Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1911-02-03
A Spy Of P esiden
lincoln
& By DONALD CHAMBERIIN
Copyright by American Press Assoc
citation, 1911,

Few persons have ever been aware
OF the connection President Lincoln
had with spies. 1t is singular how
those can be found to do such work,
especially since an ignominious death
is the penalty for being caught. The
strangest feature of the spy system
is that the more delicate woman should
have done her share in it.
One day girl about twenty -four
years old went to Allan Pinkerton,
who was at the head of the United
States secret service bureau, and told
him that she had lived at Richmond.
the capital of the Confederacy, and
was supposed to be secessionist. She
proposed to go there, intending to offer
her services to the Confederate gov
eminent, to return to Washington and
take back information to Richmond.
In other words, by pretending to be
in the Confederate service she hoped
to get information of their intentions
or condition for the. Federal govern
ment. She said her object was to
make money to lift her sick mother
out Of poverty.
Pinkerton set several traps for her
in order to test her fidelity to the
Federal cause and, having satisfied
himself of it. sent her to Mr. Lincoln.
This was in 1864, when the struggle
was DRAWN: to close. The work
Mr.. Lincoln gave her to do was to dis
cover what commissary stores were in
Richmond and what further supplies
could be obtained
Kate Beale went to Richmond. going
through the lines without much
trouble. Her accent, which she had
| acquired in the south. was distinctly
southern and great help to her. She
wormed herself into the confidence Of
the wife of an important officer in the
| Confederate commissary department
and asked him if there was not some
| plan by which she could assist south
ern sympathizers in the north in
| running eatables into the south. He
told her there were only two ways,
by blockade running and by getting a
vessel to some spot of southern terri
tory unmatched by northern troops.
She proposed to start an expedition
! on the last named plan
| She was taken to President Davis
and to the commissary general. She
| told them that she knew southern men
In Baltimore who would run supplies
through if sure they would be met
by southern force. After much dis
cussion point was named where sup
plies might be landed.
During these discussions the SPY
learned that If Grant succeeded in
taking Petersburg. all supplies being
cut off from the south. the troops and
people of Richmond had almost no
provisions whatever to rely upon The
surrender must follow very soon.
Having gained the information she
wished for, Miss Beale made her prep
arations to return to Washington
The day before she intended to set
man-one Of the many Washington
southern sympathizers-who was car.
rying information to Richmond and
who had seen her not long before com
ing out Of Allan Pinkerton's Office. He
looked at her with pair Of steel gray
eyes under bushy eyebrows and with
a more than ordinary interest. She did
not remember ever having seen him
before. but considering her mission she
felt sure she was in danger.
She pretended not to notice the
mans interest in her. Walking on, but
without turning to see if be followed
her, she spied an empty cab. Beckon
ing to the driver. he pulled up at the
curb, and she entered. telling him t.;
drive her to the presidential mansion
AS she was driven away she saw the
man still! looking at her. but pretend
| ing not to notice her When she STOP
| ped at the presidents home and alght.
| ed the man came hurrying up. She
| went in and asked for Mr.. Davis. He
| ed awhile to see him, she went away
When she passed out Of the door the
man with the bushy eyebrows had dis
| appeared. Apparently her bluff game
had succeeded.
But she dare not remain in Rich
mond minute longer. Not daring to
60 directly northward, she concluded
| to first go south and told the cabman
| to drive her to the battlefelds that
had been fought on by Lee and Nc
Clellan two years before, and. arriving
| there. she dismissed him.
Hiring vehicles where she could
! walking where she could not hire
them, sometimes floating in stolen
| boat on the James river. she at last
| reached Fortress Munroe. in posses
| sion Of the Federal forces. There~she
found naval transport about to leave
! for the north and. reaching New York.
took train for Washington.
When the name Of Kate Beale was
taken up to Mr.. Lincoln he muttered Z
thank Cod and directed that she
should be Immediately conducted TO-
hin. When she entered the room
where he was and ne arQ4e. to- greet
! her 1t seemed to her that his tall, tank