Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1892-07-27
THEIR SIDE.
Piokerton Bros Before the lnves.iga-
ton Committee.
The Men Employed by Them Are selected
with Sr~at Csrc-rhcy Are Thorough
~ Trusted for Prudence. sobriety.
Esc.. Etc. Say the Pinkertons.


WASHINGTON. July s3.-Thc two fam
Gus Pinkerton brothers, W. A., the
elder. and Robert the younger. appear
ed Friday morning before the house
Investigating committee to explain their
connection with the Homestead riot
The two Pinkcrtons are heavy-set.
low-browcd, swnrthy. muscular men.
little above ordinary hcigh, and
weighing about two hundred pounds
each.
Robert Pinkerton was the first wit
ness called. His brother, William. Mr..
Guthrie. of New York. with his attor-
ney and Messrs Hayes. Wright and
Devlin, of the h. of l., were also in Mt
tendance
The following is the statement sub
mitted by the Pinlcertons:
Tho present inquiry by your committee
arises from the recent deplorabic events at
Homestead, In the state OF Pcnnsyiyania.
The agency was founded in 1850 by the late
Allen Pinkcrton. and during the last - years ~
has frequently furnished private waichmen
10 protect the property OF individuals
men employed by US IN this strike
work are selected with great care
ana only after full invcs,iga ton OF their char
acters and anteccdcnts Not single instance
can be cited where We have knowingly ON.
pioycd unreliable or Internationally men or
where any OF our watchmen have been con.
Nctcd OF crime Moreover. we have seldom
permitted our watchmen 10 carry arms for tho
purpose OF protecting property and life unless
they were authorized by the proper legal M.
thorities or sworn as deputy sherins.
when urst requested 90 send watchmcn To
protect the Homestead plant. we refused 20 do
SO unless NIL our men should he sworn In ns
deputy sherinS We were then assured that
he gHa of A fl..s.l
our men were going 10 Homestead TO act as
watchmen ana TO guard the property OF the
company md TO protect its worlunen
from violence. We were further assured
that tho sheriff had promised Immediate
~ upon any outbreak or disturbance
10 dcpuiize all our watchmen as shcr.
ms deputies. On that condition only did we
consent 10 furnish about 900 watchmen A
large number OF the men were our regular en-.
ployes, who could be thoroughly trusted Tor In.
tegrity, prudence and sohriety. The remain
der were men whom we employed from time
10 time, or who wore known and recon-
mended 10 Va. They did not 20 into the
STATE OF Pennsylvanta rs an armed body
or force and we should not have per.
mitted or asscnted TO this. There was
no intention or purpose whatever OF arminR
them until they were ON the property OF the
company at Homestead The sherin's chief
deputy Gray, accompanied our men. was on the
tug towing Y bargcs, and IL was distinctly un.
dcrstood that ne had authority TO duly deputizo
them In case OF necessity. The boxes on board
the barge We're not opened and the arms and
ammunition were not distributed until after tho
strikers had commenced firing on the watch.
men, ana II became evident that IL was a mat
ter OF solf-defense for life or death
Klein had been murdered by the strikers
ana about hvo other watchmen shot and wound.
ed before our men began their Ore in self
defense. Even then IL was impossible 10 ut.
tempt 20 shoot those firing at the bargcs. be.
cause the strikers made a breasuork for them.
selves by placing women and children IN front
ana firing from behind them Not a single
woman or child was Injured 10y our mon.
After the surrender, all our men, including
the wounded and helpless were brutglly
beaten and robbed by the strikers. and the
leaders made no real, honest effort 10 protect
them our men were robbed of watches
money, and in fact evoryt thing. and then un.
mercifully beaten.
Edwards. also wounded and helpless was
dubbed by another striker with tho butt-end OF
a musket
He died, and subsequently another watch
man became insane and committed suicide as a
result OF the fearful beating after he had sur
rendered All Of our men were more or less In.
jured.
The acts Of the strikers after our men had
surrendered would be a disgrace 10 sayngcs
Yet because done In the name OF organized
American labor, sympathy. II not encourage
ments Is shown for such deeds by part Of ths.
press and by political demagogues