The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1884-02-22

the disappearance on the 10th Of January last
of Alexander Harrigan, q sub-contractor under
A $. Parliment on the Baltimore and Ohio Rail
roads Philadelphia extension, with funds en-
section extending from Havra de Grace to Aber.
deem has been noticed in The Asgs. The men
began work about the 18th of last November. On
the 18th, which is pay. day, Harrigan proposed tc
them to wait until the middle of December, as
he could not collect for the few days work then
due On the 18th of December Harrigan again
put the hands Off by telling them that payment
was only made every two months and they must
wait until the 18th OF January. On the 18th of
January Harrigan obtained about $500 from
A. = Pertinent, under whom he worked, to pay
the men, but left for parts unknown with the
money The men worked several days longer,
expecting Harrigan's RETURN aud then quit
Since that time they have subsisted chiefly on the
charity of the people of Aberdeen and vicinity,
wrking when they could, at cutting Ice and
wUud. =.
Church South. of Aberdeen, and Jas. II. Pritch-
ard, II foreman under lIarrigan, and to whom the
latter was also indebted. Interested themselves In
the case of the laborers and went to Col. Doug
Iuss chief engineer of the Philadelphia extension,
IN their behalf. They were assured that the men
would be paid as far as the company could en-
To Aberdeen, where he met Pritchard and some
at the men, among them an interpreter called
Charley He there offered to settle with the
men at 80 cents on the dollar They refused to
accept this sum and became very much excited.
lie then offered u cents, and declined to go
higher As the men would not agree to this Pari-
mcnt started for the depot about noon to take the
train for home. He had nearly reached the plat
form when two or three of the Italians, among
whom the news of the failure of settlement had
spread, stopped him, and others crowding around,
carried him off to their shanty, where he was
securely bound For while. This place is about
200 yards from the depot and is frame structure,
hued up with hunks with straw FOR p. beds, 60,
whom the Italians appear to have entertained
some respect, went to the house TO try to secure
Pdrliments release. After consultation tele-
gram was sent, about four O'Clock in the after
noon, 10 Col. Douelass, asking him IL he would
accept an order for Sl,5OO; Gol. DOUGLASS replied
certificate showing the amount due each man, the
railroad company would pay them as far as the
amount they owed Pertinent would do 1T.
This did not satisfy the Italians, who seemed
not to understand why they were not paid on the
spot Pertinent then drew his check for 800,
position was very uncomfortable. as the Italians
were making unpleasant signs OF wanting to use
violence. The presence of the minister, the fore
man and IL couple of other citizens of Aberdeen,
however, deferred them, if they had any real in
tention of the kind. About five O'Clock Deputy
Sheriff Geo. II. Boyd arrived from Hayre de Grace
To release Pa liment. The Italians defed him, and
Boyd telegraphed to Bel Air for Sheriff George
Il. Walker. Meantime Parliments situation was
getting decidedly unpleasant. They had taken him
once into shed adjoining the shanty, during the
temporary absence of his protectors. There they
kindled a tire in an old cooking stove, and there
being no chimney to this place, the little room
was soon filled with smoke, tho object being, as
they expressed it, to show him how they lived
and feed him as they were fed. They told Mr.
Steele, "We no hurt him We feed him like we
feed.
Sheriff Geo. i. Walker, accompanied by Deputy
Sheriff robert K Carman arrived from Bel Air
about midnight. Both officers went into the
shanty the door being locked and the key taken
out after they got in The Italians still refused to
release their hostage, and became warlike. They
tiourished clubs hatchets and knives in the faces
of the officers, whom they believed TO be private
citizens, because they wore no uniforms or
badges The door being unlocked for some
purpose Sheriff Walker succeeded in getting out.
AS he stepped out several Italians on the outside
attacked Tim with clubs, one OF them striking him
on the arm, knocking him down. AS he arose he
drew his pistol, and as one of them rushed at him
with an uplifted club the Sheriff pointed his weap-
on at the mans breast and pulled the trigger. The
cap snapped. Again the pistol missed fire. The
Italians then ran. and the third time the pistol
was discharged, but the bullet missed its mark
Deputy Sheriff Carman could not escape but in
the scuiiie managed to throw his pistol outside to
prevent it falling into the hands Of the Infatuated
Italians, who had no firearms; Iney overpower-
Once they placed II rope around his neck, as
though they Were about To hang him.. After
awhile they became more calm ana let Mr.. Car
man out.
She riir Walker then telegraphed to Marshal
Gray, of Baltimore, Tor ten policemen but no
ing when second telegram was sent. In the
meantime Deputies Carnan and Boyd went to
Havre de Grace and summoned II posse of 2j men,
who came on the first train, accompanied by
about fifty more young men. Rev. Father Barry
of Havre de Grace, had also come along, in the
hope of being able to pacify the Italians and save
.bloodshed. Three ladies of Parliments' acquaint-
ance also came along. As soon rs the Havre de
made a rush for the shanty. They came up shout
ing and shooting, and burst in the door about the
time the Italians had begun to relent, and were
about letting Pertinent go for the money. Those
inside the house were confronted by a half dozen
pistols and the cry of where's Pertinent 2" Mr..
Steele cried out, Don't shoot! y and handed Par
liment over TO deputy Sheriff Boyd, and the pri-
soner was soon safely outside.
Then ensued short and shart conflict between
the lIayre de Grace posse who were armed with
pistols and guns, and the Italians. The latter,
however, seeing themselves against such super
TO fha n
fight. After scufile and chase, lasting both
together about fifteen minutes, 80 OF the aborers
were caught and placed under s ARREST only y
only two persons were hurt One OF the Havre
dc Grace posse. Thomas Hollad. was shot in the
heshy part of the thigh accidentally by e =.
Hogan, commissary for Parliment, and one of the
Italian laborers shot in the side of the head,
went out of the house one of the young men who
had followed the posse leveled his gun at the
minister but did not fire as the latter cried out In
Italian"
The captured men were tied with ropes. two by
two, and guarded by the sheriff his two deputies
marched Off for Bel Air, twelve miles away. They
left Aberdeen at I O'clock Saturday afternoon.
After wal king short distance 1t was observed
that their hands became swollen from the ropes,
and they were united. They made no effort to
was very slow, and when they arrived at Bel Air il
was nearly night. The Havre de Grace people
went back home with their wounded comrade
bullet has been extracted, but he Is suffering
much. Deputy Marshal Frey, with his policemen
Grace posse away. They brought an interpreter
along. Finding the trouble over, they returned
10 baltimore by the next down train.
The village people have their sympathies, which
appear to be as much for the Italians rs for the
contractor who was placed in such an awkward
and even dangerous predicament. Everybody
agrees that the Italians should have been arrest
ed for fOrcibly OBTAINING the contractor and fo
resisting and assaultng the sheriff and his depu
htltrn uxuhn yUn rQ6 prat
the offenders on the ground of provocation want
ed them taken to Bel Air in conveyances. Som'
thing for some time, and the question was mootet
Of the people giving the prisoners a dinner befor'
the start but as the walk was long OF tn
son. who keeps store filled the prisoners
pockets with crackers to eat on the way. ON
trait in the character of the Italians which elicit
ed the sympathy of the Aberdeen people was tina
whenever one of the men earned a dollar he wa
willing to share 1t with his companions, ant
though they where frequently without food OK
cept what was supplied them by the villagers, the.
were never known, II is said, to steal anything
case before the italian minister at Washington
with the view of ameliorating the condition OF tn
Italians and securing them their money.
The amount due the men, after deducting wha
they owe the commissary for provisions, Is iron
Before being placed In the cells they were care
fully searched and their knives and razors take
away
the grand jury. Monday morning, including Re,
Mr.. Steele, Pertinent, Prtchard and Others. Nj
Steele said that word had been sent to him by M,
Amos Courtney and others, of Aberdeen, to EN-
poy counsel in behalf OF The Italians IL the
needed IL, at their expense.
THE PRISONERS DISCHARGED.
IN Tuesday morning the grand jury conclude
their investigation OF the case and addressed th
following note TO Judge Waters:
10 Hon. Jds u. Waters:
I'VE the members of the Grand Jury respect
fully ask the release Of the Italian laborer
thirty mine in number, now confined in Jail o
account of insufficient evidence to find bill
identify them. VIM DALLAM. Foreman. !"
whereupon Judge Waters made the foowin
.osdsr: