Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-04-06
WATCHORN'S REPLY
To the Published Charges Af-
fecting His Character
and TruthfuIness.
SOME SWORN STATEMENTS
Concerning the Employment of For
eignerS in the Coke Region.
MANY HIRED In CASTLE GARDEN,
And Some Who Claim to Have Been Lp-
preached in Liverpool.
MANY HIRED In CASTLE GARDEN,
TENANTS ORDERED TO TACATE HOUSES
rFRoN A STAFF CORRESPONDENT

in which several charges were made against
Robert Watchorn, was shown that gentle
man, and he was asked to give his side of
the story. He refused point blank to say
anything for publication, but after consid-
erable pressure was brought TO bear he
changed his mind. Mr.. Watchorn was not
satisfied TO make mere statement, but de-
cided to substantiate what he might have to
say by submitting afidavits from various
men living in the vicinity. These state
ments could not be prepared in so short a
time, and it was decided to leave it over till
to-day. The following is Mr.. Watchorn' S
statement as taken at his dIctation:
NV attention was called to published state
ment made by II. Z. Frick which appeared in
several Pittsburg morning papers, two of
which saw. Mr.. Frck (if correctly reportedl,
and as it appears in divers papers without vari-
alton take il for granted THAI is his own lam
guage. censures me for what he is pleased to
call my wIllful falsehoods, without ascertain
ing whether have used any such language or
not On arriving at Pitt>burS declined to ex-
press All opinion of any kind, and of personal
friends OF mine who are engaged as reporters
requested NOT to be quoted in any way.
First, because | was not in a position to talk,
and second, because on Snch occasions. pending
judicial or inquest proceedings, expressions on
the questions at issue are premature, mi udi-
deem II becoming to ask ne whether l am cor
Tecily reported, has assaled me in severe and
reGIetable language. do not propose to waste
time in disavowing the language he ascribes to
me. but will take him at his word and try to
dlslodCe him from his self-0onStituted and pre-
suned impregnabe position.
Wholesale Attacks on Labor Leaders.
Fortunately there are men in many localities
in various States who assumed to advise their
fellow wOrkingmen, but from want of better
Judgment, and poverty OF ideas, make very
improper remarks. AS long as men select their
leaders from among themselves, and where
else should they secure them, this will do as
long as the mass of them remain Illiterate and
uniformed. but this does not Justify any man
(who happens to be rich) in attacking leaders
IN wholesale manner and CHASING them all as
reckless, lawlcss citizens. Many there are who
are known as labor leaders who are not Mr.
Frlck's interiors in anv sense of the word, un-
less perchance We admit wealth to be the
standard OF manliness and good ci izenship.
Mr.. FrCk evidently knows the potency of the
lines, Give a dog bad name and you might
well Kill him, for the burden of his attack
Is to create pnbliC feeling against the men, he
declares make the bullets tor the poor deluded
fore iCners" 10 fire.
There are numerous leaders whom Mr.
Frlck can't charge with inSlncerIty or lawless-
ness and they may defend themselves. For
my part l am sure he cannot find a solitary in
d!vidual, be he prosperous, or poor learned, or
iliterate, employer or employed, citizen or So
lnUrner, who Will even hint AZ such base inSin-
uatlons as he makes against me provided they
know me. II they don't know me they are not
IN a position TO pass Judgment, and common
everyday good breeding would restrain them
from 50 doing. During the days of GorSuch
and Parsons, they appeared before the miners
of this and other States and urged them to
defy the law and its votarieS, to sack and
plunder, to murder and arson.
Dcnunciation of Anarcnistic Doctrines.
where was this marauding Watchorn
then?' Let Mr.. Fuck ask the men who at
tended those meetings. They will tell him that
Watchorn took the platform with them and
denounced their infamous doctrines. ana for so
doing received abuse of the anarchistic press
Ny advocacy by influence, precept and ex-
ample, by tongue and pen has always been, is
and always will be- ballots, not bullets, intel
ligent, law-abIding action, not defiant and law
less attacks on property law or person. Nh
Frick says: Let the leaders explain why these
men arc out in thrOngs at TINS early hour l
have no doubt they can do so perfectly salts
faCio oTlly to any and all right-minded persons
but not being leader nor having any part in
the matter leading up To this very deplorable
affair, leave that IOr others and confine NV
self 10 the direct charges he makes against
me. lie says my presence here and my utter
aneeS might be regarded as coming from the
Governor He does me honor oYermuch and
reflects on the Chief Magistrate of the Com
if he wants a mouthpiece at the scene of
trouble.
The facts are that the first thing did upon
hearing OF the killing was to hurry TO the coke
regions and personally appeal to the miners,
thousands of whom know land / am pleased to
say) respect me. | have met them and rea-
soned with them in their agitated state of
mind, and leave il to those most competent to
judge with what result If the influence l
have used for peace has given auv man otfeuse
LEI him speak, for him have l offended" Mr..
Frick has deliberately charged me with know
lnglY making false statement. This is too
grave charge TO pass by unnot!ceG and In
some climates would warrant an order for
pistols for two and CO fee for one"
A More Sensible Procedure.
However with Northern blood in my veins,
common sense in my head, and general dislike
for firearms, propose to resent the language
by square denial substantIated by sworn testi-
mony, and personally know nothing of these
impOr;atiOns, and whenever have referred to
them it has been on the strength of statements
made b. his employees; and if l had time TO
make an investigation now have no doubt l
could tind Sufficient ground for the statement
he alleges I have made. Here is the exact
language used by Mr.. Fuck-or at least cred
tied to HMM Saturday papers: And / am
now ready and wllllng to state that neither N.Y.
sell nor my company nor anyone in its behalf
directly or indirectly, assisted, procured OF re-
QUested any man to em;grate to this country"
Now this is bold language and. if true, MIR.
ETlCk has been grossly miSrepresenTed and
ought 10 be put right. l met several men to-
day who reiterated what they have said to me
on former occasions. and for the purpose of
general Information requested them to quail
lily their language. which they did in the fol-
lowing manner: Daniel Collins said:
i am not at present employed anywhere
having been injured in railroad wreck at
Ferguson. is months ago. ! came from En-
gland IN 1857, of my own vOlition. year earlier
! Was approached at Liverpool, England, by |
man named Hargraves. who offered me my
passage free from that point to Scottdale, Pa,
and guaranteed me - per day to work il the |
mines OF the ConnelsYIlle coke re zion. / de- |
clined To accept, but nine others accented the |
offer. and on arriving here (Seottdale) were re-
ceved by the II. {. Frick Coke Company Of |
fcials, and were assigned work at the Valley |
Works. My brother, being one of them, gave |
me this information. DANIEL COLLINS"
Sworn to and subscribed before me this 4th |
day of April 1891 J. MERRITT
Justice of the Peace.
James Collins says; Il signed an agreement |
at Witness, Lancashire, England, to come to |
America to work for the II. e. Frick Coke |
Company. wages to be 81 10 to 81 per day. They |
also stated in their agreement that there was |
no strike in the ConnellSville region, nor was |
there any anticipated. On my arrival at Scott |
dale, to my surprise the whole region was on |
strike. This was in the month of January 1886 |
of course. refused TO work. and Travelled to |
Pittsburg, and was there met by tile British |
Consul who conducted me to 81. &. Frick's |
Office. Mr.. Fnck said he
Did Not Know Anything About Me Coming |
to work for him. The agent in England gave |
US letter addressed 10 General Superintendent |
Lynch. and when we presented the letter to |
that gentleman he would not return it to us. |
We remained in Pittsburg four weeks. until |
the end of the strike and H. e. Frick set |
tied the hotel bill for all of us. He also fur |
nished us with tickets from Pittsburg to Scott |
dale and other points in the ConnellsYille re- |