Page 26 - WAD 2023 March

FEATURE POST-CIVIL WAR:
CONTINUED ESPIONAGE, 1865–1867

After the Civil War, Kate Warne worked on various high-profile cases. One of these involved the murder of a bank-teller, George
Gordon. The murderer got away with $130,000. Pinkerton determined that Gordon was fetching money for a friend or someone
who frequented the bank when he was struck on the head behind the ear with a hammer with intent to murder any witnesses of
the robbery. Through his investigation, Pinkerton felt certain that his prime suspect, Alexander P. Drysdale, had in fact killed Gordon.
However, at this point he did not have enough hard evidence to convict Drysdale; too much was still based on speculation. Therefore,
he set a trap for Drysdale so that he would reveal a confession. Warne was sent under cover as a Mrs. Potter and became close
friends with Mr. Drysdale’s wife. Through this plot, they were able to uncover where Drysdale had hidden the stolen money.

Another case for which Kate Warne went undercover was brought about by a Captain Sumner, who was convinced that both his
sister, Mrs. Annie Thayer, and a Mr. Pattmore, were attempting to poison Mrs. Pattmore and himself. Warne took the name Lucille
and assumed the role of a fortune teller to lure information out of the suspected murderer’s confidants. In the meantime, she also
continually coordinated Pinkerton’s other female detectives in the agency. Pinkerton rented a space for Warne to work as part of her
guise. Allan Pinkerton named Kate Warne one of the five best detectives that he had. Her employment by Pinkerton was a significant
moment in Women’s History. Women were not allowed to be a part of the police force until 1891 and could not be officers until 1908.

Pinkerton specifically thanked Kate Warne and Timothy Webster in his memoirs. Both Warne and Webster were key operatives
during the Baltimore Plot investigations. Warne reported back to Pinkerton about all her work when he was away from the office
and they worked together, on numerous cases, during their tenure. Pinkerton constantly showed a deep trust in the work that Warne
performed and acknowledges so in his memoirs. She was in charge of the Female Detective Bureau established by Pinkerton, her
title being Supervisor of Women Agents. Pinkerton said to his female prospective agents:

In my service you will serve your country better than on the field. I have several female operatives. If you agree to come aboard you
will go in training with the head of my female detectives, Kate Warne. She has never let me down.

24 W.A.D Beyond Global