A private detective and security agency founded around 1850 in Chicago by Allan Pinkerton, for decades the largest private law enforcement organization in the world. It pioneered undercover investigation and centralized criminal records, protected president-elect Abraham Lincoln in 1861, and pursued outlaws across state lines when public police forces could not. Its violent role in the 1892 Homestead strike led Congress to pass the Anti-Pinkerton Act of 1893.
Facts
Institution TypeSourced to the subject's own accountPrivate detective agency 1 Founded YearSourced to the subject's own account HeadquartersChicago, Illinois, United States 1 Sourced to the subject's own accountThe historical headquarters; the successor company operates from Ann Arbor, Michigan as a Securitas subsidiary. Cross-Tradition Connections
Associated With
Warne was hired by Allan Pinkerton in 1856 as the first female detective in the United States and later led the agency's Female Detective Bureau.
Founded By
Sources
Frequently Asked Questions
Did the Pinkertons ever catch Jesse James?
No. Despite their reputation for pursuing outlaws including the Reno Gang and Butch Cassidy's Wild Bunch, the agency never captured Jesse James.Reader Challenges (0 open reader challenges)
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