-25

A Wen-Equipped Little Army Always Ready
for Private Hire.


A wsn-Equipped Little Army Always Ready
for Private Hire.
Labor troubles in different parts of the conn
try during ten a dozen years past have been
instrumental in bringing about public demon
stratlon OF al interesting fact VIZ. that there
is in America private business concern capable
of suddenly bringing into action anywhere in
the land. at the bidding Of individuals or corpo-
rations rich enough to pay for their services
large bodies Of men armed, equipped and drilled
for effective military service. Thus far nothing
has occurred that has seemed TO require the
Developments of such force in greater numbers,
at any point, than 500 men. but the system
by which they put in the field is perfected
TO such an extenf that there = hardly ques-
tipn OF the ability to muster 5000 with almost
equal promptitude. The concern controlling
this military strength 10 Pinkerton's National
Detective Agency, the headquarters OK when
in Chicago, with branches in New York.
Boston, Phiadelphia, ST. Paul and Denver.
While there is nominal diytdtng-line between
the detective service aud the fold OF duty OF the
preventive patrol" or military branch, In point
of fact they work together, and are so far inter-
chAngeable that the latter is differed from the
former when called into reqUisitiou. and that
be promoted from the patrol, which is an emer-
gency employment, to the permanency OF the
regular detective force. AS to the system OF
organization and direction of the Pinkerton
army, Mr.. II. q. Julian, who Is one OF Mr.. Robert
Pinkerton's principal aids in this city. says:
Telling you how We can here bring into al
most immediate service body OF say 100 men,
or more if required, will give YOU sufficiently
comprehensive idea of our arrangements In the
five other cities in which our branches are now
established, the system in each being about the
same. In the first place. we have as our regular
detective force . body of thoroughly trained
men, many of them brought ur from youth in
this employment men whom we know to be COOL
resoluse, courageous, faithful and resourceful.
From these, when the occasion arises, we officer
our companies of men enlisted for special duty.
But we have also, among those men a good
many who are employed by ns pretty much
all the time, at least during the spring,
summer and autumn. and who, consequently.
are well trained and known to Us as in every way
perfectly trustworthy. For instance. we sup
ply by contract every summer from
twenty-five TO thirty men for the protection OF
the public and the preservation OF order az Glen
Island, and many more at Manhattan Beach;
for the spring, summer and fall racing seasons
we supply sixty seventy men to Coney Island
Jockey Club and about like number to the
Brooklyn Jockey Club and then we have smaller
detachments special services, such as the
guarding of Vanderbilts tomb, or temporary
protection of stores Of heavy importers OF silks
when they have unusually large stocks OF valua-
BILE goods on hand. Taken all in all, there are
probably 200 men thus employed by us-in
work apart from the detective service-pretty
much all the year. and of these we can COM
mand the services of at least $50 at
q very few hours' notice, out of their
ordinary seasons of employment since we keep
all their addresses and they understand that
they are liable to be called upon for duty at
any moment Those men will serve as the
nucleus of as large force as may be demanded.
Then We have on record Q list of several hundred
picked men from among the thousands who
have applied for employment, all of whom have
come to rs well recommended, and whose char
actsr, record, and associations we have had
thoroughly investigated by our own detectives.
They also are supposed to be ready TO serve
upon call at any moment and, in point or fact.
at least three four hundred Of them would re-
spond Immediately. In summer we. of course.
could not spare so many OF our regular men for
an extraordinary service. but would still have
enough 10 serve q nucleus. especially since we
untsers, among whom we always, by the way,
give the preference to men who have honorable
discharges from the army, equal qualification
otherwise being understood.
az cannot say how many men we could furnish
upon occasion since the limit Of capacity
has never been tested When the recent strike
Pennsylvania Railroad Company there we were
suddenly called upon to furnish $50 men in addi-
ton to those We had already sent out on account
of the c.. B. g Q. strike In just two days we
had organized, armed and equipped the required
complement, and sent them away. Could we
have sent morea Oh, yes but these were
enough, all that were wanted. Onehalf of
those sent were QUE own regulars. thorough
" familiar with their duties under our system,
and capable of quickly instructing and guiding
the others.
1.-THE largest number the Pirkerton agencies
have ever had to furnish for emergency service
at any point was 500. Thas was on the oc-
casion of the stockyards strike in Chicago. in
1886. In 1887 from January until March, we
had to keep 300 men on duty at the coal-yards
of Hoboken and Bergen Point. 1t costs some
thing to employ large force of Pinkerton men,
the charge for them being S. day each in addi-
ton to food and quarters. The pay of regular
detective Is So day.
'"The armament of our men consists of Win
chester repeating rifles and navy rovolvers, and
we employ no men who not skilled in the
use of these weapons. A very large supply of
rifles, enough for three or four hundred men
any way, is kept in the Chicago headquarters
and at least that many mon could be mustered
there in a few hours at any time under Capt.
Patrick Foleys command The advantage is
possessed there of a nucleus of $50 trained
who are constantly employed as watchmen
guarding private property. When we put any
considerable force in the field IL is divided up
into companies OF from thirty to thirty-six mon
each, and We have captain, adjutant, lieuten-
ant and sergeants, in pretty close imitation OF
military sYat0m.n