The herald., 1911-06-29
A Spy Of President
Lincoln
BY DONALD CHAMBERLIN
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation, 1911.

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 a 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 a 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 10
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 drawing TO a 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
iyh oh ha
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
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
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
out she was met on the street by a
man-one Of the many Washington
southern sympathizers-who was car
rying information to Richmond and
who had seen her not long before CON-
ng out Of Allan Pinkerton's office. He
looked at her with pair Of steel gray
eyes under bushy eyebrows and with
| more than ordinary interest She did
lOt remember ever. having seen him
before, but considering her mission she
'elt sure she was In danger
She pretended not to notice the
mans interest in her. Walking on, but
without turning to see II he followed
Ter, she spied an empty cab Beckon-
ng to the driver, he pulled up at the
urb, and she entered, telling him to
lrive her to the presidential mansion.
nan still looking at her, but pretend
ng not to notice her. When she stop
,ed at the presidents home and alight-
d the man came hurrying up. She
vent In and asked for Mr.. Davis. He
vas busy at the time; but, having wait
d awhile to see him, she went away.
When she passed out of the door the
nan with the bushy eyebrows had dis
Apparently her bluff game
lad succeeded.
But she dare not remain In Rich
nond minute longer. Not daring to
o directly northward, she concluded
!, first go south and told the cabman
D drive her to the battlefields that
ad been fought on by Lee and Nc
lellan two years before, and, arriving
here, she dismissed him.
Hiring vehicles where she could,
talking where she could not hire
hem, sometimes floating In a stolen
Dat on the James river, she at last
cached Fortress Munroe, in possess
on OF the Federal forces. There she
'und a naval transport about to leave
r the north and, reaching New York,
ok train for Washington.
When the name Of Kate Beale was
ken up to Mr.. Lincoln he muttered a
hank God" and directed that she -
lould be Immediately conducted to
IN. When she entered the room
here he was and he arose to greet
IT 1t seemed to her that his tall, lank
'ure would never cease rising. He
ok both her hands in his, and his ex-
essiye eyes told her how relieved he
as to see her.
Il have important news for you, Mr..
ncoln," she said, and she told him
hat she had learned.
IL was but month after that that
ant took Petersburg and the Con.
deracy collapsed
kate Beale was paid a large sum
om the secret service fund with
licn she ministered to her mothers