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International Women's History Month: Unnamed Pinkerton Women

It’s National Women’s History Month. In recognition of women's vital role in American history, we would like to recognize notable Pinkerton women. Unfortunately, many of Pinkerton’s archived case files would show that most operatives were referred to by their initials, last names, or agency-assigned code names, or they were simply unnamed in the case files and newspaper articles, leaving very few clues as to their identities.

This was, of course, “to obviate any possibility of the operative being recognized” so they could continue to “serve the ends of justice; purge society of the degrading influences of crime; and to protect the lives, the property, and the honor of the community at large,” just like the Agency founder Allan Pinkerton proclaimed. Operatives were instructed never to talk about their work or to engage with the media.

In one high-profile case, however, the Agency broke protocol and allowed the media to know the gender of two covert women operatives, or “shadows.”

Per standard operating procedures, shadows were, most often, deployed in pairs, and these two, in particular, together. From all reports, they were spectacular at their jobs.

When no one else could find the fugitive bank robber of the First National Bank of Milltown, NJ, in December 1920, the Agency deployed the experts. In early January 1921, these women found the criminal’s young wife, who was hiding in New York City, and they proceeded to shadow her for several days until she unknowingly led them to her husband in Providence, RI, where he was arrested the moment he embraced her at the train station. Then two women simply disappeared back into the shadows. Unidentified and ready for their next assignment.

So, here’s to all the unnamed Lady Pinks—shadows, agents, analysts, and operatives, past and present—who shaped the Pinkerton Agency and continue to make history.

#PinkertonHistory #WomensHistoryMonth #LadyPinks #Investigations

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