On January 10, 1906, a train pulled into the station in Boise, Idaho.

A man stepped onto the platform with a cane tucked under his arm. He was heavy set,

middle-aged, and had a thick mustache. Though he was no longer the lean, physically fit Irish men

who were participated in brawls and riots with the Molly Maguire, James McParland's

mind was as sharp as ever. It had been 30 years since McParland infiltrated the

Molly Maguire. Since then, McParland's career had skyrocketed, and he was now one of the most

famous private detectives in the United States. But for the past two decades, McParland's

role with the Pinkerton Detective Agency was more management than investigation.

In 1888, he was put in charge of the Denver office, and he helped make it into one of the most

prolific detective offices in the West. But after years of spending the majority of his time

sitting behind a desk or networking with influential people, McParland craved action.

He wanted to get back in the field to do some real detective work.

That was why he ventured to Boise, Idaho, to help crack a high-profile murder.

Eleven days earlier, on December 30, 1905, a man named Frank Stunenberg went about his business

in Caldwell, Idaho.

Stunenberg was the former governor of Idaho, the fourth in the state's history.

He had left office in 1900, but friends and neighbors still referred to him as governor.

And at a towering six foot two, Stunenberg walked around like a man who still commanded authority.

December 30th was a cold day, with temperatures hovering around zero degrees Fahrenheit.

But that didn't stop Stunenberg from finishing up some year-end tasks, such as renewing

his life insurance policy before the new year. By nightfall, Stunenberg had finished his errands and

was walking home. At around 6 p.m., Stunenberg reached the gate to his house at 1602 Dearborn

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