The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1919-06-05
How Detective James Mop arland Broke
Up Two Great Reigns Of Terror Molly
McGuires and Western Federation
experience, on his detective force.
jolly and Quick .Mitted.

jolly and Quick Witted.
| Mcfarland was a jolly Irishman
with the quick wit and the natural
sympathies Of his race. He loved the
Irish and believed in them, he was
quick to resent an attack on the GUS
toms and religion Of his native land
and he wished to prove that Irishmen
made the most loyal citizens Of the
republic. obedient to its laws, con-
forming quickly to its customs and
adopting its ideals Moreover, like
Javert, he was devoted to law. Per-
haps he felt happier than he had ever
been in his life when under the d.
rection Of an able leader he could use
all his powers to maintain order and
law. .l
In appearance MCFARLAND was
stocky, stood feet inches high, had
a complexion of reddish sanguine, dark
chestnut hair, kindly gray eyes, He
dressed simply, wore glasses, was al
ways smiling, and In fact looked the
traditional Irishman little modern
lied and Americanized. He liked peo-
pie and could be convivial because he
did so; in word. he was a splendid
mixer. t. u-
Thus when 1t came about that the
awful deeds, deadly and continuous,
of the Molly Maguires in the mines Of
Pennsylvania demanded that they be
hunted down and exterminated, and
Franklin b. Gowen, president of the
Philadelphia and Reading Coal and
Iron company, employed the Pinker-
ton agency to harry these mysterious
demons in their lair, Mcfarland was
chosen for the job. This was in 1873
II was not because Pinkerton had
read the Sherlock Holmes yarns and
saw traits Of this strangely fascinat-
ing character in his, employe 1t was
not wholly because MCFARLAND had
shown traits of the hail fellow well
met" that he was chosen for this dan
gerous commission. 1t was because
Pinkerton, who knew men, recognized
that his Irish detective was a born
actor. ,,t ~
b.. Methods Of Terrorism.
The 'Molly Maguires" was an or
ganization of obscure origin. 1t had
taken the name from secret irish
society whose object was to terrorize
the landlords and their agents of Ire
Hand. 1t had gained great power In
the coal regions of Pennsylvania by
hideous methods, employing bombs,
dynamite, poison, the pistol indis-
criminately. The society had spread
over the state and had 10000 MEM
bers. There were regularly elected
officers, pass words, signs and grips
by which the members recognized
each other. ... -.
The chief aim of the society was to
ssassinate anybody who opposed 1t.
When 1t was essential to It's plans or
its safety to remove man 1T sent for
a member of branch distant from
the place where this person worked,
and he did the work by any foul
means that lay to his hand. Then he
disappeared
If a suspicion rested on the agent
there were false alibis prepared for
his escape. If he was arrested there
were bail, plenty of money for eoun-
sci fees, plenty of influence on the
bench to save him. Not a conviction
could be obtained and the terror went
on unabated. How could the authori-
ties stop It when in the offices of the
towns and state We're seated members
Of the society duly elected? Owners
OF mines, their superintendent, their
gang bosses were killed whenever II
pleased the Maguires to take them on
Men were dubbed to death In the
presence Of their wives and children
houses were burned while families
slept in them, mines were blown up
elevators were dropped by accident
picks fell in a deadly way also by ac-
cident. The horrors were of daily oc-
lcurrence. The Molly Maguires helo
firm control of property and life