The morning call., 1892-07-23

are carefully selected and seldom permitted
to carry arms except under public au-
thOrity. They have never wantonly fired
a shot in any strike.
The men were sent to Homestead ouly on
the assurance that the Sheriff would swear
them in as deputies If necessary. Many of
these men were regular employees, thor
oughly tried and trustworthy. The others
were vouched for. They did not 60 into
Pennsylvania S an armed force. The arms
were shipped from Chicago and ordered not
to be given to the men unless deputiZed by
the Sheriff.
As matter of fact, the boxes we're not
opened until the strikers opened fire. and IL
became a matter of life and death. Klein
had been killed and five others wounded
before the PlnkertOns returned fire. The
PinkeItons were handicapped in the fight
by the fact that the strikers made breast
work by placing the women aud children in
front. Not single woman or child WAS in
jured.
Acts Claimed TO BE Legal.
The statement declares the acts of the
strikers after the surrender of the watch
men "a disgrace TO savages." yet because
done IN the name of American labor ii is
upheld by some newspapers and political
demagogues. 1t declares that on the trials
for murder ii will be shown the PnkertonS'
acts were legal. The statement then reviews
the history of strikes, AID says it shows
that torganiZed labor everywhere will murder
and destroy property out of sheer wantOn IL
ness and revenge, and 1t Is morally certain
from the threats of the men themselves
that the Homestead strikers would have
done iikeSise If the company had tried to
supply their places.
The employment all over the country by
banks and private people as watchmen is
referred 10, and then the subscribers TO the
statement affirm their counsel assure them
they have violated no law, Federal or State;
that they had right To employ and send
men to Homestead 10 act as watchmen; that
II they were attacked, they had he right TO
XIII, II absolutely necessary for self-defense;
that they had right to bear arms on the
premises of the Carnegie Company, in order
10 protect life and property, whether or not
they were depuIlZed by the Sheriff of ALE
gheny County; that ''we had the right 10
ship arms from Chicago 10 the Carnegie
yards at Homestead for the purpose Of arm
ing cur men after they were deputzed by
the Sheriff; that in tile view of the attack
on the barges our men had the right TO bear
arms and defend themselves. and that all
their acts in firing in self-defense from the
Darges after the attack on them were fully
lustlfable under the laws OF the United
States and the laws of the State OF Penn
sylVanla."
Robert Pinkerton's Testimony.
Robert Pinkerton WAS called to the stand
and required to answer a long list of ques-
tlons, Which were prepared by the repre-
sentatves Of the knights of Labor. His
replies, In substance, were as follows:
The PnkeTtGn Agency owned about 80
rifles, 400 pistols and an equal number nf
clubs, all deposited at Chicago. In all of
their various branches the firm never had at
any one time more than 500 persons in its
employ. Their employees were advised ex-
actly y hat they were to do and were per-
fectly at liberty to refuse employment to
which they objected. All the men seut 10
Homestead knew the nature of their EN-
ployment.
The baTges were not constructed for the
purposes of protection and were not lined
with iron or steel, and could not resist
small arms. The men won d never have
been allowed TO starr on the expedition if it
had been known that they we're to be at
tackled before landing. Barges were en-
ployed because it was believed the men
would be able to land without breach of
the peace, and the landing was made al
night Tor the reason that the Sherlif's force
had been resisted il the daytime, aud it was
expected the strikers would be in bed. TIE
sole desire was by all means 10 avoid a
breach OF the peace, otherwise The men
would not have been iermitted To 60 unless
authorized by the Governor or deputzsd by
the Sheriff.
The only purpose was to put the men
upon private property and then protect it
from attack. The men would not have
hTed, except as matter of sef-defense. Ii
was understood that the Carnegie Company
had applied 10 the proper legal authorities,
and that the men were going TO Homestead
with tie approval Of the Sheriff Pinker-
ton thought If his men had fired 10 Kill
many more lives wQuld have been lost, and
the works could have been taken at thar
time. but not without great loss of life
The Charge of CowArdice.
Chairman Oates asked the witness what
be had to say Of the statement that so good
soldiers could have scattered the Home
stead mob and that cowardice was shown by
the PinkertOns.
The witness replied that he had talked
with his men. and they said they could have
taken possession Of the works almost atany
time before 10 o'clock, but would have had
10 Kill men, women aud children, aud they
would not do ANYTHING of the kind. The
first firing they did was over the heads Of
the crowd.
Boatner having asked how it was that tie
trouble occurred. when the strikers claimed
they did not encourage violence and the
PlnkertoBs were Instructed not to use yiO-
fence. PinkeIt0n made a reply that hit
squareiy at the knights of Labor repre-
sentatives present. He said he had never
seen a strike when the labor organizations
or their men had not abused the non-union
men. he bad seen men knocked eff trains
he had seen them beaten to Jelly; he had
known members of this very Knights of
Labor, whose representatives were here, to
put 0hstructi0ns on the tracks and dyna-
mite under cars; he had seen men who
wanted to work treated worse than savages
could have treated them by the representa-
tives Of the secret labor organizations.
William A. PinkertOn c0rrOborated all
that his brother had said.
Naval Work Delayed.
PHILADELPHIA, July 22-The work on
the cruiser New York is being delayed be-