The Gold Eagle Mystery — John Russo

Back in the 1800s, Freshman Pinkerton Detective, Ethan Edwards is assigned to investigate a string of carbon copy robberies that had taken place at each Well's Fargo office along the entire Union-Pacific rail line. He soon discovered that at each stop the safes were all Gold Eagle model 31B, manufactured by The Great American Safe Company of Cincinnati, Ohio. Each Well's Fargo branch office reported the same occurrence. There was no forced entry into the office and each door of the empty safe was found open with no evidence of damage to the safe. In addition to this being Ethan's first traveling assignment, it was also his first trip west. His initial investigation led him back to Cincinnati were he learned that the Gold Eagle model was the most secure safe built at the time.

His deductions redirected him back out west where he ultimately chased down a number of clues in San Francisco. Solving the robberies proved more complex than he had anticipated, but his final success broadened his understanding of what makes a good Pinkerton Detective.