The Cairo bulletin., 1911-02-02
A Spy Of President
Lincoln
BY DONALD cHAMBERLIN
Copyright By .Ameriean Press Asso-
citation, l9li

ANtt WIN sBitNs II 10 SluSuIdt ktpt
those can be found to do such WORK
especially since an ignominious deaf
is the penalty for being caught. Th
strangest feature of the spy system
Is that the more delicate woman Shouts
have done her share In it,
| One day a girl about twenty-fou
years old went to Allan pinkerton
| who was lit the head of the UniteC
| States secret service bureau, and tolt
him that she had lived at Richmond
the capital of the Confederacy, an,
was supposed to be q seeessionist Sh,
proposed to go there, intending TO offe
/ her services to the Confederate gov
eminent, to return to Washington ant
take back information to Richmond
In other words, by pretending to bt
in the Confederate service she hopef
to get Information Of their intentions
or condition for the Federal govern
ment. She said her object was t.
make money to lift her sick mother
out of poverty.
Pinkerton set several trans for her
In order to test her fidelity to the
Federal cause and, having satisfied
himself OF it. sent her 10 Mr.. Lincoln.
This was in 1864. when the struggle
was drawing to a close. The work
Mr. Lincoln gave her to do was to dis
cover what commiSsary stores We're 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 We're only two ways
by blockade running and by getting
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 a point was named where sup.
plies might be landed.
During these discussions the spy
learned that if Grant succeeded 10
taking Petersburg. all supplies being
cut of from the south, the troops and
people of Richmond had almost M
provisions whatever to rely upon. The
surrender must follow very soon
Having gained the information she
wished for. Miss Beale made her prep,
orations to return to Washington,
The day before she intended to set
out she was met on the street by
man-one Of the many Washington
southern sympathi2ers- who WAS car
rying information to Richmond aud
who had seen her not long before com.
ing out Of Allan rinkertou's Office He
looked at her with pair of steel gray
eyes under buShy eyebrows and with
n 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 he followed
her, she spied an empty cab. Reckon
ing TO the driver. he pulled up at the
curb, and she entered, telling him to
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 alight
ed the man came hurrying up She
went in and asked for Mr.. Davis lie
was busy at the time; but. having wait
ed awhile TO see him. she went away.
When she passed out cf the door the
man with the bushy eyebrows had dis
appeared Apparently her bluff game
had succeeded
nut she dare not remain in Rich
moad n minute longer Not daring to
go directly nofthward. she concluded
to frst go south and told the cabman
to drive her to the battlehelds that
had been fought on by Lee ana Me
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 n stolen
boat on the James river, she at last
reached Fortress Munroe. in posses
SIGN of the Federal forces. There she
found a naval transport about to leave
for the north aud. reaching New York,
took Il train for Washington.
When the name of Kate Beale was
taken up to Mr. Lincoln he muttered a
thank God" and directed that she
should be Immediately conducted to
him When she entered the room
where he was and he arose to greet
her It seemed to her that his tall lank
figure would never cease rising. He
took both her hands in his, and his ex-
pressivc eyes told her how relieved he
was to see her
II have important news for you, Mr..
Lincoln" she said. ond she told him
what she had learned.