The New York herald., 1878-03-26
THE PITTSBURG RIOTS.

INVESTIGATION BY THE PENNSYLVANIA LEoIs.
LATUBE-rEsrIMoNY THAT THE PITrsBuRa
POLICE FIRED UPON THE TROOPS.
iBY TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD.l
PDnLADELPnIA, March rs. 1873
Tho committee appointed by the Legislature OF
Pennsylvania to investigate tho circumstances attend
ing the strikers riots Pittsburg aud other por-
tons OF the last July held further session in
tho ST. Cloud Hotel this morning At ten O'Clock.
Coionel X. Dale Benson commanding the First regi.
ment of infantry, the first witness After giving
the condition of things Ia the front OF his limo
stating that he neither received nor order TO
Ore he stated distinctly that tho firing was COM
menced by man in the weccacoe legion.
Colonel William G. Wilson, who was acting AdJu-
taut General, said that from the beginning conflict
inevitable, that IL was impossible TO break The
crowd aud that no shots fired by tho mob before
the soldiers nred. General Loud, In his testimony
gave detailed account Of the operations Hc stated
positively thata Calling gun had been out, but
that had been received not to hre. Tho sheriff
OF Allegheny county was thcro without any posse and
making good time Tor tho depot after the hrlag
began. he believed that tho Pittsburg troops nad
been Lampered with. General Loud also tosIif
on the retreat from the roundnouse he covered tue
retreat; on The way saw about nfecn or twenty po-
house, ana they seemed TO mako no effort TO pre-
serve tho peace; saw pistol shot fired from their
under a porcn ut tho time we we're hall block away
at the lime the sDot was hred there was enough 10
have dispersed the crowd II thcy had chosen they
did not look very pleasantly at the troops we
passed; thcrc was no committee oil ciuzens WHO con-
ferred with General BrntoD atSbarpsburg the people
wero very kind 10 the troops and gave tncm rnlons
ana wafer; General Pearson had blue blouse ana =
iaieuecap ON ~ the time we arrived ~ The round
house.
ATTACKS ny THE POLICEMEN
George +. Lelaud testified no was Adjutaut OF Third
reg iment r. n. q. last July, and was with General
Brintou just below Twenty eigh,h street wnen 1ring
commenced but no orders were gwen 10 FIRE; TACT,
Colonel SnOwden had gwen orders not 10 nrc unless
positive orders were gwen; whom the troops
lett The rvundhouse the latter was untcnabic
and the troops marched out 10 good order. saw
the nring from the Citizens IN The crowd, saw
somc policemen bring from station house; thcro
twenty hvc or thirty oi tbem together they hred
alter we passed. and cvidcntly the Shots were at Con
eral Loud's command, saw ihe policemen Ia UNIFORM
ralse their arms. and saw tho shots fired; Of
thom with pistol Ia his hand as VIC passed; dId
any belts on tbotn; was about nifty or loo ieet
IRON them, and hero wcre quite "A number oi shots
bfod, about dozen perhaps; 40 think the nrlng
was elective, as none we're kIliod IN that locality
Captain J. w. Ryan, commander Of tho State Fem
ciDcs, said that the conduct Of the troops good
couia be expected, but one OF the pan los
dissatisfied. lhe moo very abusive, and the w.t.
went to General Loua and then to General Brn-
with the request have permission to ore. Gen.
eal Pearson was then app oaied TO- but he refused,
saying that no oid not wish to exaspsrate the
| people, the women were more abusive than thc ;
| tue disa austed at not being allowed to de-
| tend themselves. saw number ol men a nro
house or police station; they were Ia Uniform; saw
Dring from them aiier we had passed; there was no
auenpt 10 arrest any OF the mob by the policemen,
though they could have done 50; they worst
enemies and we would rather have settled them than
| the c.tizcnS
| General Loud, on being recalled. said that tho
| strcDgtn OF tnc sixth regiment was sbodt lg2 meu
| tnat the men wbo wantcd to lay down their arms
were ABOUT t~cniy ana they we're dissatisfied because
thcy had nothing caI and wished 10 uciend u
sevos ana not permitted 70 do A. this point
She committee adjourned