Allan Pinkerton: Spy, Detective, Strike-Breaking Conspiracy Theorist

In this episode of History’s Devils, James is joined by Lewis Sage-Passant (How To Get on A Watchlist) to explore the rise of the Pinkerton National Detective Agency and the violent contradictions at the heart of its founder, Allan Pinkerton.Once a Chartist radical, Pinkerton reinvented himself in America as a celebrated detective and Union intelligence agent during the American Civil War. After the war, his story took a darker turn as he became increasingly consumed by conspiracy thinking, transforming his agency into a powerful private security force that was used by industrialists to suppress strikes and control workers who were agitating for their rights at the height of America's Gilded Age.A must-listen deep dive for anyone interested in the history of private security, radical politics and the hidden forces behind wealth and power in America.Further ReadingBeyond States and Spies: The Security Intelligence Services of the Private Sector·       Inventing the Pinkertons; or, Spies, Sleuths, Mercenaries, and Thugs·       Allan Pinkerton: America's Legendary Detective and the Birth of Private SecurityWhat's covered in this episode• Allan Pinkerton's childhood in Glasgow's Gorbals district, his working-class upbringing, and the political influences that shaped his early life.• The impact of Chartism, the People's Charter of 1838, and the political unrest of Industrial Revolution Britain, including the legacy of the Peterloo Massacre.• The debate over whether Pinkerton was a genuine Chartist activist or potentially an informant within the movement before emigrating to America in 1842.• Pinkerton's arrival in Illinois after a shipwreck off Nova Scotia and his transition from cooper and barrel maker to aspiring crime fighter.• The famous counterfeiting investigation near Dundee, Illinois, that launched Pinkerton's career in law enforcement and private investigations.• The weaknesses of nineteenth-century American policing and how they created opportunities for private security services and detective agencies.• The creation of the Northwest Police Agency and its transformation into the Pinkerton National Detective Agency.• Pinkerton's work protecting railroads, investigating theft, combating counterfeit currency, and developing early investigative tradecraft.• The origins of the famous "We Never Sleep" logo and the connection between Pinkerton branding and the modern term "private eye."• Pinkerton's recruitment of female investigators and his innovative use of undercover operatives drawn from target communities.• Pinkerton's anti-slavery beliefs, involvement with the Underground Railroad, support for Abraham Lincoln, and alleged links to abolitionist John Brown.• The Harpers Ferry raid, the role of Robert E. Lee in suppressing the uprising, and claims that Pinkerton considered helping Brown escape imprisonment.• Pinkerton's relationship with George McClellan and the emergence of private detectives as intelligence operatives during the American Civil War.• The alleged Baltimore Plot of 1861 and Pinkerton's role in protecting President-elect Abraham Lincoln during his journey to Washington for inauguration.Mentioned in this episodeAllan Pinkerton, Pinkerton Detective Agency, Lewis Sage-Passant, James Crossland, Glasgow, Gorbals, River Clyde, Chartism, People's Charter, Peterloo Massacre, French Revolution, Industrial Revolution, Luddites, Dundee Illinois, Chicago, Illinois, counterfeiting, private security, private intelligence, railroad security, Adams Express Company, We Never Sleep, private eye, Abraham Lincoln, John Brown, Bleeding Kansas, Harpers Ferry Raid, slavery, abolitionism, Underground Railroad, George McClellan, American Civil War, Robert E. Lee, Baltimore Plot, Fire Eaters, Maryland, intelligence tradecraft, corporate investigations, detective history, nineteenth-century policing.Chapters Introduction to History's Devils (00:11)Allan Pinkerton's Early Life and Political Interests (04:14)The Move to America and Early Detective Work (09:38)Founding the Pinkerton Detective Agency (15:12)Pinkerton's Role in the Civil War (22:26)The Pursuit of Jesse James (37:11)Transition to Union Suppression and Strikebreaking (42:28)The Homestead Strike and Pinkerton's Legacy (51:53)Conclusion and Reflections on Pinkerton's Impact (62:54) Thanks to SOULFULJAMTRACKS for their tune "Dark Halloween"Follow HISTORY's DEVILS On Instagram @historysdevilshttps://www.instagram.com/historysdevils/On Substackhttps://jamescrossland.substack.com/Follow JAMES CROSSLANDOn Bluesky @jamescrossland.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/jamescrossland.bsky.socialTag HISTORY's DEVILS@historysdevils#HistorysDevils #JamesCrossland #HistoryPodcast #Podcast #History #DarkHistory #HistoricalBiography #TrueHistory #HistoryDocumentary #Deepdive #Storytelling History's Devils is a history podcast exploring the lives of murderers, charlatans, psychopaths, dictators, war criminals, tyrants, demagogues, revolutionaries, cult leaders, conquerors, fraudsters, and other controversial figures.History's Devils is hosted by James Crossland, professor of international history and author of:Rogue Agent: From Secret Plots to Psychological Warfare, the Untold Story of Robert Bruce LockhartThe Rise of Devils: Fear and the Origins of Modern Terrorism...