The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-07-23
THE PINKERTON SYSTEM.

WASHINGTON, July 22.-The Pinkerton
brothers were given an opportunity this
morning to explain and defend the work
ings of their detective system before the
special committee of the house on Judicial
~ which has been engaged in an investi-
CATION of the labor troubles at Homestead
and of the methods of the Pinkerton sys.
tenn. Messrs. Hayes, Devlin and Wright of
the Knights of Labor were present to
watch the proceedings. Mr.. Devlin said that
they ha I prepared questions. which they de-
sized the committ, e to a. the Pinke ton :.
Robert Pinkerton took the stand and
laid before the committee statement that
had been prepared. When first requested
TO send watchmen to protect the Home
stead plant OF the Carnegie Steel company
the Pinkertons refused to do so unless the
men should be sworn in as deputy sheriffs
before going.
1--WE were then assured, !" runs the state
ment, that the sheriff of Allegheny
county knew that our men were going to
Homestead to guard the property of the
company and TO protect its workmen, and
that the sheriff had promised immediate
iy upon any outbreak to deputize all our
watchmen as deputy sheriffs if it became
necessary for the protection of life and
property. On that condition only did we con-
sent to furnish about three hundred watch
men. A large number of these men
were our regular employees, who
could be thoroughly trusted for integ-
riey, prudence and sobriety. Tue COM
manders were men who we had employed
from time to time or who were known and
recommended TO u.s."
The statement urges that the Pinkerton
men did not go into Pennsylvania as IAN
armed force" The arms and ammunition
were shipped from Chicago, and were or
dered not to be given to the men unless
they were deputized by the sheriff. AS a
matter of fact. the boxes were not opened
until the strikers had opened fire and it
became matter of life and death. The
statement then says:
Klein had been murdered by the strik-
ers, and also five other watchmen had been
shot and wounded. before our men began
Cheir fire in self-defense. Then it was i'm
possible to attempt to SHOOT those firing at
the barges. because the strikers made
breastwork for themselves by placing
women and children in front and firing
from behind them. Not single woman
or child was injured by our men"
The beating of the surrendered Pinker-
ton watcbmen is then dwelt upon, and
robbery Is charged upon the strikers The
clubbing OF Conners and the killing Of Ed
wards WAS then referred to.
''Fhe acts OF the strikers after our men
surrendered would be a disgrace to saw
ages Yet. because done in the name of
organized labor, sympathy, if not encour-
agement, is shown for such deeds by part
OF the press and by political demagogues.
We do not shirk responsibility for any of
our acts in this or any other strike The
coming murder trials ought TO bring out
the truth. Our actions will then be shown
to have been legal"
In closing the statement holds that the
Pinkertons had right To employ and send
menito Homestead TO act as watchmen that
. II they were attacked they had d right to
kill if absolutely necessary for self-de-
Tense: that they had right to bear arms
on the premises of the Carnegie COMPANY
i'll order TO protect life aad property
whether or not they were deputized by the
sheriff OF Allegheny county: that they had
right to ship arms from Chicago TO the
Carnegie mills at Homestead for the pur-
pose of arming the men; that, in view of
the attack on the barges. the men had a
right to bear arms and to defend them
selves, and that all their acts in firing in
self-defenSe from the barges after the at
tack at them were legally justifiable
under the laws of the United States and
the laws of Pennsylvania
After the recess Robert Pinkerton WAS
called TO the stand and requested 20 an
swer the questions which had been pre-
pared 10y the representatives of the Knights
OF Labor. The replies were, in substance.
as follows: In all its various branches the
Plnkerton agency never had at one time
more than 500 persons in its employ. Those
employed were advised of exactly what
they We're expected TO do. and understood
that they Were at perfect liberty to refuse
any employment to which they objected,
The men sent To Homestead were obIained
in New York, Chicago and philadelphia.
All OF them knew the exact nature of their
employment. The harges were not con
structed for the purpose of protection and
were not lined with iron OF Steel
and could not resist small arms. The
men would never have been al
lowed TO start on the expedition
II 1t had been known that they were to be
attacked before landing. The landing was
made at night, for the reason that the
sheriit's force had been resisted in the day.
time, aud 1t was expected that the strikers
would be in bed. The sole desire was 20
avoid, 10y all means, breach of the peace:
otherwise the men would not have been
permitted TO go, unless authorized by the
governor or ceputized by the sheriff The
only purpose was 10 put the men upon
private property and then protect it from
attack. The men would not have fired
sXcept as a matter of Seif-defeuse. Il was
understood that the Carnegie Steel com
p8uy had applied to the proper legal au-
lhoritieS, and that the men were going 10
Homestead with the approval OF the
sheriff. he thought that If the detectives
had fired TO kill, many more lives would
nave been lost, and the works could have
aeen taken a: that time, but not without
great loss of life.
Mr.. Boayner having asked how il wns
that the trouble occurred, when the
strikers claimed always that they did not
.N !