Evening journal., 1892-07-07
BATHED IN BLOOD
Homestead Drenched with Gore
and Rent by Fierce Riots.
TWENTY MEN WERE SLAIN.
rarnegie's Pinkertons at the Mercy
of the Locked Ont Men.

render Pleading for Mercy-lhey Are
nrutaily Beaten by the Enraged Work
men and the sheriG Is Compelled to
Take Them Out Of Tovn-The Barges
That Brought Them 10 the Scene of
Conflict Burned to the Waters Edge.
About Fifty Persons wounded in the
Fray Governor ratiison Refused to
Interfere aud send rroops-The sheriff
Calls on the citizens for Ala to Pre-
vent Further nloodshed.
HOMESTEAD, Pa, July lit was after 2
o'clock in the morning when word was re-
oeived at Homestead from the scouts sta
toned at Lock No. on the Monongahela
river bank that two boatloads Of strange
men had arrived there in charge of the
steamer Little Bill, and were on their way
to Homestead. The information had no
sooner been received than the large steam
whistle at the electric light plant was
blown, and its mournful, far-reaching voice
rose and fell on the morning air, waking
the weary sleepers within a radius Of many
miles and telling them that the Pinkertons
were coming. The perfection of the un-
paraleled system of signalling which has
been adopted by the Homestead men was
well demonstrated, for the moment the
whistle was heard fash lights were brought
into play from different points on the sur
rounding high ground.
The little battleship Edna, which is ever
in the call to arms, but after shrieking for a
few seconds put off down the river in
search Of her enemy The sentinels on the
outposts in the meantime were not idle, as
hundreds Of rockets were sent toward the
heavens to make assurance doublysur that
40 man, woman or child in Homestead
would sleep while their town was menaced.
Within two minutes after the first blast
Of the large whistle, 1000 half clothed but
wideawake people were on the streets hur-
rying toward the river jostling each other
IN their eagerness TO get the first glimpse Of
the Pinkertou fleet. They peered into the
dense fog which overhung the Monongahela
waters in vain and no sound was heard
save the calls and answers OF the water
scouts, who were plying the river in skiffs
searching for the enemy. For fully an hour
it seemed as though the people had been
hauled from their beds for no purpose, and
many of the tired ones returned to their
homes
''The Pinkertons Are Coming"
at o'clock the streets Of Homestead
we're almost deserted when three horse
men, their steeds bathed in foam, came
lying up the river road into Homestead
md separated in different directions shout
ng wildly: "To the river, to the riveri
The Pinkertons are comingw At the same
moment the whistle, for the second time
since the sun had set, sent out its dismal
warning, this time sounding the death call
1f many Homestead men who had sprung
rom their beds but two hours before This
lime the alarm was q genuine one, and rs
.he people scurried through the streets to-
ward the river a shrill whistle from tho
bend below the town announced the COM
ng Of the little boat Edna, and her pecu-
lar, plaintive cry carried with it an awful
significance.
Nearer and nearer came the little boat,
hen it was seen that she was followed
,losely by long, low lying float being
pushed rapidly up stream by a steamer.
The vast army Of men, women and children
IN shore were not long in learning the
character Of the strange craft, and the cry
IF eTwo model barges full Of Pinkertonslr
was soon raised.
Then there was mad race toward the
mill fence. Rushing, groaning and falling
over each other, the crowd reached the
twenty foot fence which extends down into
water, and the advance guard began tear
ng down the boards. They were for get
ing in the min, as it was seen that the
f.s.. ~
works. Every nerve of the 4, 500 workmer
and their families were strained toward
,eaching the only land place in advance o.
he Pinkertons.
In less time than it takes to tell it. grea
ioles were torn in the fence, through whicl
sho angry crowd poured IN a stream. Along
lhe footpath skirting the river bank they
rushed pell nell, and though in some place.
c was necessary to go one at time, th'
mad pace set by the light footed leader
was not relaxed and those who were unable
20 keep on the path rolled into the river
The noise OF the wild assembly was like th'
umbline of a storm. The shrill cries of thl
,oremost ones were answered by shouts o
encouragement by those behind. Ever,
man was armed with a club at least an,
.ully eight of every ten carried reYolvers
Women with babes in their arms ral
ieetly along the footpaths bent on reaching
he scene Of the struggle.
"Don't Land, or Wen Brain You"
Although, from the moment the men oi
he Little Bill saw their purpose wa
Known, every pound Of available stean
was brought into play and the boatload o
Pinkerton guards shot through the waite
Hith surprising speed, the strikers won tn
race. Before the barges were within 10
eet Of the landing, that portion Of th
liver bank was literally covered with mil
nen, brandishing their clubs, while som
n the bank above were firing their re
Solvers to intimidate the occupants of th
boats Up to this time there had not bee
sign Of life on tho barges, but when witt
"A fifty feet Of the shore the large doors a
The end of the boats were thrown open an
As many men as could conveniently stan
On the little forward decks crowded quici
out.
One glance was enough 70 fire the bloc
5f the most conservative Of men, as throug
the rapidly coming daylight was recognize
the slouch hatted, blue coated, heavil
armed Pinkerton man. Every one OF Oh
Pinkertons held in his hands one Of th
deadly double barreled Winchester rife
q. ..F II