Cheraw chronicle. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1896-2005, 1914-06-11
PLOTS WERE MANY
Scene of Mediation Once Head
quarters for PIotters.
w. A. Pinkerton Tells How Schemes
Were Hatched There During Civil
War-Father Was on the Spot
and Watched Operations.

ton mouse, Niagara ais, "HSio NV
A-B-C. Mexican mediation conference
Is being held, as hive of enemies OF
the federal government, were revived
by William A. Pinkerton here. Mr'
Pinkerton's father was Allan Pinker'
ton. chief Of the United States secret
service during the Civil war. His op-
eratives were guests incognito at the
old Clifton house in the Canadian re-
sort and kept vigilant watch on the
goings, comings and conversations OF
the Confederate spies. Mr.. Pinkerton
was a boy during the era of civil
strife, but thrilling stories OF the gov
ernment secret service under his IA
theirs direction are clear In his men,
ory.
1t is said that Niagara Falls ts full
OF secret service men representing
the interests of many countries or
the world. They will remain during
the mediation conference between
emissaries Of the United States, Mexi-
co, Argentina. Brazil and Chile il
will be the second time IN the towns
history that 1t has been the stamping
ground of national sleuths and per-
haps international intrigues.
"a new hotel Of the same name has
been erected on the site Of the old
Clifton house." said Mr.. Pfnkerton.
That structure was a snug haven for
Confederate spies, plotters and politi-
cal refugees during the Civil war, as
we'll as presenting a constant menace
to the welfare OF the northern cause
These enemies Of the republic were on
British territory, although Just over
the border from the United States.
They considered themselves safe,
and they were, as far as physical Be-
curity went But they were watched
as relentlessly as II they had been
operating in the nations capital by a
force Of secret agents under the gen.
eral direction Of my father.
Hundreds OF hair-raising plots
-:Satnst-t United States -Me1a
hatched there, but practically al the
feasible ones were nipped by the Be-
cret service men, who got into the
confidence Of these fellows.
Pilots Of assassination were out.
lined, also plans to dynamite public
buildings in northern cities, to wreck
railroads and to lay waste the enemy's
land without the aid Of an invading
army. Several times plans for the
delivery OF all the Confederate prison
ers In Camp Douglas, Chicago, were
completed at the Clifton house or In
the vicinity. But all attempts to free
the prisoners at Camp Douglas went
for naught. largely because the secret
service men were on the ground and
dispatched the details of the plans TO
army authorities before the plotters
had a chance to communicate with
their coadjutors In prison.
Agents in Niagara Falls sometimes
dared to venture over to the American
side. When they reached Union soil,
more often than not they were
promptly arrested. would hate to
insinuate that the American secret
agents had anything to do with lur-
ing them over, on the pretext Of con-
ferring with a Confederate junta. say.
in Buffalo. 1t often happened. how
ever, that bold aid Of the Confed-
eracy found himself bound in hand
cuffs after he had taken a dozen steps
t;nh
'The underground railway Of slav-
cry days, when negroes were secretly
rushed into Canada, was superseded
by a Confederate underground dur
ing the war. the route leading from
the United States to Niagara Falls
and the Canadian village st. Cathar-
ines. An active group Of southern
sympathizers operated it in the latter
place, and were also under the thumb
Of the United States secret service.
An odd feature Of the work Of the
secret agents in Canada was that few
knew each other or were aware of
each others government connection.
1t was found in the early days Of the
war that it was dangerous to put Sc
cret agents on the ground who were
acquaintances-that one would be
sure to implicate the other by arous-
ing suspicion. This lesson was
learned after one government agent
had been hanged and two imprisoned
In Richmond. Va"
In placing ban on liquor the gen