The Evening post. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1888-1889, 1888-12-24
TWO FAMOUS DETECTIVES.
The Pinkerton brothers and the Great
Agency They Have Built Up.

From the 81. Pant Pioneer-FT6ss.
The Pinkertons-William A. and Rob-
ert A.--better known as Bill" and
Bob" came to st. Paul yesterday and
put UP in parlors | and X, at the Hotel
Ryan. 1t would be hard to find two
brothers anywhere who think better of
each other than these two sons of the
great Allan Pinkcrton.
These two are at the head Of the
greatest private detective agency in the
world. Allan Pinkerton started the
business in Chicago before the war. Bill
and Bob grew up with the business and
the business grew up with them. Few
people have any idea how big concern
it is.
The Pinkertons employ 5000 men.
Besides the two head offices in Chicago
and New York, there are agencies in
Boston, Philadelphia, Kansas City, Den
yer and st. Paul. They have force of
patrolmen in these cities known as
"Pinkerton' Preventive Watch" They
have arsenals at Chicago and New York
with uniforms and Winchester rifles
emo ugh to arm five regiments of men.
Pin kerton dete ctives are everywhere.
They are employed in nearly every
large mercantile house in America, in
hotels, in banks, following circuses and
watching suspected employees of rail-
roads and other big corporations. The
business has doubled in the last ten years
and promises to double again In the next
decade. 1t is making rich men of Bill
and Bob. Their income Is variously es-
timatod at from $150,000 to 5000, 900 a
wear. Either one of the brothers could
probably count more than half million
dollars worth of this worlds goods.
The secret of their success in business
is that il has been run on business prin-
ciples. The Pinkertons do not chase
criminals in the hope of getting rewards.
They charge their clients 80 much day
for the services of an operator. Prices
vary. but SO day is about the average.
The Pinkerton detectives are not known
to outsiders, and very often they do not
know each other except as two or more
are put TO work on the same case. Bill
and Bob hire all the new men themselves,
putting their knowledge of human ma
ture and the world to use in making
their selection.
They have plenty of applicants to
choose from. Healthy young men who
are quick witted, we'll informed and have
large bumps of secretiveness and valol
are preferred. Usually the new man
goes to work as Waterman or in the
office until he has shown what stuff he is
made of Then he is put forward by
degrees. The Pinkertons have gray.
haired detectives in their employ who
have been there from boyhood. No mar
who ever worked for them and did his
duty was allowed to 90 unrewarded, and
when death takes off a good man the
Pinkertons pension his widow and or
phans.
There are probably few men in the
world so well posted on what might b,
called thievology as Bib" Pinkerton
He has made it life study
He has in his library photograph, de
scription and record of every profes
sional criminal of America and the mos
important of those of Europe. He has
cultivated wonderful memory for names
and faces, and his brain is storehous
of knowledge on this subject. He keep
q constant watch of the movements o
professional criminals of all kinds, ant
when any big crime is committed in New
Zealand or Delaware or anywhere else
he can come pretty near guessing whC
did it il ii was the work of professional