The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1908-07-18

tRobert A Pinkerton was born In Dun
dee. Illinois. in ls4s, and educated at
Eotre Dame university in Indiana. He
veas the son OF Allan Pinkerton. the
founder of the famous detective agency.
Bob" Pinkerton. he was famtiiarly
called. had marvellous memory for
names and faces and his gallery of Grim
inal photographs and biographies was
supposed to be the finest in America He
made a big reputation by his method Of
handling great crowds at the race tracks
He was man Of pleasing personality
and did much toward introducing purely
business systems into concern which
IL regarded rather romantic He died
August II, 1907, aboard the North German
Lloyd steamer Bremen" while bound
for Europel
One morning before daylight the
United States Express company was
robbed Of 100000. and. sad to say.
there was not a shred of evidence to
tell tie story OF how this small for
tune was permitted to slip from the
grasp Of corporation that had the
reputation OF being one OF the most
careful and conservative in America
The scene of the robbery was at Sus-
quehanna, Pa. and the local authori-
ties did everything in their power to
locate the cash, but all to no avail
IN this emergency the company en-
listed the services OF Robert A. Pink
erton. 1t is probable that no detec-
tive in the world was better equipped
to grapple with problem OF this kind
than Bob Pinkerton." He had the
experience OF lifetime in following
crime Of this particular character, and
although his adventures were little
known to the public at large, he en-
joyed the reputation Of more sue
cesses than any other man In the
agency.
On June 20, 1888, the Marine Ma
tional bank OF New York sent to the
First National bank of Susquehanna
sealed package containing $4,000
In currency and national bank notes
The money was to be used in the
payment OF wages of more than 900
employees OF the Erie Railroad com
pany in the local shops. The pack
age was carried to the United States
Express company's Office in New
York by a clerk OF the Marine bank
who received a receipt for it. The
money clerk Of the express company
sooh tudl Se vi llle CASH ana lnclOSeu
1t in the regular canvas pouch, sealed
with the company's stamp and at
tached a tag on which was the name
of the companys agent at Susquehan-
ma The pouch was duly delivered to
Messenger Van Wagenen. who placed
It in the safe with other valuables.
1t was midnight when it reached Sus- |
Quehanna and he turned the expen-
sive package over to Dwight Cham
berlain, a night clerk and watchman,
who was Jointly employed by the ex-
press company and the Erie Railroad |
company. Chamberlain placed it in |
the safe in the ticket office and locked |
It with key which he carried in his |
pocket. After that he was busily EN-
ployed in his usual duties about the
station. frequently being away from
the ticket office until seven o'clock
on the morning of the 21st.
While casting up his accounts the
from the Susquehanna
bank arrived and called for the sealed
package. The pouch was taken from
the safe, but instead of the $40. 900 in
cash. number OF small packages of
oio"u HiaHlIih paper, cut ABOUT the
Size OF bank bills, were found in the
receptacle.
This being the case, either
Chamberlain. the night clerk, one of
he employees, or some other person,
unknown, was guilty. Chamberlain
Vas subjected to rigid cross-exam.
nation, and at its conclusion Mr..
9inkerton expressed the belief that
,e was entirely innocent of any COM
>licity In the theft. A careful watch
kept on all OF the employees Of the
company brought no developments.
At this stage Of the game the detec-
I've broadened the line of his INQUIRY
70 as to include every man, woman
nd child in the town Of Susquehanna.
lone instructive feeling-probably the
ssult OF his long years of experience
made him believe that the crime ,
nd originated In the little town in I
After learning as
auch rs possible about the personal I
istor. Of the inhabitants, he began 1