The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-07-16
THE PINKERToNs, RIFLES.
Nothing but o House-to- House Search Car
Recover Them-Disarmament Talk.

-
Recover Them-Disarmament Talk.
HOMESTEAD, Pa. July 15-No effort has
yet been made to gather up and turn over
the captured Winchester rifles. of which
nearly two hundred are still in the town.
together with large amount of Pinkerton
ammunition. Mr.. O'Donnell has refused to
make public the reply of the Attorney gen.
ersl of Pennsylvania to his re-
quest for advice az to what
should be done with the guns that
might still be recovered. although 1t Is
known that reply has been received. The
advisory committee Is anxious to get rid of
the weapons, but there seems to be some
doubt about tho the legal aspect of the
case, and it 10 said they are now waiting
for their attorneys opinion. At the time
of the surrender, one of the conditions
granted the detectives was that the arms
would be returned to Mr.. PInkerton when
opportunity occurred. The Vino hesters
are now scattered all up and down the
Monongahela. as the crowd made raid on
every thing when it gained access to the
barges Besides there seems to be some
doubt as to the legal responsibility which
would be incurred by any person turning
over some of the guns, who could not
account for all that the Pinkertons lost,
and the men will, under advice. proceed
cautiously in the work of restoration.
A tact not generally known Is that there
are number of Winchesters in the Car.
negie mills supposed to be the property of
the Pinkertons. These guns, about two
hundred in number, the strikers believe to
be stored IN the carpenter shop in boxes.
and the men were with difficulty re-
strained by their leaders from making o
search for Them before the militia arrived.
If they were there on Sunday they have
been moved since, az the carpenter shop ls
to-day bare of every thing in the shape of
weapons.
Stories about dynamite are numerous,
Sn:tit is now admitted that the mysterious
full of Atlas powder. The strikers stead
fastly declare that if there be hid ex-
plosives In Homestead they have been
planted by enemies of labor, In the
S.n asa sSs s3s
have been making quiet investi.
CATION into tho actual armament of the
strikers. 1t Is believed that there are in
Homestead about two thousand stands Of
arms of all sorts, including shotGuns old
ters. which belong to the men. and which
cannot, save in the case of actual HOSTILE
tles be taken away from them. Besides
these are the captured Pinkerton guns and
Tbsre is a d diffsrenoe in caiiber between the
PInkerton guns and the others which
makes many of the cartridges unavailable.
An amazing fact is that much of the am
munition is manifestly the property of the
cartridges bear the label of the Frankfort
arsenal, and nobody seems to be able to
explain whether these are part of the Pink
erton equipment or whether they were diff
ferently acquired. The Frankfort cart
ridge are all fifty -caliber.
Much speculation is lndulged in by the
people on both sides of Eighth avenue as
TO how the work of disarmament will be-
accomplished. Nothing but hOuee.tO-
house visitation and search can recover the
guns, and how that can be done In America
is question that nobody proposes q solu-
tion for. James Boyce, one of the(
strikers, said. Until Mr. Carnegie
secures two or three additional amend
ments to tho Constitution our right
TO keep and bear arms will not be infringsd.
We are not children in Homestead; We
know our rights, and We will maintain
them. There are men here prepared to lay
down their lives in defense Of WHAT'S. or
what they think Is, right. and snrely we
have the right to drive away an illegal
force of hired assassins. brought here for
the sole purpose of intimldatinR us. When
the militia of Pennsylvani came we were
prepared to give them hearty welcome,
and General SnOwden eaw fit to refuse
contemptuously our advances. Well, We
can get along with the troops or without
them. We are Americans who are not so
fond Of life that we will not stack 1t up,
and call nyb0dy. we care not who, that
attempts oppression. The people outside
do not understand this Homestead posi-.
tion. Most of the men expecting con-
tinuous employment here have put
their savings into homes which will be lost
IL we are to be driven away from this town.
The Carnegie mills were built up by us;
the great profits of the concern were made
BY us. Our labor was expended for Scotch
castles and free Libraries. We do not say
that Carnegie, Phipps Il Co. do not own
the mill property. but we do say that We
have some rights in il ourselves. We have
been constantly led to believe that the
Amalgemated Association would be per-
mitted TO control and direct our interests.
We have bought Mr.. Carnegies land on
that theory, 0nd We ore now In such posi-
tiOn that we must lose all that we have or
win this fight / think We will win it,"
Strikers pockets are still aintained
abont the mill and Mt tho railroad stations,
but they have been abandoned at other
points about the town. The attempt will
be made to interview newcomers, and the
chance to speak to the new hands whether
the militia interfcres or not Upon this
point they are quite resolved. ard the
pickets have been advised that. standing
strictly upon their legal rights. they can
not be prevented from peacefully request
ing the new w-comers not TO work In the
mills nor from offering them support in the
event thnt they decline to- work for the
Carnegie company.
npnuE ruEvP CONTRA era