The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1892-07-14
pENNED UP IN A RAT TRAP.
PinkerUon Men Tell Their Thrilling
Experience at Homestead.

WOUNDED, BEATEN.
Many of Them Cried Like Babies
While Under Fire on the Barges.
From the New York Press July 9th.
A battle-scarred, manned and crippled
lot of Ren arrived at the Jersey City
depot of the Pennsylvania Railroad at
$50 o'clock yesterday morning. They
were the survivors of the small army OF
Pinkerton detectives who went from this
city, Brooklyn, Jersey City and Chicago
to Homestead to take charge of the Car
negie iron works, and who were defeated
in the battle with the Homestead work
men on Wednesday. more thoroughly
demoraized and detected looking set OF
men would be difficult to imagine. For
sixteen hours they had been travelling
over the Pennsylvania Railroad.
AS soon as the train had come to a
standstll the men tumbled out upon the
platform More than half of them
walked with painful limp. Many arms
were tied up in sings, and bandaged
heads and hands proved anew the terri
BILE experiences through which they had
passed Many of them seemed half
dazed One old fellow, with his face
almost cut to pieces, sank down on his
knees, buried his face in his hands, and
began to sob. Many others of the men
were overcome by their emotions, and
great tears streamed down their swarthy
and dust covered faces. They were put
on a Dessbrosses street ferry boat in
command of Pinkerton lieutenants and
brought to this side of the river.
Whenever a reporter sought informa-
ton from them these lieutenants ordered
them to shut up. threatening them with
being discharged, if they talked of their
experiences. Many OF them, however,
disobeyed these orders
John Shaler and fellow employe,
bo.h of whom gave their addresses as
the Grand Hotel, on the Bowery, told
the following story: 1--WE have both done
work for the Pinkertons before, and
were aware when we We're engaged that
our employment might mean fighting,
| We were employed at the Pinkerton
agency on Exchange place, in this city.
| When we asked where we were going
we were told that we would find that
out soon enough. We had heard Of the
troubles at Homestead, and naturally
/ concluded that that was our destination.
But they put us on the West Shore Rail-
road and started US off for Buffalo, and
so we thought that they were not going to
send us to Homestead after all.
I'VE arrived on the outskirts of some
city between 1890 and l o'clock in the
morning When we reached Pittsburg
we knew what was coming.
s.They took us down to the river and
| of tro Of riI
| barges. They sailed us up the river.
! We went up very slowly and showed no
lights. We saw the strikers acting as
scouts on the banks of the river. Ones
quarter Of the way up they put the
search light on US, and a man cried out
from the darkness on the Shore don t
try to go up that river. If you do, by
-. we will kill you like SO many rats.
1--WE kept on moving up. We had had
no sleep since we left New York, and
had had nothing to eat but some canned
beef and sandwiches. We were all hun
cry. The fact that we were all in n eed
OF sleep and food handicapped us seri
ously. When we got up opposite the
works in the early morning we were put
to work at once.
1--WE felt among ourselves that the
fight was not square deal. These men
were fighting for the money which was
to go to support their wives and chill
dren.
"Just before we got there the lieuten
ant in charge of the men had given out
to each one of them a Winchester rife
and revolver and plenty of ammuni
ton. We got orders to fire blank car
tridges at them first, and we loaded VI
with the blanks. Well, after that first
shot had been fired and our captain had
been knocked out we let them have il
with the bullets. We were penned in
there like so many rats. The air was
something awful. We couldn't breathe
it. The only air that got into the place
came in through the holes that we
punched in the side of the boat with oul
guns.
''All the men in charge. with the ex
ception of Captain Cooper, got under
beds and hunks over in the corner, cry
ing for all they were worth and shaking
like leaves. Their nerve was completely
gone, and L am certain if it hadn't beer
for Captain Cooper every man on board
would have been killed. He spoke to us
after the first battle and told us in a very
quiet way that he> had a great deal tC
live for and that he was going to fight
for his life, and if we didn't fight we
would all be killed.
Il don't think ! ever felt better in my
life than when | saw a man coming down
the bank toward us holding up his hands
so that we would not shoot at him He
told us that if we continued the struggle
we were all doomed, and if we surren-
dered we would be protected. We con
Guided to give in. When we got ashore
and surrendered we were subjected to
very brutal treatment"
Another man said: Thirteen of oul
men were killed and their bodies were
thrown into the river by the mob when
they got aboard. They killed three men
after they came on the barges, one be-
cause he wanted to get his clothes, and
two others because they didn't move
fast enough"
Another man said: 1--WE were almost
crazy with thirst, but were afraid to go
out to get water. A man named Hughes
tried it and was riddled with bullets.
He died in terrible agony
Another said: Captain Cooper Of
fered a passing steamboat man So. 900
and then $1,000 to tow us away but he
was afraid to come near us. When we
got ashore the men and women seemed
to have turned into devils | never
want to have anything to do with Pin
kertons again."
Four of the men were ex.policemen
from the Gutenberg race track. One
OF them said: when the firing began
I went to the Captain as spokesman, and
asked that the firing from the boat be
stopped and a flag of truce be run up
The Captain cursed ihe and said:
You will fight or die. You can't get
out of here unless you fight your way
outr
when we saw that the mob were
making preparations to burn the barges
we became desperate, and fifty of us
got together and told the leaders that if
they would not do something we would
throw them overheard and take things
! into our own hands.
This brought them to their senses.
and they agreed to surrender MANY Of
the men had yalises and trunks filled
with clothes. These were all DESTROYED.
This bringing us out there under false
representations and then deserving us is
the most barbarous piece of business |
ever heard Of"
Another said: 1.-THE scene inside the
barge was an awful one. Tommy Con
ner lay there for eight hours bleeding to
death from the wound in his arm. and
every time the boat shook and the can
non went off he groaned piteously.'
John Redmond, of No. 5O4 Hudson
street said stHhapa