Legends of the Old West PINKERTONS Ep. 1 | “James McParland: The Molly Maguires”
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Jul 23, 2025 The podcast dives into the turbulent labor landscape in 1870s Pennsylvania, spotlighting the struggles of coal miners against exploitative owners. It examines the rise of the Molly Maguires, an Irish secret society resorting to violence. As tensions escalate, the Pinkerton Detective Agency sends undercover agent James McParland to infiltrate this dangerous group. The narrative explores McParland's perilous journey through coal country, revealing the risks and identity threats he faces while trying to uncover the truth behind the brutal conflict.
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Powell’s Assassination Sparks Fear
- Morgan Powell, a mine superintendent, was shot dead stepping out of a store, and the killers vanished into the night.
- The town immediately blamed the Molly Maguires, a secretive Irish group known for violent reprisals against management.
Violence Became Leverage For Owners
- The Molly Maguires' violence created leverage for mine owners to crack down on labor and union efforts.
- Owners used the Mollies as justification to take harsh measures against working-class organizing.
Pinkerton Chooses McParlin For Undercover Work
- Alan Pinkerton was desperate financially and accepted Franklin Gowan's request to infiltrate the Mollies.
- Pinkerton selected 29-year-old James McParlin because he fit the needed profile: young, Irish Catholic, physically capable, and single.