The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1892-07-16
A PINKERTON
Gives His Experience in the Home'
stead Trouble.
now These Hireiings Were Trapped Into
tho Job-Many of the Detectives Com
mited suicide During the Fight
Others Refused to Fight.

HOMESTEAD, July S.-Among those
rescued from the Pinkerton barges was
a tall, smooth-faced young man named
Atkinson, who gave this account of his
experience as u Pinkerton detective:
my home is in New York city. lam
member of one of the leading military
companies Being out of work l an
swered an advertisement for watchmen.
/ was told that l would be paid Sl5
week and boarded free of cost accepted
the place. When l got to the train l
found nearly hundred men who had
also been engaged as private watchmen.
We were told that we were to go to
little country town, but nothing was
said of strike. We were led to believe
that we were to have an easy time of it
None of us knew where we were going.
We were taken to Buffalo, Rochester,
Erie, Youngstown. Ohio, and finally
put off the train in Pittsburgh, though
at that time we had no idea
where we were. We were marched tc
the barges, which were soon started up
the river, towed by two steamers. We
had not proceeded far when the boats
came to stop, and we heard firing.
Then it was that we were handed guns
and told that we must fight for our
lives. This was the first intimation
that we had of the character of the
work for which we had been engaged
Many of the men refused to obey,the or
ders TO use the guns. Not few made
rush for the steamers, but found
that they had cut loose, and that there
was no possible chance to escape from
the trap. All night long we We're IN &
state of terror, and when Daylight came
we saw the armed and determined men
on the river bank and heard the roar OF
the cannon, and saw men bleeding and
dying all around us, our feelings can be
better imagined than described.
"There were about fifty trained Pink
erton men on the barges who seemed to
be doing all the firing, With blanched
faces, strong men pleaded with those in
command to run up flag of truce, but
they would not listen to it. When it
was found that the fight was to con-
tinue, many of those on board threw
down their arms and hid beneath cots,
mattresses, etc.
by lying on our stomachs we could
see everything that was taking place on
shore. When we saw that preparations
were being made to burn the barges by
throwing oil upon them, not one of us
expected to get away alive. Even those
in command grew nervous, but still
| rhey would not give up. 1t was then
| that made preparations to kill myself.
/ loaded my revolver and made up my
mind to blow out my brains should the
boat be set on fire. lam just as positive
| that not less than dozen of our men
| committed suicide during the day as
am standing here. l saw four jump in
| to the water and sink, and have been
| told that several others made way with
themselves in the same way. They
went over the side of the boat farthest
from the shore, and could not be seen
by the men in the millyard. The plead
ings of some of the older men, who said
they had families, was enough to
move the hardest hearts, but it was
| not until those in command saw that to
remain on the boats until after night
fall meant sure death that they agreed
to the demands of the men and sent out
word that they were ready to surrender.
AS a member of a military company
have seen battles, and have had some
pretty rough experiences, but that was
all feather bed soldiery compared with
what l have gone through during the
past day and night. 1 will never agair
l know exactly what l am going to do.