The Pinkerton's and Old Bill Miner

The Pinkerton National Detective Agency plays an important role in Swedes’ Ferry by Alan Safarik. The investigation into a bank robbery in Bismarck where the bank manager was killed involved both the United States and Canada. James J. Hill, President of the Bank and The Great Northern Railway called on the Pinkerton’s because they had operatives in both nations. 

Having not heard of the Pinkerton’s undertaking 19^th Century investigations that involved Canada and the United States I did some online research. 

The Pinkerton’s were definitely involved in investigations covering both jurisdictions. A prominent case even involved railways. 

The case at the end of the Century involved Bill Miner. He had a variety of nicknames including “Old Bill” and “The Grey Fox” and “The Gentleman Bandit”. 

In Canada there were very few train robberies. Unlike the American West Canadian trains were not subject to holdups. 

Most sources say Miner was the first to rob a Canadian train. At least one source claims there was a robbery sometime earlier in Ontario. 

In September of 1904 Miner and two confederates held up the CPR transcontinental train about an hour out of Vancouver. While they netted $6,000 in gold dust and $1,000 in cash and possibly bonds they were frustrated as a larger quantity of gold dust had not made it on to the train. 

In Call in Pinkerton's: American Detectives at Work for Canada by David Ricardo Williams the Pinkerton’s were swiftly called by the CPR and the B.C. Police because of their past experience in pursuing and catching Miner. Assistant Superintendent, James E. Dye, was soon on the scene and confirmed the robbers were led by Miner.

Frank W. Anderson, in Old Bill Miner: Last of the Famous Western Bandits, explained that the key factor in identifying Miner as the leader was the politeness of the robber. Miner was purportedly the originator of the robbers’ demand “Hands Up!” The phrase was used in the robbery. As well at the end of the robbery the leader warned the engineer to back up carefully and to have a good night.

Dye followed tracks south into the state of Washington but could not find further evidence of the group.The investigation had more farce than glory for the Pinkerton’s.

A man they said was acting suspiciously was arrested. It turned out he was a detective on another case.

A boat supposedly stolen to aid the robbers’ escape had actually just drifted away.

Lastly, three men arrested in northern Washington were actually homesteaders.

 

Dye returned to Seattle.

 

Miner was not actually caught until he committed another train robbery in 1906 further north in B.C. near Kamloops. 

Tried and convicted he was sentenced to life imprisonment.

Gaining the trust of prison staff he promptly escaped in 1907 and returned to the U.S. 

Though over 60 he continued to be involved in robberies. He was eventually arrested in Georgia and convicted and escaped and was recaptured and died in prison in 1913. The Pinkerton’s did find him after his last escape in Georgia.

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Safarik, Allan - (2015) - Swedes' Ferry