Monday, August 18, 2008
America's First Private Investigator Firm
Allan Pinkerton, born in Glasgow, Scotland in 1819, is considered the father of private investigation in the United States. In 1846, he began his career in law enforcement as a sheriff's deputy in Kane County, Illinois. By around 1850, he opened up shop and started his own private detective firm in Chicago.
Pinkerton was very prominent in his industry in 19th century America. It is believed that Pinkerton discovered a plot to assassinate President Abraham Lincoln while traveling to his inauguration in Washington, D.C. At the advice of Pinkerton, President Lincoln made changes to his travel plans thereby avoiding a possible assassination attempt.
By around 1866, the railroad industry got wind of his private investigator business and hired him to help thwart train robberies run by gangs which included members of Jesse James' notorious outlaws. From the beginning, Pinkerton's firm did not jibe well with members of Jesse James outlaw gang. Several of Pinkerton's employees were murdered in their attempts to apprehend members of the James gang. In March, 1874, John Younger, a member of the James gang, was killed in a shootout with Pinkerton's operatives in St. Clair County, Missouri.
By the early 20th century, train robbery gangs were defunct due to Pinkerton's efforts to suppress them. It is believed that several innocent men were imprisoned in this gang suppression. In fact, this is from where the term "railroaded" evolved in which an innocent individual is sent to prison for a crime he did not commit.
Today, the Pinkerton's agency is now merged with Burns Security, a publicly held company listed in the Swiss stock exchange and a member of the Securitas family.
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