Baldwin–Felts Detective Agency facts for kids

The Baldwin–Felts Detective Agency was a private detective company in the United States. It existed from the early 1890s until 1937. People from this agency were involved in big events that led to the Battle of Blair Mountain in 1921. They were also part of strong actions against labor union members during the Coal Wars. These events happened in places like the Pocahontas Coalfield in West Virginia, the Paint Creek–Cabin Creek strike of 1912 in West Virginia, the 1913–1914 Colorado Coalfield War (which included the Ludlow Massacre in 1914), and the Battle of Matewan in 1920.

The agency was started in the early 1890s by William Gibbony Baldwin. It was first called the Baldwin Detective Agency.

How the Agency Started

William Gibbony Baldwin, the main founder, was from Tazewell County, Virginia. He loved reading detective stories when he was young. He first worked as a small shopkeeper and then studied dentistry. But he left dentistry to become a detective. He began his detective work in 1884 with the Eureka Detective Agency in Charleston, West Virginia. After starting his own agency, he moved to Roanoke, Virginia. There, he managed security for the Norfolk and Western Railway's coal areas. He later became the chief special agent, a job he held until he retired in 1930.

Thomas Lafayette Felts was from Galax, Virginia. He studied to be a lawyer and was part of the Virginia Bar Association. In 1900, he joined the Baldwin Detective Agency as a partner. He could offer legal advice to the company. In 1910, the agency's name changed to the Baldwin–Felts Detective Agency. Its main office was in Bluefield, West Virginia.

At first, the company helped railroads. They investigated train robberies and other crimes. The company also provided guards for railway and mine payrolls. They went with coal trains into the coalfields. They looked into train wrecks, robberies, and thefts. By the early 1900s, the agency also did detective work for government groups.

Becoming Well-Known

The agency became famous across the country. This happened when they chased and caught Floyd Allen and his family members. They were involved in a courtroom shootout in Carroll County, Hillsville, Virginia. Five people died and seven were hurt in this event in 1912.

At that time, Virginia law said the local sheriff had to lead crime investigations. But the sheriff had died. So, assistant clerk S. Floyd Landreth sent a telegram to Governor William Hodges Mann. He asked for help.

Governor Mann called the Baldwin–Felts Detective Agency. He asked them to find the Allens who were still free. The detectives searched all over Carroll County. Felts himself arrested the wounded Allen at his hotel. Most of the Allens were caught by a group of Baldwin–Felts detectives. They chased the people who ran away no matter the weather. Two men, Sidna Allen and Wesley Edwards, escaped to Des Moines, Iowa. An informant told the agency where they were. The detectives arrested them and brought them back to Carroll County.

Working Against Strikes

By the 1910s, crimes on railroads had gone down. So, Baldwin–Felts started hiring out their detectives as private security for mining companies. This is why the company is known for its tough actions during conflicts with labor unions.

Baldwin–Felts was allowed to do this work. This was because public police often did not handle labor disputes. So, company owners could hire groups like Baldwin–Felts to stop strikes. They would gather information on unions. They also stopped union organizers from entering company areas. They would even ask families of union members living in company homes to leave if they went on strike.

In 1912, Baldwin–Felts agents worked to stop strikes in West Virginia. This happened at the Pocahontas Coal Fields and Paint Creek–Cabin Creek. Their strong methods led the former Attorney General of West Virginia, Howard B. Lee, to say in his 1969 book that Baldwin and Felts were "the two most feared and hated men in the mountains."

Between 1913 and 1914, Baldwin–Felts agents moved west. They became involved in another coal conflict in Las Animas County, Colorado. Agency detectives worked in groups to bother striking workers. They used an armored car with a machine gun on it. Miners called it the Death Special. Charles Lively, a spy for the agency, was tasked with watching the miners in Colorado. He killed a man, saying it was self-defense. These events led to the Ludlow Massacre. This was a very sad event where the Colorado National Guard used machine guns. Many people, including miners' wives and children, were hurt or died.

The Battle of Matewan

One of the most well-known actions by Baldwin–Felts was in Matewan, West Virginia. A fight between local people and agents led to deaths. Two miners, Matewan's Mayor, and seven Baldwin–Felts detectives died. This included Thomas Felts' brothers, Albert and Lee.

On May 19, 1920, 12 Baldwin–Felts agents arrived in Matewan, West Virginia. They met Albert Felts, who was already there. Albert and Lee were brothers of Thomas Felts, a co-owner of the agency. Albert had tried to bribe Mayor Testerman with $500 to put machine guns on roofs in the town. Testerman refused. That afternoon, Albert and Lee, with 11 other men, went to the Stone Mountain Coal Co. property. The first family they asked to leave was a woman and her children. They asked them to leave their home and put their things in the road in the rain. The miners who saw this were very angry. They sent word to town.

As the agents walked to the train station to leave, Police Chief Sid Hatfield and a group of deputized miners stopped them. They said the agents were under arrest. Albert Felts said he had a warrant for Hatfield's arrest. Mayor Testerman came out. Hatfield went into a store, and Testerman asked to see the warrant. After reading it, the mayor said, "This is a fake warrant." After these words, a gunfight started. Hatfield shot Albert Felts. Testerman, Albert, and Lee Felts were among the ten men killed. Three were from the town and seven were from the agency. Albert and Lee Felts were buried in Galax, Virginia. Their funeral had over 3,000 people.

This gunfight became known as the Matewan Massacre. It was very important to the miners. The Baldwin–Felts agency, which seemed unbeatable, had been defeated. Sid Hatfield became a hero to the union miners. He was a symbol of hope that they could overcome the power of coal owners and their hired guards. For months, the union grew stronger in Mingo County. The coal owners also grew stronger in their resistance. There were many small fights along the Tug River. In late June, state police raided a tent camp. Miners were said to have shot at the police. In return, the police shot and arrested miners. They also tore down tents and scattered belongings. Both sides were getting more weapons. Sid Hatfield continued to be a problem, especially when he turned Testerman's jewelry store into a gun shop.

On January 26, 1921, Hatfield's trial for killing Albert Felts began. It was watched by the whole country. Hatfield's fame grew during the trial. He talked to reporters, making his legend bigger. All the men were found not guilty. But the union was facing big problems. Most mines had reopened with new workers.

In mid-May 1921, union miners attacked non-union mines. Soon, the whole Tug River Valley was in conflict. This "Three Days Battle" ended when a truce was called and martial law was put in place. Miners felt that martial law was unfair. Hundreds of miners were arrested for small things. But those on the side of "law and order" seemed to be free from punishment. The miners fought back with small attacks and violence.

In this tense time, Hatfield went to McDowell County on August 1, 1921. He was going to trial for blowing up a coal tipple. His friend, Ed Chambers, and their wives went with him. As they walked up the courthouse stairs, without weapons and with their wives, a group of Baldwin–Felts agents shot them. Hatfield and Chambers were killed. Their bodies were brought back to Matewan. News of their deaths spread quickly.

The miners were very angry about how Hatfield had been killed. They were also upset that the killers might not be punished. They began to leave the mountains and take up arms.

Final Years and Closing

Both Baldwin and Felts were also involved in banking. Baldwin later became president of several banks. Felts was elected to be a Virginia state senator twice.

Baldwin died in 1936 at age 75. Felts died a year later at age 69. In 1937, four months before he died, Felts officially closed the Baldwin–Felts Detective Agency. By then, the work of stopping strikes had decreased. New state and federal laws made it illegal to use private detectives to spy on or bother workers. Public opinion also changed. This made such detectives less useful to companies in labor disputes.

After the agency closed, most of its files were lost or destroyed. The largest collection of files that still exist is at the Eastern Regional Coal Archives in Bluefield, West Virginia.