My MIL turned up this story from _The Decatur Review_:
The Decatur Review - 1 Sept 1904 - SHE'S A FEMALE BILLY PINKERTON - Indiana Woman Who Runs a Detectiive Agency - Elkhart, Ind. Sept 1 - Miss Cora M. Strayer of Chicago is visiting her brother, Elmer Strayer, of Elkhart. Little interest would attach to this simple personal note were it not for the fact that Miss Strayer, who is an Elkhart girl, is probably the only woman in the world who is director of a detective agency. There are many successful woman detectives, but Miss Strayer is the first on record who has taken complete charge of an agency and directed the work of scores of sleuths, both male and female. "Drifting into the work through a request by an attorney that I should conduct an investigation for him," said Miss Strayer, "I found that I had some ability along such lines. My earlier training and study of the law were useless in me because of ill health, and I decided to take up detective work as a regular thing."
She also discovered that George, the reporter/detective/Cora's housemate was murdered by one of the other detectives in an inside job. There were footprints found in the snow behind Cora's agency...and the men were seen together that Saturday night. There's some fiction fodder for you.
A later story - May 13, 1914: CHICAGO -- "Col" Cora Strayer has organized a "regiment" of cavalrywomen for service against the Mexicans. The "colonel" says 200 women have already enlisted.
Cora you totally kick ass. And I'm with the rest of you. This would totally make an awesome inspiration for a mystery novel. She'll totally be a female sherlock holmes.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png)
carabaas.livejournal.com) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
vintageads2012-01-28 06:51 pm
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
:)
no subject
The Decatur Review - 1 Sept 1904 - SHE'S A FEMALE BILLY PINKERTON - Indiana Woman Who Runs a Detectiive Agency - Elkhart, Ind. Sept 1 - Miss Cora M. Strayer of Chicago is visiting her brother, Elmer Strayer, of Elkhart. Little interest would attach to this simple personal note were it not for the fact that Miss Strayer, who is an Elkhart girl, is probably the only woman in the world who is director of a detective agency. There are many successful woman detectives, but Miss Strayer is the first on record who has taken complete charge of an agency and directed the work of scores of sleuths, both male and female. "Drifting into the work through a request by an attorney that I should conduct an investigation for him," said Miss Strayer, "I found that I had some ability along such lines. My earlier training and study of the law were useless in me because of ill health, and I decided to take up detective work as a regular thing."
She also discovered that George, the reporter/detective/Cora's housemate was murdered by one of the other detectives in an inside job. There were footprints found in the snow behind Cora's agency...and the men were seen together that Saturday night. There's some fiction fodder for you.
A later story - May 13, 1914: CHICAGO -- "Col" Cora Strayer has organized a "regiment" of cavalrywomen for service against the Mexicans. The "colonel" says 200 women have already enlisted.
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject