Born and educated in Southern California, Margaret Bzovy has been the host for the Western Writers Chat Group on AOL since 1997, writing articles for the monthly newsletter as well as arranging guest appearances on the hour-long chat event that meets every Monday. She is a member of Western Writers of America, working as
a California Ambassador for the membership committee under Chairman Larry Brown. She has also written various nonfiction historical articles for the online American Western Magazine, and for the Tumbleweed
Newspaper in Tombstone, Arizona. She lives with her husband, Ed, at the same home where they raised their eight children. Marge is also a member of the NRA, National Outlaw and Lawman Association, and the Southern California Historical Society.

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Kate Warne read the newspaper advertisement and her interest soared. The item that attracted her was an eye that was encircled with the words Pinkerton National Detective Agency, then just below the eye itself was the curious statement, "We never sleep." She smiled and thought, they probably never sleep because they are constantly alert. The idea of detecting inspired her with the thought of helping people with situations they could not attend to themselves. The more she thought about it the more she believed she could be a worthy detective. She had always longed to be an actress, but her parents would never permit her exposing herself to what they believed was below her level. Detecting would be almost like going on stage where she could go among devious people, get into their confidences and gather information that would eventually put them in the hands of the law. The idea thrilled the nature of her acting ability. She tucked the newspaper under her arm and headed for the offices of Allan Pinkerton.

Kate was married four years ago, but her husband had been killed in a wagon accident that left the childless Kate very much on her own. The year of 1856 did not offer much employment for women and she detested the idea of becoming a washerwoman. Her ideals were much higher than becoming a slave to labor type work. The idea of becoming a detective warmed through her as she strolled across the sidewalks of Chicago. Her long, crisp, dark navy blue gown swished against her legs as she approached the large, several storied building which housed the Pinkerton Detective Agency. She climbed the narrow stairs and walked down the long hallway until she came upon the agency's office, which had the familiar Pinkerton eye logo painted on the glass section of the door.

Kate entered the office to find a mature woman, she estimated as being around forty years old, sitting comfortably at a desk arranging papers. The woman's hair was dark brown, pulled straight back from her face into a tight bun. The high white collar on the blouse she wore was adorned with a thin black ribbon tie. Her spectacles slipped down her nose as she looked at Kate, smiled and asked what she wanted. Kate explained she wanted a job. The secretary told her to take a seat and she would inquire with Mister Pinkerton if there could be any openings. When the woman returned she directed Kate to go into the main office to the left of her desk.

There, Allan Pinkerton was standing behind a large desk. He was a robust man, around five foot nine, dressed in a brown suit. He had a large oval face with a long brown beard and receding hairline. His eyes were oval, dark brown and with a kindly, attentive look. He smiled at Kate and waved his hand at a chair, telling her to please sit down. Kate explained she needed a job. Pinkerton nodded and said he had a position for a woman to keep records and if she knew the method of filing. Kate eyed the papers stacked on his desk and assured him she never was schooled in filing papers and was not coming to take such a job but wanted to become a detective.

Kate could tell that Allan Pinkerton was suddenly amused. He explained that he never hired women to become detectives ,that such a position was not suitable for their sensitive demeanor. Kate only smiled and began to explain that she was just the person he needed. A woman could obtain more information than a man because no one would ever consider a woman to be a detective. She could attend social gatherings and obtain information easily without anyone considering she was working for the law. Her confidence sparked a hint of interest in Allan Pinkerton's eyes. However, Pinkerton told her he needed to think over the situation. He asked her to come back the next afternoon and he'd give her his answer.

Kate returned the next day with several new reasons as to why she would be a good detective. She found that she didn't need them, as she was hired on the spot, thus becoming the first woman detective in the United States.

Kate earned every penny of her wages and proved to be an exceptional woman detective. She soon learned that she must keep a journal about all her case problems, their requirements and detected plans of operation. This journal was to be kept private from unofficial eyes.

Almost immediately Kate was required to ply her best acting skills in a case that involved an inside robbery, which Pinkerton believed was actually done by the company manager, Nathan Maroney. Kate was instructed to play the part of a forger's wife and take an apartment next door to the wife of the suspected person. Soon, after having become acquainted with Mrs. Maroney, Kate began weaving a colorful story, telling the woman about her forgery husband and how he was doing time in prison. Later, when Mrs. Maroney's husband was arrested and placed in jail, Kate became an excellent shoulder to lean on.

The man in jail next to Maroney was a Pinkerton agent who told Maroney to have his wife bring him money to buy his way out of the jail. When Maroney told his wife to gather the money he had robbed from his former employers and bring it to him, she hesitated.   Uncertain that she should follow through, Mrs. Maroney turned to her new friend, Kate, for advice. Kate suggested she take the money to them immediately and then they could all live high somewhere in Texas out of the reach of the law.  In the end the money was recovered and returned to the rightful owners and the Maroney's went to prison for a long time. Allan Pinkerton commended Kate on her exceptional acting ability.

In 1860, Pinkerton hired several other women as detective agents. He placed Kate in charge of this operation to give instructions about disguises and working techniques. Pinkerton called this unit his All Female Detective Bureau and was very pleased with them. They worked efficiently without question to orders. During the time of the unrest and heated arguments between the Southern states and the Federal Government over the slave issues, there was a growing concern about the possible split of the nation. Many Southern sympathizers roamed Washington causing all types of troubles, denouncing Lincoln and the Union.

More than ever Kate was needed to attend social gatherings and obtain as much information she could from those people opposing the United States. With the election of Abraham Lincoln to the office of president, there was a great concern that more Southern states would succeed from the government. On March 4, 1861, President-elect Lincoln was to give his inauguration speech as the sixteenth President of the United States. He was to travel from Philadelphia by train to the capitol at Washington. The country was alive with border opponents against Lincoln and the train ride appeared dangerous. Assassination rumors were abound.

Kate was called into Pinkerton's office. She was not too surprised when Allan told her about a plot to kill Abraham Lincoln in a devious plan he termed the "Baltimore Plot." Kate had already made reports about talks she had heard while attending different partiestalk that offered the cold, realistic facts that certain border ruffians would "pick-off" the President during his inaguration into office, or during his trip to Washington.

Pinkerton further advised Kate that he felt the Baltimore police chief might very well be a Southern sympathizer along with many of the policemen. He didn't see any help coming from them and he advised her that they must operate in total secrecy. Where and when the opposition would strike was not known and Pinkerton believed they could run against them any where along Lincoln's train trip to the actual place of the inauguration. Kate was needed to become the escort for Abraham Lincoln. Her heart must have swelled with the idea of such an obligation. Now, came her chance to become the best actress ever. She would see to it that Abraham Lincoln arrived without incident.

The night of the train trip on February 22, 1861, was cold and cloudless. Kate had entered the train station and purchased tickets for the last two sleeping cars aboard the Washington train, explaining she needed the cars for her family members along with her very sick brother who they were taking to a special hospital in Washington. She also asked that the door on the end of the last car not be locked so her brother could use this entrance. She returned to the outside platform to await the carriage that would bring Lincoln. But she didn't have to wait long as the carriage came alongside the train, unseen by the baggage man or conductor. She saw a tall, thin man climb out of the carriage. He wore dark clothes and a scarf wrapped around his head. He carried a black traveler's bag. She moved quickly to Allan Pinkerton and one of his agents. She took hold of Lincoln's arm and guided him to the back of the last car, through the lengthy walkway and into a passenger compartment of the forward car. Anyone having seen them would believe that the woman who purchased the tickets was escorting her very ill brother onto the train.

Kate sat next to the door beside Lincoln with a gun tucked into her pocket. Pinkerton and another detective were in the last car attentive to signals from Pinkerton's men stationed at different localities along the route. Two blinking lights administered twice was the needed signals that would indicate, "all is well - all is well." Any other type of signal would allow them time to readjust their plans.

The cold night travel went without incident as the ruffians had not received word or knew where Lincoln was. The train traveled straight through the areas of Lincoln's most hated opponents and pulled into the Baltimore station on time. Still, there was the threat that at any time Lincoln could have been set upon while their train was transported by horse teams to reconnect to the Washington rails. Kate had more than one worry about escorting Lincoln. Could she actually use the gun in her pocket if she had to? Would the throng of celebrating people that night around the city become aware of the man she was escorting and recognize him? Kate found she could not relax even as the train made the final run toward Washington and she could see the Pinkerton agents flashing the "all was clear" signal. Then at seven o'clock on the morning of February 23rd the journey came to an end. Lincoln's walk to the podium was undisturbed, and Kate heard Lincoln's famous speech. She was thrilled that she had the opportunity to assist such a marvelous man. She was honored when Lincoln came face to face with her and said, "I'm sensible, ma'am, of having put you to some inconvenience, not to speak of placing you in danger." His thanks warmed Kate's heart and she considered this her finest trophy of accomplishment.

On January, 1868 Kate Warne's operations with the Pinkerton Detective Agency was cut short when she became seriously ill and died. She was only 35 years old. She was buried in the Pinkerton Family plot in Graceland Cemetery, Chicago, Illinois as she had no family, nor did anyone know Kate's background. She had kept her life a secret outside of knowing she had been married and without children. Her real name was never known.  If Allan Pinkerton had looked into her background to find out about her, it was never known. He felt she was the best detective he ever had apply for a position in his agency. She made him realize that women, in spite of their seemingly demure manner, were indeed admirable detectives.

Copyright © 2004  Margaret Bzovy. No unauthorized reproduction or transmission by any means whatsoever permitted under federal criminal law.