Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-07-12
A DECISIVE MOVE
Made by the Striking Work
men at Homestead.
RECRUITS DRIVEN AWAY.
Several of the NOn-Union Men Badly
Injured by Strikers.
A LIVELY MELEE YESTERDAY.
The Sheriff Says Order Must Be Preserved
at ALI Hazards.
The Sheriff Says Order Must Be Preserved
at All Hazards,
AN EMPHATIC PROCLAMATION ISSUED

excitement. The bitterness so keenly felt
on Wednesday was greatly intensified yes
terday by the attempt, early in the morning,
to smuggle in carload Of 40 men, collected
from different parts of the country and
shipped from Pittsburg by an employment
agency on Grant street. As the train ap-
preached the depot it was surrounded by
the sentinels, and the alarm instantly con-
veyed to the upper station, where larger
body of workmen were congregated-with
instructions to be in readiness to receive the
recruits on their arrival there.
A number of the new men, who claim
that they received their first intimation that
there was any trouble by seeing a large
body of men at the station, attempted to
leave the train, but found the doors locked.
Three of the more desperate, either through
fear or excessive principle, jumped through
the windows. One man, in his hurry, left
his coat and vest, containing S14, in the
car. The coat and vest were afterward
discovered, but the money had disappeared.
As to the reception rendered the new men
on their arrival at the upper depot, accounts
differ, but all agree that it was a decidedly
warm one. A number of stones were thrown
and blows struck, but as near as can be
learned no person was seriously injured.
On hearing the association side of the story,
the men, with the exception of three, who by a
sudden rush gained the inclosure OF the works,
expressed their willingness to return to Pitts
burg. They were accordingly
ESCORTED TO THE DEPOT
by delegation of the strikers and placed upon
the train. As many were without money, their
fares were paid from the association funds
There was considerable noise on the trip
through town. but no violence was attempted.
The exciting event of the day, however, oc-
CURED about O'Clock in the afternoon. An
employment agent from Baltimore, who, it is
sand, had contracted to provide large num-
Der of men, arrived in town on the 1l30 train
with three men. Through fear of violence,
however, they did not disembark, but passed
on to Duquesne. Early in the afternoon they
attempted to reach the works by walking
through the woods back of the mill, but were
spotted by the ever vigilaht guard, and after a
short chase run down and surrounded.
They were then informed that they
would be allowed Is minutes to leave town.
This the agent declined to do, and with a
foolhardiness scarcely believable under the
circumstances, declared his intention to re-
main and do his best to fill the mill with nom
union men. Then followed a scene, possible
under no other conditions.
a
infuriated beyond reason by this open defiance,
sprang upon the men, and beat and kicked
them in the most heather manner. For few
moments it was doubtful il they would escape
with their lives, but finally the cooler members
succeeded in separating them, and, forming a
guard about the strangers, started downtown
IN the direction OF the depot. AS they pro.
ceeded the excitement constantly increased;
the strikers poured out from every direction
and several desperate attempts were made to
break through the guard and attack the men,
AS the procession reached the depot con-
certed attack separated the strangers and their
guardians, and the scene that followed almost
seems incredible. The men were
BEATEN AND KICKED
from one side of the road to the other, clothes
were torn from their backs and it appeared
that the infuriated workmen would have one or
more murders to answer for. By almost super
human efforts. the rescuers threw off the mob,
and shouted to the men to run, which they did,
only TO be again overtaken and beaten. Again
and again they broke away, until finally one
dropped from sheer exhaustion. As the crowd
dashed upon him, two of the rescuing party,
noble fellows who had suffered at the hands of
their brethren in their heroic attempt at res
cue, sprang to the front and drawing their re-
volvers swore they would kill the first man
who should approach. Their determined
action had the effect of quieting the crowd for
an instant, during which the better nature of
the men asserted itself ana reason began to
gain control. A committee seized the strangers
and rushed them down the road IN the direction
of Howard.
The agent, whose name could not be learned,
was the most severely treated, his nose being
broken and his face pounded to jelly. 1t was
feared at first that his ribs had been broken,
but on examination it happily proved other
the committee and majority of the association,
and the greatest caution will be exercised to
prevent the occurrence of similar scenes.
A system of signals has been arranged by
surrounding towns
be kept advised of the condition of affairs in
Homestead-during the day by cannon and at
night by skyrockets fired from the hillsides.
POLICE REGULATIONS.
At special meeting of the Borough Council
yesterday afternoon. 1t was decided not to ap-
point 100 special police, as proposed yesterday,
but to start with ten and gradually increase the
force as occasion demanded. The required
number was selected frem the townpeople at
large.
Sheriff McCandless, accompanied by two
strangers from Pittsburg, held a conference
Office late yesterday afternoon, the result of
which could not be learned.
There are now six deputies inside the works,
beside the watchmen. The three men who
managed to get inside the enclosure yesterday
morning. became frightened and escaped from
the town late in the afternoon, leaving a
portion of their baggage behind them in their
haste
Fawcett the boarding house keeper who
was chased out of town on Wednesday, came
down yesterday on the Pittsburg, McKeesport
and Youghiogheny road. He intended to gain
admission TO the works byleaplng from the tres
tie, which at one point runs close to the divid-
ing fence, but. as the conductor refused to
slacken the speed of the train. he was afraid to
attempt it, and passed on to Duquesne
August Geisler. the Grant street employ
ment agent, who sent the men to Homestead
yesterday morning, accompanied the party as
far as Howard where receiving word that a
delegation was awaiting his arrival he consid-
cred discretion his wisest plan and retired.
The feeling against him is very intense and it
would not be advisable for him to appear in
town tor while.
A feeling prevails in town among the leading
members of the association that the company
does not propose to attempt to run the mill with
new labor, and that the present apparent
anxiety to obtain men is only 'bluff'
TO LEAD THE woRKMEN ON
60 some act of unlawfulness that will afford
them sufficient grounds for calling in a large
force of deputy sheriffs.
AT the Office of the company everything is
going on as usual. The clerks and book
keepers are at their desks, to all appearances
hard at work. Everybody refuses to talk on
the subject of the day, and absolutely nothing
can be learned.
The representatives of the press were waited
upon by a committee. evidently self-appointed
last evening. and very politely informed that
owing to certain reports that had appeared in
the papers their presence had become decided
who had concluded that the scribes had better
depart, and that they would allow them Is
minutes to get to the depot. The determined
appearance and evident earnestness of the COM
mittee precluded any possibility of a jest. ana
it required the combined diplomacy Of the
newspaper force to argue them out of their
convictions and avoid a pending conflict. All
knowledge of the affair was denied at head
quarters.
Sheriff McCandless, in conversation to-day,
said: Il informed the officers of the Amalga-
mated Association Wednesday night that in