In the few years preceding the American Civil War, and continuing throughout it, the Pinkerton Detective Agency was instrumental in providing the Union with intelligence. One of its most important agents was the first woman detective, Kate Warne.
How Kate Warne Cracked a $2M Heist—and Sparked America’s First Female Detective Bureau
When Allan Pinkerton opened his detective agency in 1850, he began a search for meticulous individuals with high moral character, as bribery was a common problem with police. In 1856, 23-year-old Kate Warne walked into his office, responding to an ad in the newspaper. She convinced Pinkerton of her usefulness as a detective, arguing that a woman could obtain information in ways men could not. She soon proved her value.
Kate’s first big case was in the investigation into the Adams Express Company Embezzlements. An expressman, Nathan Maroney, had embezzled $50,000 (over $2 million in modern funds) from Adams, and Warne was able to befriend his wife and gain evidence to convict Maroney. Her success led Pinkerton to create a new division, the Female Detective Bureau, with Warne in charge.
Infiltrating Southern High Society to Stop the Baltimore Assassination Plot
When Abraham Lincoln was elected President, he was determined to take a train tour on the way to his inauguration on March 4, 1861. One of the planned stops was in Baltimore, Maryland, a hotbed of opposition to Lincoln. Warne, disguised as a Southern belle, was able to work her way into the good graces of Southern society and obtain information that an attempt on Lincoln’s life was probable and imminent.
Lincoln traveled disguised as an invalid on a train trip through Maryland, accompanied by both Pinkerton and Warne. Warne was disguised as Lincoln’s caretaker and sister, and may have spent that night awake – possibly inspiring Pinkerton’s slogan, “We Never Sleep.”
Kate was heavily involved in intelligence gathering for the Union during the Civil War, continuing her infiltration of Confederate social circles. She and Pinkerton often traveled together, posing as husband and wife.
Murder, Fortune-Telling, and Undercover Heists: Kate Warne’s Wildest Post-War Cases
Kate continued her detective work following the Civil War, serving as Supervisor of Women Agents and working various cases. She once again went undercover to gain the confidence of a suspect’s wife, obtaining evidence for a murder and theft of over $130,000 (about $5 million in today’s currency). She also went undercover in a large, dramatic role as a famous fortune teller to draw out a possible poisoner, a story told in Allan Pinkerton’s book The Murderer and the Fortune Teller. While much of the story is likely exaggerated and may have even taken place before the Civil War (Pinkerton was a notorious self-promoter), Kate’s exploits as a detective were generally true.
The Tragic Death and Vanishing Legacy of America’s First Female Detective
Kate did not live long after the Civil War ended. She died in early 1868 of pneumonia at the age of 25. She is buried near Allan Pinkerton, who held her in high regard and provided a burial plot for many of his agents, often called “operatives.”
Outside of the several sensational novels written by Pinkerton, not much more is known about Kate Warne and the exploits of her short life. No known photographs exist of her, just a single painting. The Great Chicago Fire of 1871 destroyed most of the early records of the Pinkerton Detective Agency, erasing much of the company’s early work from the historical record.
