Baldwin-Felts

Baldwin-Felts was a private detective agency in the United States, founded in 1900 by William Gibboney Baldwin and Thomas Lafayette Felts.

Related Topics:
Private detective - 1900

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Agents were hired by railroads and other companies to investigate train robberies and other crime, but Baldwin-Felts became best known for being willing to be hired to violently attack labor union members in such places as Ludlow, Colorado and Matewan, West Virginia. Thus, the agency continues to have an extremely poor reputation among labor union members to this day and are thought of as union busters and hired thugs. Seven detectives were killed in Matewan, WV in 1920 during a shootout, two of whom were brothers of Thomas Felts; three townspeople were also killed including the mayor. Following the events in Matewan, West Virginia, Baldwin-Felts agents assassinated Matewan sheriff Sid Hatfield on the steps of the Welch, West Virginia Courthouse in retribution for Hatfield's support of the coal miners during the strike.

Related Topics:
Railroad - Train robberies - Crime - Labor union - Ludlow, Colorado - Matewan, West Virginia - 1920 - Shootout - Assassinated - Welch, West Virginia - Coal miner

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