Founded by Scottish immigrant Allan Pinkerton, Chicago’s first police detective, in 1850, the Pinkerton Agency quickly became one of the most important crime detection and law enforcement groups in the United States. The pioneered the concepts of undercover work, criminal surveillance, and building an actual criminal database. The Pinkertons performed many of the same duties now regularly assigned to the Secret Service, the FBI, and the CIA. The agency also played an active role in chasing down a number of Wild West outlaws including Jesse James. And they did so much more. And we explore their history and the history of law enforcement before them in a big 'ol fat and juicy edition of Timesuck. Timesuck is brought to you by the following sponsors: The Jim Jefferies Show podcast. Subscribe n and listen to new episodes every Wednesday on your favorite podcast app! The War and Conquest podcast hosted by TimeSucker and history buff Neil Eckart. Subscribe today where you listen to podcasts for deep dives on some of the biggest battles the world has ever seen. Get a full month of unlimited access to The Great Courses Plus and all of their lectures for FREE only at TheGreatCoursesPLUS.com/Timesuck Get $150 off the Leesa mattress PLUS a free pillow at leesa.com/timesuck and enter promo code TIMESUCK at checkout! Want to try out Discord!?! Click HERE! Watch the Suck on Youtube: https://youtu.be/HBlQrpFgqu8 Merch - https://badmagicmerch.com/ Want to try out Discord!?! https://discord.gg/tqzH89v Want to join the Cult of the Curious private Facebook Group? Go directly to Facebook and search for "Cult of the Curious" in order to locate whatever current page hasn't been put in FB Jail :) For all merch related questions: https://badmagicmerch.com/pages/contact Please rate and subscribe on iTunes and elsewhere and follow the suck on social media!! @timesuckpodcast on IG, @timesuckpodcast on Twitter, and www.facebook.com/timesuckpodcast Wanna be a Space Lizard? We're over 3500 strong! Click here: https://www.patreon.com/timesuckpodcast Sign up through Patreon and for $5 a month you get to listen to the Secret Suck, which will drop Thursdays at Noon, PST. You'll also get 20% off of all regular Timesuck merch PLUS access to exclusive Space Lizard merch. You get to vote on two Monday topics each month via the app. And you get the download link for my new comedy album, Feel the Heat. Check the Patreon posts to find out how to download the new album and take advantage of other benefits. And, thank you for supporting the show by doing your Amazon shopping after clicking on my Amazon link at www.timesuckpodcast.com

Ask this episode

“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.