Well, the Pinkertons were only semi-private. They got a federal contract from the Department of Justice in 1871, and it’s after that point that they hit the lar

Well, the Pinkertons were only semi-private. They got a federal contract from the Department of Justice in 1871, and it’s after that point that they hit the largest and most powerful state. That’s also when they began getting involved in violently suppressing strikes. This is the opposite of the actions mentioned in the article here. Additionally, the government moved against the Pinkertons as a result of their bad behavior.