The Forgers Whose Audacity Challenged the Pinkertons by Kim Wittel

A fascinating account of ne’er-do-wells and the Pinkertons who chased them

After Frank Seaver’s release from prison in San Francisco on March 25, 1899, in recognition of his testimony implicating Becker and Creegan, he made his way to Chicago, showing up at William Pinkerton’s office on Monday, April 3. He wanted to ask William whether or not the Pinkertons had been hoping for a longer jail term for him, as Detective Lees had suggested as much to him . . . “He spoke very friendly of the Agency,” William wrote to Robert, and hoped that they “would not put any obstacles in his way and if he went back to crooked life, he would not give us any bother if he could help it.”