The Pinkerton Detective Agency | Brothers and Sons | 2

American History Tellers

Wondery

Society & Culture, Kids & Family, History, Education For Kids

4.7 • 18.3K Ratings

🗓️ 15 May 2024

⏱️ 44 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In the mid-1870s the Pinkerton Detective Agency’s fame was growing, and founder Allan Pinkerton began to pen bestselling books that promoted his and the agency’s crime-fighting image even more. But after Pinkerton died in 1884, his sons took over and expanded the business, providing guards and watchmen to protect railroads, mines, and factories. By the early 1900s, Pinkertons had become feared labor spies and strike-busters. It wasn’t long before their brutal and deadly methods began to attract scrutiny from the press and federal regulators.

Pre-order your copy of the new American History Tellers book, The Hidden History of the White House, for behind-the-scenes stories of some of the most dramatic events in American history—set right inside the house where it happened.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Wunderry Plus subscribers can binge new seasons of American history tellers early and
0:05.1	ad free right now. Join Wundery Plus in the Wundery app or on Apple Podcasts. Imagine it's March 17th, 1874. You and your brother John are hiding out at your cousin's home outside Roscoe, Missouri. A week ago you staged a robbery at Gads Hill, but it went wrong and a Pinkerton agent was killed.
0:39.0	You decided it was best to lay low for a while, but about an hour ago, three men claiming to be
0:44.2	cattle buyers visited the house. Something about them made you suspicious. They
0:49.1	were heavily armed and seems too well-mannered for cattle then. so you and your brother decided to go after them and find out who they really are.
0:57.0	You catch up to the men at the top of Chalk Hill Road.
1:00.0	Hey, you there, stop!
1:02.0	One of the men looks back, then turns and gives spurs to his horse.
1:06.0	I said stop!
1:08.0	Your brother takes a shot at the man.
1:10.0	You see his hat fly off his head, but he keeps riding.
1:13.0	The other two men come to a stop and turn around and head back toward you.
1:17.0	The older of the two approaches on his horse.
1:20.0	Now, why'd you go and shoot? We're just passing through mister no law against that I told him it stop he didn't listen you did though smart decision now tell me what you're doing here
1:29.7	Well since you're so concerned we're here to buy cattle from the Sims Ranch.
1:33.7	Is that right? Then why are you headed away from the Sims Ranch? It's back that way.
1:38.4	Well, is it now? I guess we got turned around, is all? You don't look like ranchers to me so drop your guns throw them in the
1:44.7	dirt or else you cock your shotgun and aim it at the man's chest or else the man and his
1:52.0	friend exchange looks the older one nods and they drop their guns on the ground. As they do, you notice that one of the guns is a British Tranter revolver. Now that there is a pretty fancy weapon for a ranch man. Fess up, who are you really?
2:05.4	Pinkerton? Maybe you haven't heard the news.
2:08.0	Pinkerton's and sheriff's deputies aren't welcome in these parts.
2:11.6	You turned to your brother. Go after that runaway. I'll cover these two.
	...

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