The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-10-25
A DIME NOVEL HERO.
w. A. Pinkerton's Opinion of
the Desperate Blanck.
THINKS HIM COWARD At HEART
The Famous Detective Praises Chief
Rogers Abflfty-Blanck IL Not
an Eastern Crock.

William 4. Pinkerton, one OF the sons
Of the late famous Allan Pinkerton, and
osne, with hi. brother. Robert, of the
Pinkerton detective agency of worldwide
reputation, was In this cIfy yesterday on n
tour OF the Soand. combining pleasure
with business. The name OF Allan Pinker-
ton. the founder OF the detective agency.
Is familiar 10 every old soldier Of the civil
war. who remembers the sturdy Scotch
man as chief OF the secret service through
ont Lineoln's first term Of office. and 20
whose pluck and sagacity Mr.. Lincoln
owed bis safe journey from Springfield.
ILL. through rebel-ridden Baltimore and
on 10 the national capital for his first
Inauguration. Allan Pinksrton's valu-
able services 10 the army through
out the darkest days Of the
an d dramatic part of the history of the
war that as yet remain unwritten, princi-
pally for the reason that aIi the archives
OF thoss four years of service, and for
which Mr. Pinker.on had refused an offer
Of $4,000 from the government. were
completely destroyed in the great Chicago
fire In ISL.
The two boys, brought up as detectives
under the father, have Inherited the busi-
ness. which, from a small beginning in
Chicago In the ffties, has grown to
dimension that has necessitated the estab-
lishment Of ten agencies in as many Of
the prominent cities of the Union that
Involve the employment OF an army of
several thousand men. William Pinkerton,
now IN this city. has in herited the Scotch
pertinacity and bulldog tenacity OF his
father and his name is terror to every
criminal Of any note in this and all foreign
countries. He has wonderful memory
for names. faces and histories of criminals
and face once presented 10 his piercing
eyes is never forgotten.
Mr.. Pinkerton passed the day yesterday
in the company of Chief of Police Bolton
Rogers, whose acquaintance he made in
Chicago some four years ago through the
working up of police case. In converse
ton with a reporter of the Posr-1NTELLI-
sEScEs last evening Mr.. Pinkerton ex-
pressed his pleasure at meeting the chief
again, to whom. he said. he took 8 fancy
for his sterling qualities as an officer. He
continued:
81 have had considerable dealings with
him since that time and l am pleased to
say that / have found him square and
thoroughly reliable. He possesses execu-
tive qualities that should make him an ex-
cellen, chief. and in detective work he has
few equals.
II understand, Mr.. Pinkerton. that you
have come here specially to identify the
murderer who is TO hang next December
under the name of Thomas Blanek?"
That's not so. I am here to make my
self personally familiar with the territory
that belongs TO the various agencies under
my charge. BY this means l can direct
from Chicago or any point l may be at
every one of our operations with intelli-
gence. Seattle il the coming metropolis
of the Northwest. and l want to know
more of IL and It's people, hence my visit.
| had read of Blanck In the PosT-IsrELLI-
GENcER, which get regularly in Chicago,
and as IL is one of my rules TO keep thor
oughly informed on all criminals, |. being
on the ground. had q natural desire 10 see
him. | had seen his photograph, but
failed to recognize him as an Eastern
crook. As photographs don't always tell
the truth, decided To get view of him,
so went To the county Jail with Chief
Rogers. l felt sure l did not know him.
so took no special care about seeing him.
"When JaiIer Monroe admitted me TO
the jail the first man met through the
bars was Knowlton, the gold brick swind-
Ter. | know him as an old crook and he
knows me well. We shook hands through
the bars and conversed for while.
knowlton mentioned my name al loud and
thst was n signal for little excitement
among the rest of the prisoners, so that
when | got ready to 20 To Bianck's cell
Blanck had hidden himself from my view
and no coaxing on the part of the jailer
could induce him to come out from the
closet Unfortunately tor Bianck, while
talking 10 knowlton l got glimpse of
him as he sneaked away into a dark corr
ner having readily recognized him from
IL. y -
him TO satisfy me he was not an Eastern
man"
"What do you think of Blanck?''
Judging from what | have read Of him
in the Posr-ISTEIIIGESCER he is a dime
novei-reading desperate, more fool than
knave. He has no appreciation of the
value of human life, and would kill a man
for 81 as readily as he would for s., 0oo He
has a wide streak of the yellow dog in his
nature, ard, unless / am greatly mis-
taken for all his boosted neFylness he
will die like the coward that believe him
10 be. He possesses brute courage, but is
devoid of the first spark OF manIIness and
will weaken st the first show Of manly
determination"
"Yes, he may have been in Troy, y. Y.
in his youth. as he saws, but perhaps
through some crime he left when quite
Young, and has made the far Western
states his stamping ground. | have an
idea that he II wanted IN Montana for the
murder Of a night Waterman there. OF
course, | don't know for certain. AT any
rate, he is 4 very com mouplace criminal
and far from being the hero that many
people have painted him from the reports
published Of him."
William A. Pingerton 10 man past ~.
well preserved. of striking appearance,
above the average height. heavy set,
weighing over 200 pounds. with large
massive heal in keeping with the rest OF
bis physique. lie has strong square feat
ures, a mouth and chin indicative Of firm
ness and pair OF eyes noted for their
piercing qualities. HIS hair Is dark and
bis face Is smooth shaver. save heavy
DARK mustaehe that covers his mouth.
Mr.. Pinkerton will leave for Portland
this morning and promises to return next
spring.