Smyrna times., 1890-09-24
A Mercenary Army Not AL
ways Composed of the
Best Men

The Pinkerton force, says the New
York Journal, owes its existence to
the energy and shrewdness of Allan
Pinkerton. He was born in Glasgow,
Scotland, in 1919, and in 1842 after a
stormy voyage. He found his way to
Chicago, and opened a cooper shop.
When in search of materials for his
work, he discovered band of coun-
terfeiters on an island in the Fox river.
He succeeded in breaking up the gang
and displayed so much skill and nerve
that he was appointed deputy sheriff
of Cook county.
While holding this position he con-
ceived the idea of creating a detective
organization free from political influ-
ence. Associated with lawyer named
Edward L. RHcker, in 1852 Pinkerton
started the agency which now has off
ices in New York, Chicago, Philadel-
phia, Boston and Denver.
The greatest achievement OF Allan
PinkertOn was the discovery of a plot
to assassinate Abraham Lincoln while
on his way to Washington to be inau-
gurated and the Illustration of it. Pin
kerton organized the secret-service
division durirg the war of the rebel.
lion. His other detective feats con-
sist of the arrest of numerous law
breakers and the restoration of millions
of dollars to their owners.
He died at Chicago on July 1, 1884.
He left widow and three children, of
eight born to him. OF these the eldest
son, William A., is now in charge of
the Western division of the detective
agency, his other son, Robert A., is
general superintendent and has imme-
diate charge of the Eastern offices.
Since the death of the elder Pinker-
ton, the organization has increased in
strength and efficiency until at the
great private resource by large corpor-
atiOns for the protection of lives and
property in times of stress and storm
About 500 detectives, both men and
women, are continuously employed at
stated salaries varying from SO per day
to $4,000 per year. There are nearly
100 detectives employed by the New
York Office alone.
The chief business of the agency is
with banks and express companies.
The methods of the concern are hidden
under veil of the closest secrecy, and
information with regard to the details
OF the work is kept inviolate.
As an organization, however, which
is closely allied with lawlessness of ev-
cry kind, the Pinkerton Detective Ag-
ency has been the subject of a good
deal of harsh criticism. 1t is cordially
hated by most of the labor organiza-
tions. Whether this opposition is JUS
fable or not is wholly a matter of opin-
on. In the excitement of great
strike, such as that recently in force
in the New York Central road, man
is often killed by the Pinkerton officers.
But these fatalities are more than
offset by the deaths in the ranks of
the detectives themselves, as was shown
in the fight of the James boys. While
engaged in the pursuit of these despe-
rate men in Missouri the Pinkertons
lost five men in one year.
Ofcourse there is not always on hand
in the various offices a sufficient num-
Der of men to supply an extraordinary
demand, such as has occurred within
the past two weeks. To meet such
demands lists of selected men are kept
and when necessity demands, these
men are sent for.
As a rule these deputies are not in
uniform, because of the enormous ex-
pense involved. Neither have they any
right to carry arms although they oft
en- do so. The Pinkerton men as a
rule have no more right to make an ar
rest than private citizen. When en-
ployed in large numbers, as they have
Oeen on the New York Central road,
the agency is paid at the rate of S. per
day for each man, of which the detec-
tive receives 81
They are required to make written
report every evening of every thing
done during the day, and the conversa-
tion down to the smallest detail, to-
gether with every item of expense in
CURED in the prosecution of the work.
They are kept continually advised from
the home office as to what their move
ments shall be.
The position of Pinkerton detec-
tive is not an enviable one. They are
cordially hated by the regular police
and consequently never reveal their
identity unless forced to do so.