The Portland daily press., 1892-07-15
BAYONETS BRISTLE.
Homestead Streets Alive With the
Provost Marshal's Guard.
SOLDIERS TURNED OUT TO KEEP
THE POLICE in ORDER.

What the congressman Heard Yesterday
The Strikers Fired First that Terri
BILE NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Frick Says
the Tariff Is Not the Cause of the
Present Difficulty-The Senate Asked to
Make a Sweeping Investigation.
HOMESTEAD, Pa, July 14.-After vari-
Gus unauthorized arrests by special
policemen yesterday, Gen. Snowden
cumstances and it is said he determined
to take vigorous measures today even to
the length Of declaring martial law.
Upon the request of a committee re-
presenting practically all the newspaper
correspondents in Homestead, who were
unwilling that martial law should follow
an assault upon one of their number, it
is understood that Gen. Snowden decided
to defer for the present formal proceed
ings. But the informal were quite as
effective. The Fifteenth regiment was
early drafted down the hill, taking up
it's position about the provost marshars
tent fronting on Eighth avenue. Two
companies of about 30 men were sent
into the city under command of Major
Crawford. Squads were placed in front
of the advisory committees rooms, at
the railroad station and eight other
places about the town where heretofore
the men have been in the habit of con-
gregating. Their orders were explicit.
In the event of any arrest by special
police for manifest breach of the peace,
drunkenness or other like offence, the
provost patrol will not interfere. In any
arrest not for such cause, the patrol will
at once take charge of both the arrested
persons and the man arresting him and
bring them before the provost marshal
or his representative. If the arrest is
illegal, the policeman will be properly
punished. The
Patrol Are Armed With Bayonets
on their rifles and 20 rounds of
ball cartridges and an officer is with each
squad.
General Snowden was seen shortly
after the new order of things went into
effect. He said: sThere has been no
change whatever in our position save
that the provost patrols are somewhat
increased in strength and the preserva-
ton of the peace can now be somewhat
more certainly assured. The patrols
will prevent any further illegal arrests
and will cooperate with the civil author
tiles to that end. Further than that
nothing will be done"
Col. Green, the provost marshal had
little to add to what Gen. Snowden said:
''The town is most distinctly not under
martial law. There has been so much
decentralization that it has become
necessary for us to cooperate with the
civil authorities in preserving order.'
The story that the town had been de-
clared under martial law travelled rapid
ly to the strikers headquarters, where
there was naturally much excitement
over the news. Mr.. O'Donnell said it
was a step which, under the circum-
stances, was to have been expected.
Apart from the new arrangements of
the troops, the only excitement here to-
day was the report that 400 non-union
men were on their way here. Up to
late hour tonight, the men have not az
rived. When they come, the strikers
will endeavor to persuade them to leave.
A number of mill men who were re-
cognized as leaders of the conflict have
left here to avoid arrest. 1t was thought
arrests might be made today but this
was not the case.