For the sanguinary character of many of the chapters and accompanying illustrations no excuse is needed. It is the work of the MOLLIE MAGUIRES, and not of the author or designer. Where scenes of general interest are depicted the assistance of the photographer and his camera has been liberally invoked. In the letter-press the relater has merely traced the journeyings of the detectives with a faithful pen, and sought to reproduce their words, acts, and results achieved, as well as the language of the persons, criminals or citizens, with whom they have come in contact. All of the characters lived, or once have lived, in the anthracite coal regions. If fault there may be in their description, it will be found in lack of color, as the brush has not, in any case, been dipped in too florid hues. With the ends accomplished in this three years’ warfare with the MOLLIE MAGUIRES, the public is already well instructed, the great newspapers of the country having vied with each other in friendly rivalry to first give the results. The author has reason to be proud of the work done. The modes in which the labors were performed, and the routes taken by himself and others to gain desirable points have found record for the first time, in the following pages. No attempt has ever before been made to give them. No task of the kind could succeed without the private papers and documents on file in my Agency, to which, of course, no person, excepting myself, would be permitted to have access. With the purely legal and court portions of the murder cases, the arguments of the distinguished counsel for both sides, and the testimony, simply as testimony, I have dealt very sparingly. The masterly effort of F. B. Gowen, Esq., I have printed almost entire. It is so to the point, so truthful, and such a vivid and telling exposition of the theory of the Commonwealth, that any attempt in the way of curtailment would be damaging. Without the speech I should consider my book incomplete. The talent of the entire State of Pennsylvania was hunted over to find attorneys capable of freeing the unfortunate men brought to trial in Schuylkill, Columbia, and Carbon counties. But the law was against them. The defendants had incurred the penalty, by committal of crimes, and justice has been at least partly vindicated. ALLAN PINKERTON. CHICAGO, ILL., _June, 1877_. THE MOLLIE MAGUIRES AND THE DETECTIVES. CHAPTER I. AN EXTRAORDINARY PROPOSITION.