PINKERTON, pingicer-ton, Allan, Scot tish-American detective: b. Glasgow, Scotland, 25 Aug. 1819; d. Chicago, Ill., 1 July 1884. In Scotland he had learned the trade of cooper and after his arrival in the United States set up a cooperage at Dundee, near Chicago. In 1842 he came to Chicago, Ill., and was ap pointed its first detective in 1850. In the same year he established a detective bureau, after ward well known from its use by predatory capitalistic interests to crush trades-unionism. he organized the secret service division of the United States army in 1861, was made its first chief and later formed and directed the secret service department of the Gulf until the end of the war. While employed by the Wilmington and Baltimore Railway he discovered a plot to assassinate Lincoln on the way to Washington (1861). He was very successful in his detective work, being particularly skilful in the detection of bank and express thieves and the recovery of the money taken. He also broke up the
((Molly Maguire" band of Pennsylvania. Among his writings were
Spy of the Re bellion' (1883) ;