20 Legendary Cases Involving the Pinkerton Detective Agency

Even before Abraham Lincoln could be sworn in for the first time, Allan Pinkerton had foiled a dangerous plot to assassinate him during his train ride to Washington. Detectives carried out an undercover operation in Baltimore to gather intelligence and ultimately smuggled the president-elect discreetly through the city in the middle of the night. It’s crazy to think that the course of the Civil War could have been completely different if those agents hadn’t been so paranoid about security.

When the notorious train robbers known as the Reno brothers were on the rampage in the Midwest, they didn’t expect the Pinkerton Agency to pursue them across state lines. Pinkerton agents tracked them throughout the Midwest and succeeded in arresting key members of the Reno family in Indiana. This case cemented the Pinkertons’ reputation as a firm that never let a criminal escape justice.

James McParland, a Pinkerton agent, spent two years undercover as a coal miner to infiltrate a secret criminal organization in Pennsylvania. His cover was so perfect that he became a confidant of the Molly Maguires and helped secure their conviction for assault. He is just one of many examples of Pinkerton agents who worked undercover to infiltrate criminal organizations.

Jesse James was one of the most famous outlaws of his time, and bringing him to justice was one of the agency’s greatest challenges. Pinkerton detectives spent years trying to bring Jesse James’s gang to justice after several robberies. Although they never managed to capture Jesse James, they succeeded in disrupting his activities and forcing him into hiding.

The Central Pacific Railroad hired the Pinkerton Agency after a large sum of money was stolen from its cash-in-transit car. It wasn’t easy to track them down, but thanks to forensic evidence and the interrogation of suspects, they finally managed to locate them in the mountains.

During a strike at a steel mill in 1892, the Pinkerton Agency was hired to protect the building and its valuables. It eventually came under attack from stones and other projectiles during a clash on the riverbank. This incident destroyed all the goodwill the Pinkerton Agency had managed to build with the workers.

Known as the “Wild Bunch,” Butch Cassidy was part of a group of outlaws who gave the Pinkerton agents a hard time for years. Eventually, Butch Cassidy and his partner, the Sundance Kid, rode out of the country on horseback to escape the Pinkerton agents. Tracking down outlaws across the American West is a way to make a living.

The Pinkerton Agency hasn’t always focused on tracking down outlaws and train robbers; for example, it recovered a stolen portrait of the Duchess of Devonshire. One agent spent years tracking down an international gang of art thieves before finding them hiding in a Chicago hotel room.

Oliver Curtis Perry was a train robber who came into contact with Pinkerton agents after attempting to rob the same train twice. After the agents caught him during a confrontation, he spent the rest of his life in prison. Who doesn’t love a good story about a train robbery that goes wrong?

When about 100,000 dollars disappeared from a bank vault in New England, investigators conducted a series of clever interrogations to identify the thief. They discovered that an employee was leading a double life and managed to recover most of the stolen funds before they could be spent. This is a classic example showing that their methodical approach to paperwork can be just as effective as a fistfight.

If you thought Butch Cassidy was the only outlaw hunted by the Pinkerton Agency, think again. The Sundance Kid’s real name was Harry Longabaugh, and he, too, was one of the Pinkerton Agency’s top targets. Thanks to photographs and wanted posters, the Pinkerton Agency tracked him down wherever he went.

By helping the government apprehend counterfeiters, the Pinkerton Agency proved that it was also capable of combating white-collar crime. By posing as strangers, its agents eventually unmasked the master engraver who ran the ring. Pinkerton agents helped develop and refine many of the techniques used today by intelligence agencies.

When investors were led to believe, through deception, that California was home to large diamond mines, they called on the Pinkerton Agency to verify this claim. It turned out that the “mine” was filled with industrial diamonds—a scam known as “salting” a mine. The Pinkerton Agency thus helped investors save a great deal of money that year.

If you had robbed trains in the South at the beginning of the last century, you might have run into Rube Burrows. Wanted for train robberies in several states, Rube Burrows was eventually captured in a swamp by Pinkerton agents. Although he put up a fierce fight, Burrows was arrested and spent the rest of his life in prison.

A large sum of money intended to pay the wages of mine workers had disappeared, causing panic and raising fears of a workers’ revolt. When the Pinkerton Agency arrived on the scene, they discovered that the money was hidden in a tree stump on the property of the payroll manager. You should always check trees when looking for stolen money.

The Pinkerton Agency gained international recognition when it provided security for the Spanish royal family during their visit. Neither the thousands of guests nor the intense media attention prevented Pinkerton agents from ensuring security during this state visit. If you’re capable of protecting a queen, your work in corporate security will undoubtedly be a piece of cake.

After a former governor of Idaho was killed in a bombing, the agency tasked James McParland with investigating the radical union leaders suspected of the crime. The case led to a high-profile trial that highlighted the ongoing tensions between large corporations and labor unions. It is often cited as one of the most significant legal battles the agency has ever helped wage.

In the early 1900s, farmers in Kentucky and Tennessee called on the Pinkerton Agency to protect their property from the Night Riders. Working alongside federal authorities, Pinkerton agents helped bring the group’s leaders to justice and restore order. Their ability to blend in with the local population and protect property is a testament to their versatility.

Two brothers managed to swindle the Bank of England out of a colossal sum before fleeing to the United States. The Pinkerton Agency was hired to track them down and followed their trail through a series of aliases and luxury hotels. It eventually apprehended them.

Ensuring security at the Chicago World’s Fair was a tremendous opportunity for the Pinkerton Agency. Managing thousands of visitors and preventing any major incidents over the course of several months was no small feat. If we can ensure security at a World’s Fair, we can successfully carry out any mission entrusted to us by our parent company.