News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1892-07-14
MANY of them were

river banks. Many of them were
armed with clubs and revolvers.
When the Pinkertons finally reached
their landing place at Homestead
they found the shore black with a
mob of excited people, estimated in
number at about 5000. Men and
women, many only halfdressed, had
left their beds to receive the invading
force. The children played on the
outskirts of the crowd that lined the
waters edge. The PinkertOns tried
to land and firing began at once.
Some men fell and the thick line on
the shore for a moment wavered.
Then with an angry shout the crowd
bore down with resistless force that
paid no heed to the crack of the
Pinkerton's Winchesters. The shots
of the workmen in return told with
such effect that the Pinkertons re-
treated to the protection of their
boats, taking with them their dead
and wounded. Their captain was
seriously disabled. The workmen
thus won the battle before daylight
in the first engagement. The fight
ing was renewed at Z O'Clock by the
second attempt of the Pinkertons to
land. In this struggle a workman
was killed and several more were
wounded, but the people ashore
fought with such desperation that
the Pinkertons could gain no foot
hold ashore. A perfect shower OF
bullets was rained upon the men in
the boats whenever they showed
themselves. Once a Pinkerton showed
his head above the railing that pro-
tected him and back hefell dead. The
forenoon was not half spent when the
workmen had built along the shore a
breast-work of steel bars.
At about 6 O'Clock the firing upon
the barges became general from both
banks of the Monongahela river.
Then some one ashore thought that
oil would burn on water. The idea
was at once put into execution and
many barrels were emptied into the
water of the stream some distance
above where the two barges lay.
The oil was set on fire and thus the
Pinkertons were driven from their
position in order to escape being
burned to death. When a steamer
came with achievements to the aid
of the Pinkertons at about 1 o'clock
the workmen met it with a cannon
and drove it back. During the after
noon the people ashore were being
constantly reinforced by workmen
from neighboring mills. The flags of
truce raised repeatedly by the Pink
ertons from their boats were at once
riddled with bullets, showing the ug-
ly temper of the mob. Finally the
beaten force on the barges raised the
white flag and surrendered. When
they came ashore as prisoners they
brought six dead Pinkertons and a
number of wounded.
So determined and vicious had the
workmen become in their warfare
that after the Pinkertons had sur
rendered and were on their way to
the lookup for safe keeping, they
were subjected to inhuman treat
ment, and every man, woman or
child in the place was allowed a Wig
orous kick or sickening blow at the
unfortunates.
Half an hour after midnight a
special train of cars was backed
quietly into a railroad station, and
the sheriff and a deputy jumped from
the train and hurried to the lookup
and the rink, where the Pinkerton
men We're imprisoned. A moment
later the prisoners were marched to
the depot, and almost without a
word they were hurried into the cars
awaiting them and started back to
Pittsburg At 1870 Thursday they
were despatched from Pittsburg to
New Yorkby a special train, those
who were too badly hurt to under
take the journey being left in The hos
pital. The men inside the cars repre-
sented a sorry sight with their ban
daged heads and arms. Nothing
could exceed their impatience to get
away, and they were crazy for papers
to get an idea of the situa ton at
Homestead.
According to the best accounts
upwards of twenty persons lost theiI
lives during the engagement.
THE LATEST.
On Monday the Governor sent out
the State troops. They were sent to
Homestead and are now in posses
sion Of the works. 1t is now believed
that no further blood will be shed
and that the strike will soon be set
tied.