In 1914, state and federal agencies relied on private firms for special police work. The Pinkerton National Detective Agency and the Baldwin-Felts Detective Agency were the two main contractors in Virginia. The Chesapeake and Ohio Railway had their own detectives as did the Virginia State Bureau of Insurance. Since Victor Hall was station master and express agent, his murder invoked railroad and state jurisdictions. On poor advice, Mrs. Hall hired her own Pinkerton man. The astounding array of investigators working in a politically pressurized atmosphere conferred with each other and reached consensus.
Detectives misinterpreted the wound described in the coroner’s report, assumed the victim was shot in bed and, thus, fingered Mrs. Hall. They then justified subterfuge to convict; after all, “everyone knew she did it.”
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