As part of Women’s History Month, we here at 221B thought it’d be fitting to take a look back at some of the most successful–and notorious–female spies, detectives and intelligence agents of decades past. To that end, we’re starting with Kate Warne, the first documented female private investigator in the United States.
The Backstory
In 1856, young widow Kate Warne (believed to be 23 at the time) responded to an ad for a private detective role with Pinkerton National Detective Agency, founded in Chicago by Allan Pinkerton. At the time, the idea of a female detective was unheard of but Warne convinced Pinkerton that women could be uniquely effective investigators - they could move through social spaces without raising suspicion, form friendships with wives and girlfriends of suspects and overhear conversations that men simply could not access. Warne was hired, making her the first female detective in American history. She quickly proved her case and was found to be intelligent, observant and socially adept. Warne used the era’s rigid gender expectations to her advantage. Early in her career, it is reported that she was able to befriend the wife of a suspect in a financial crime and, in turn, gain critical information which led to a confession and recovery of the majority of the stolen funds. Her success demonstrated that investigative work required strategy, empathy and subtlety.
Saving a President-Elect
Warne’s most notable assignment was in February 1861, just before Abraham Lincoln’s inauguration. As the president-elect prepared to travel to Washington, DC, intelligence surfaced about a conspiracy to assassinate him during a stop in Baltimore. Pinkerton sent agents to investigate and Warne played a critical role. She posed as a Southern sympathizer and spoke with a regional accent using the aliases “Mrs. Cherry” and “Mrs. Barley." Her "invisibility" as a woman reportedly allowed her to overhear the exact timing and logistics of the plot - details that would have been impossible for a man to extract from conspirators. Warne gathered vital intelligence about the threat and confirmed the seriousness of the plot.
Acting on information uncovered by Warne, Pinkerton devised a plan to secretly reroute Lincoln’s journey. Warne booked a sleeper car on a night train, claiming it was for her sick brother. In reality, that brother was a disguised Abraham Lincoln.
Throughout the tense, sleepless night, Warne stood guard at the rear of the car. It is said she didn't close her eyes once during the journey. Because of Warne’s tactical brilliance, Lincoln arrived safely in Washington, ready to lead a fractured nation. He was inaugurated President of the United States on March 4, 1861 - 165 years ago to the day.
Honoring the Trailblazer
Warne was so valued that she was appointed superintendent of Pinkerton's Female Detective Bureau, which was started a few years after Warne joined the business. During the Civil War, Warne led a network of female spies and gathered intelligence from Confederate sympathizers.
In January 1868, Warne died from pneumonia - at just 34 or 35. She was buried in the Pinkerton family plot in Chicago’s Graceland Cemetery. During her 12 years as a detective, Warne used so many aliases and different spellings of her name that even her headstone has her surname spelled as ‘Warn.’
Kate Warne wasn’t just a great investigator - she reshaped what was possible for women. In an age that underestimated her, she turned society’s narrow assumptions about women and their capabilities into her greatest investigative tool.
In researching this story, we saw Warne was buried a few blocks from 221B’s office so our very own Andrew Keith visited the cemetery to take some photos. Stayed tuned for Andrew’s future blog post about cemeteries.
Cover photo credit: Chicago History Museum, ICHi-075012