New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-07-23
THE PINKERTONS TESTIFY.
THEY APPEAR BEFORE THE HOUSE SUB
COMMITTEE.

COMPANY TO FURNISH wATCHMEN TO BE
SWORN IN AS DEPUTY sHERIFFS-No
TROUBLE EXPECTED AND FIRING
BEGUN ONLY IN sELFDEFENcE.
Washington, July 22.-The Pinkerton brothers
had an opportunity this morning TO explain and de-
fend the working of their system before the special
committee of the House Committee on the Ju-
dietary, which has been engaged in an investiga-
tion of the labor troubles at Homestead, and OF
the operations of the Pinkerton system. Messrs.
Hayes, Devlin and Wright, Of the Knights Of
Labor were present to watch the proceedings.
Before the investigation began, Mr.. Devlin said
that, as the representatives of the Knights Of
Labor they had prepared some questions which
they desired the committee to ask the Pinkertons
relative to their methods OF business. The two
Pnkerton brothers. Robrrt A. and William
A., were present with their counsel, w.
D. Guthrie, Of Seward, Guthrie & Morawetz. OF
New-YorlS City
Robert Pinkerton was called to the stand and
required to answer the questions which had been
prepared by the representatives Of the Knights OF
Labor. The replies in substance as follows:
The Pinlxerton agency owned about 25O rifles,
about 400 pistols and an equal number OF clubs,
and they were deposited at Chicago. in all IT'S
various branches the firm never had at any one
on July not to exceed COO persons Many Of
their contracts with their employees were in writ
Ing They required sobriety honesty and atten-
tion TO duty on the part of the employe. The
employees were not required TO bear arms nor
perform whatever service was imposed upon them
| They were advised exactly what they were ex'
| pected to do and understood that they were AZ
perfect liberty to refuse any employment to which
they objected
| BY advice Of counsel tho witness declined to
produce the contracts, because they were matters
| of private agreement between the firm and lts
| employees The Carnegie Company requested the
Pinlertons TO furnish about 300 watchmen TO pro-
| tect the Homestead property. The negotiations
were first broached by the Carnegie Company rep
resentative. That correspondence was not IN the
possession Of the witness at present The men sent
| 70 Homestead were obtained in New-York, Chi
caco and Philadelphia. All Of them knew the
| exact nature of their employment, and many OF
them had been for some time previously in the
| employ of the Pnkerton agency and were wei
| recommended.
| The barces were not constructed for the pur-
! roses of nrotection and were not lined with iron
or steel and could not resist small arms The
mon would never have been allowed to start on
the expedition If it had been known that they
were to be attacked before landing. Ihe parges
| were employed because it was believed that ghe
| men would be enabled to land without a preacn
| of the peace, and the landing was mace al higns
for the reason that the Sheriff's force had been
resisted in the day time, and it was expected
that the strikers would be in bed. The sole &c
src was to avoid by all means breach OF the
peace Otherwise the men would not have ocee
permitted to go unless authorized by the doveSn3
or depuhzed by the Sheriff.
| There were about 81 0 men on the barges VIII
about $50 rifles 300 pistols and ammunition ana
clubs All Of the men were in charge OF Z. H.
| Helm. an old. trustworthy employe, and aoous
| two-thirds of the men were old employees
They met at Ashtabula and went 20
Youngsto where they were put aooaro
the barge. The arms were IN poAes
destined for the yards of the Carnegie OompanS'
| They were not to be used by the men oeiore
the latter were deputized, and the Sheriff had
| nrorised 70 deputize them at the first signs OK
| trouble The men were not to commit any breach
OF the peace The only purpose was to put tne
men upon private property and then protect IL
| from attack The men would not have nred
| exccnt as n matter of self-defence IL was unoer-
| stood that the Carnegie Company had applied 10
the proper legal authorities and that the men were
| going TO Homestead with the approval OF the
| Sheriff Counsel had advised that the hrm had
| q narfect RIGHT 10 send watchmen from one State
70 another. and it never had attempted 10 send
! an armed body. II understood that Mr'
| GRAY. the deputy sheriff, would deputiZe the men
| as soon as there any indication OF uouoie'
! In twenty years there was not an instance wuere
the Pinkertons had fired upon strikers except as a
| last resort TO save their own lives, anu only
three men had been so killed in that time. In
each instance the men had been depu'lzed anu
| had always been acquitted on trial.
/
| the same authority or legal right to place 10000
| ormored barces on the navigabe waters OF the
| United States equipped with men and loaded
| with arms and ammunition, that you had 10
place these two barges upon the waters OF the
| Monongahela River?
The reply was: This question Is matter Oh
| law. and it would he a waste of time for us TO az
| tempt to instruct the committee
| Mr. Oates then asked a number Of questions.
| ono of the first of which was designed to Dring
ont an answer that would touch the jurisdiction
of Congress over the Pinkerton system have
YOU ever furnished men guards to travel on
| trains transporting the mails or interstate conf
merce?"
Yes sir: in the case Of the Burlington strike.
and in the Ncw-York Central strike. think
wherever we have done strike work for railroads
At times we have furnished men to ride on the
trains They probably were armed but 1T would
| dencnd on circumstances. They went armed on the
NewYork Central strike to protect themselves rom
| assault"
| Tn answer TO further questions Mr.. Pinkerton
said they furnished 80 to 3lo men 10 MI rick
| at s. pcr day per man. F. H. Hines had charse
| ~ tho mon. lie was shot down while attempting
70 land on the company's property. The witness
declined to furnish Mr.. Frick the men unless 10
could be arranged for the men to be sworn In az
neace officers or deputies. He would furnish his
reulv TO Mr.. FricSs letter asking for men.
| Mr. Pinkerton said that any time his men had
i l.c,., hroli Ia onh hxra afHi il,ora