Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-08-21
ALLAN P|NKERTON
WAS A union SPY
He Served Under Lincoln Before
Establishing Famous De-
tective Agency.
STORY OF DEAD DETECTIVE.
famous Thief TalScr Who Died on
The Ocean Last Saturday Had
\ Thrilling Career

Thomas p. Huges president of the
Colorado Lead works brother OF MIS-
Robert Pinkcrton, gives the following
interesting sketch to the Denver Post
Of the early life of Allan Pinkerton'
father of Robert Pinkerton, whose
death on an ocean liner was reported
saturday. The elder Pinkerton was the
founder of the famous detective ageh-
" bearing his name:
Train robbers. Jan. 30, 1853 touched
an Adams Express company safe on an
Illinois Central train at Montgomery,
Ala for $40 000." said Mr.. hughes.
Eastern experts were tried ana round
wanting. The case was turned over 10
Allan Pinkerton, bearded Scotchmah'
then 40 years old Mr.. Pinkerton was
4 natural born psychologist, ne knew
human nature. He always worked on
The theory that no human being couIu
seep for long a criminal secret.
AT the time he had been working
nine years with his agency, started III
-hicago, assisted with George n. Bangs
and Timothy Webster. George Is. NC
Clelland was general superintendent OF
he Illinois Central. He explained 70
he new western detective that eastern
axperts had failed and that 1t was up
o him to make good. 1 VIII MAKE
;ood said Mr.. Pinkerton.
RusE THAT WORKED.
within three months after he took
,old of the case the express messenger
was in the tolls. had confessed the
.rime and turned over to Mr.. Pinkerton
s3q b1b of the $4,000 which he had talk
H. This was fine business for nm
the goddess of fortune was on his tran
so happened that Allan Pinkertoh
reached a certain city In the south on
he very day a bank cashier was muir
Tered and the bank robbed Without
disclosing his identity he investigated
he case and his suspicion fell upon
prominent citizen who had been close
friend of the cashiers. Pinkerton had
IN assistant get employed in the house
lold of the suspected man.
"a speaking tube was then arranged
so that the operator in the house could
vaken the suspected man in the night
with agonlzed cries. One night was
enough for the suspected man. Ht
Ted and was later apprehended. He
confessed and paid the penalty OF MS
rhine on the gallows.
ORGANIZED SCIENCE.
The running down of criminals has
ecome n highly organized science y
forger cashes a forged draft today
Within a few days the forgery is dis
covered and the facts are In the hands
II the Pinkertons. provided the bank Is
4 member of the American Bankers as
ISOLATION All OF the mysterious re-
ources of the agency are immediately
working In the rogues gallery are
kept photographs of all bank forgers
who have been arrested. with speci-
mems of their handwriting, brief
n 10
illon measurements, a description of
7hysical peculiaries, and a complete
istory of his criminal record. These
photographs are shown to the teller
who cashed the forged paper. In many
Instances he recognizes the guilty man.
In that case the Chicago office is mo-
tilted, and every agency in the country
is Immediately given the information
on hand at headquarters. Perhaps be-
fore the headquarters gets this intor-
nation it has wire from Kansas city
or some other city saying that we'll
known bank worker has arrived in
town and seems to be flush
HOW AGENCY WORKS.
But we will consider that the bank
officials did not recognize their man In
ny one of the photographs. full de-
scription of the criminal is taken, YER
fled by several persons, description
Of the writing is taken, and all infor-
nation wired to headquarters, along
with the information that the operative
on the ground believes that one Bin
KY Davis did the job.
Every agency branch in the coun-
try is notified by wire. along with
every police department from the At
lantic 10 the Pacific, and inside of "a
hours 90, 900 police officers are look
ing for 'Blinky' The police work
hand in glove with the Pinkertons
Police in all towns within 500 miles of
the scene OF the forgery are instructed
to bring In every suspect. a telegram
may come In from little town, Have
man in iail who was arrested IN hotel
tonight Has $500. Six feet one inch
tall. Otherwise does not answer de-
scriptlon of Davis Back goes n tele-
gram: send us Bertlllon measure
ments Bertillon measurements Of
100000 criminals are on file at the
Harrison street police station in Chi
caRo. Bertillon measurements Of the
suspect come in presently. and 10
minutes later the Pinkcrtons know
whether or not Davis Is under arrest
FROM POLICE STOCK.
ALLAN Plnkerton's father was SER
geRnt OF police I'm Glasgow, Scotland,
and was killed while Allan was yet
voungster. Allan learned the trade
II a cooper, Al the age NJ %, circum-
stances having relieved him or his re-
sponsibilitles. he married. Tho next
day he started for Canada. Tho ship
on which he sailed was wrecked on
Sable Island. ana young Plnkcrton
and his bride were among tho few
saved They made their way by
schooner 10 Detroit. ana then by wag-
on across the prairie to Chicago He
found work In n Chicago brewery
making barrels at 30 cents day
There being small settlement Of
Scots at Dundee. Ill, he was attract
ed there.
COUNTERFElTERs' DEN.
Dundee Is on Fox river. In the
middle Of tine river opposite the town
is Fox island. Allan Pinkcrton rowed