Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-07-13

and shipped to Captain Rodgers He tool
| them to the landing on the Allegheny
wharf and loaded them on the barges.
Here Mr.. Prick read his notice served OF
the Sheriff, calling on him to protect the
company's property.
Boatner-Where these men armed al
your expense?
| Pinkerton Furnished rhe Arms.
| A.-No. Pinkerton furnished every
thing. We have an Office in New York.
| Mr.. Schoonmaker is in charge and after my
letter was written to Pinkerton Schoon.
| maker arranged tho balance of the details.
received no letter from Pinkerton in re-
/ ply to mine. Knox & Reed wrote letter
| to me telling me to instruct Superintendent
Potter not to allow guards to commit any
act of aggression, but confne themselves to
protecting their lives and the property.
Boatner-Didn't you think the Sheriff
could furnish you 300 men to protect your
property?
A No, sir; not from past experiences. !
knew that the Sheriff in 1889 had failed to
furnish guards to protect our plant.
Boatner-Didn't you think he could
honestly furnish 300 to protect you and your
property?
A. Not such men as the Sheriff would
furnish could do it.
The Date OF the Contract.
Boatner-Because the Sheriff failed three
years ago you concluded this one would
tail also. You had arranged with Piuker-
ton for men before you applied to the
Shirif, did you not?
A. They were not to do the Sheriff's
duty.
Boatner-Didn't you advance the money
for the firearms?
A. No, sir.
Boatner-How long were the Pinkertons
to stay?
A. As long as we needed them.
Boatner-When was the fence built?
A. After negotiations had commenced
with the men.
Boatner-What were the holes in the
fence for?
A. notice in the papers that port holes
had been made in tine fence, so it was stated.
I asked Mr.. Potter what it meant. He
said they were to be used for observation
outside in case of necessity.
Boatner-You sent for Pinkertons be-
cause you felt that the Sheriff would not or
could not furnish enough men to protect
your property. Is that the condition of
affairs in Allegheny county?
A. 1t certainly is. The riots of 1877
demonstrate that.
Boatner-Are not the citizens law-abid-
ing?
A. They are.
Boatner-Why did you think the Sheriff
couldn't enforce the laws?
A. AS said before, had learned from
past experience that he couldn't
Boatner-Did you make an effort to re-
inforce the Sheriff?
A. Yes, by hiring 300 men. Our own
watchmen were driven from the works
Boatner-I understand these men were
hired in anticipation of trouble at Home
stead?
A. Yes, sir.
Boatner-It there any law giving you the
right to bring in such body of armed men
from other States?
A. I could not say. They were not
armed.
Boatner-Did they come here unarmed,
and were then armed in Pittsburg? Were
not guns put on the boats when the men
were?
A. Arms were on the boat to be used by
them if necessary. I believe they were
armed on the way to Homestead. The
Sheriff's chief deputy met the guards at
Bellevue and went with them to Home
stead. was advised the men couldn't be
taken up the river unless this was done.
Oates-Did the Sheriff agree to use the
men as posse?
A. Yes, sir.
With this statement the work of the
night closed, and the committee adjourned
until this morning, when the examination
OF MIR. Frick will be continued.