The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-10-01

HOMESTEAD, Pa. Sept. S0.-A great
sensation was created here tonight by
the arrest for troasono Of number OF the
members of the advisory committee OF
the Homestead strikers. Those arrost-
ed were Chairman Joseph ]. Crawford,
William Baird, George RyIands, John
Dierke aud I. W. Brown. The arrests
came like thunderbolt to the strikers,
they were so unexpected. The prison.
ers were chatting ut street corners when
they were taken.
1t was late in the afternoon when the
warrants, based on the information of
Chief Justice Paxson, reached Home
stead and were placed in the hands of
the officers to serve. They started out
at 9 o'clock and first caught Crawford
and DIerke, who were hurried to the
provost guard tents. Tho others were
caught in quick succession. before the
strikers had time to realize what was
happening :,
As the prisoners were speeded to the
prison tents alarm was taken and many
strikers hnstened toward the guard
tents, but we're held back and denied
all information; indeed several OF the
prisoners did not know why they were
arrested until safe behind the bayonets
OF the soldiers.
At the station 4 crowd OF $50 angry,
il not surprised, men assembled with
rapidity, and their determined looks
caused apprehension. Two deputies
tried to keep them back, but when the
train arrived they had almost sur
rounded the group OF prisoners and
officers. When tho train pulled out q
sullen eer of defiance went up, and
Chairman Crawford said: "They can
persecute us, but they can't make us 90
to work"
The informations for treason were
made by County Detective Beltzhoovcr
this afternoon before Chief Justice
Paxton, OF the supreme court OF Penn
sylvania. The petition charges Hugh
O'Donnell, Thomas j. Crawford, John
McLuckie and thirty others, all men,
bers OF the strikers advisory committee,
with treason. 1t states that the de-
fendants, who are inhabitants OF the
commonwealth OF Pennsylvania, did or
dan, prepare and levy war against the
commonwealth OF Pennsylvania, to the
end that the constitution, laws and au-
thority were dehed. resisted ana sub
ver,ed; and that the said defendants on
July /, with hundreds OF others, armed
and arrayed in warlike manner, that is
to say with guns. cannon, swords,
knives and clubs, did unlRwfully,
maliciously and traitorously assemble
together in the borough OF Homestead,
in the commonwealth Of Pennsylvania,
and then aud there with force OF arms
did falsely and traitorously, and in
hostile aud warlike manner. array
themselves in insurrection and re,
belliOn against the commonwealth OF
Pennsylvania contrary to the duty OF
allegiance and fidelity OF the said de-
PENDANTS"
Chief Justice Paxson at once issued
warrants for the arrest OF the accused,
and officers were dispatched by the
sheriff to Homestead to serve them.
The action OF the county authorities
was entirely unexpected and carried
CONSERVATION into the camp OF the stri-
kors. This is the first time in the his
tory OF the state that any resident has
been charged with treason against the
commonwealth and the outcome will
be watched with interest. The penal
ty, which was formerly death, is twelve
years imprisonment in the penitentia-
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