The record-union., 1892-07-23
the women and children in front. Not a


single woman or child was injured.
The statement declares the acts Of the
StrlkerS after the surrender Of the watch
men "a disgrace to SaYages," yet because
done in tie name OF American labor, it is
upheld by some newspapers and political
demagogues. 1t declares that on the
trials Tor murder it will be shown the
Pinkertons' acts were lawful. The state
ment then reviews the history OF strikes,
aud says it shows that organized labor
everywhere will murder and destroy
property out OF sheer wantOnnsSs and
revenge, and it is morally certain from
the threats Of the men themselves, the
homestead strikers would have done
likewise if the company had tried TO sup
ply 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 al
firm their counsel assure them they have
violated no law, Federal or State; that
they had right to employ and send men
TO Homestead to act as watchmen; that if
they were attacked, they had the right to
kill, ii absolutely necessary for selt-de-
tense; that they had the right to bear
arms on the premises of the Carnegie
Company, in order to protect life and
property, whether or not they were dep
utized by the iSheritf of Allegheny
County; that ''we had the right to ship
at Homestead for the purpose Of arming
our men after they We're deputized by
the Sheriff; that in 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 barges after the attack on them were
fully justifiable under the laws Of the
United States and the State Of PennsyI-
yania.'
Robert Pinkerton was called TO the
stand, and required to answer a long list
Of questions which were prepared by
representative of the Knights of Labor.
The replies in substance were:
The Pinkerton agency owned about 250
rifles, 400 pistols, and an equal number of
clubs, all deposited in Chicago. Iu all the
various branches the firm has never had
at any time more than 500 persons in it's
employ. The employed were advised
exactly what they were to do, and were
perfectly at liberty to refuse employment
to which they objected.
All the men sent to Homestead knew
the nature of the employment The barges
were not constructed for purposes of pro-
lection, nor lined with iron or steel, and
could not resist small arms. The men
would never have been allowed to start
on the expedition if it had been known
that they were TO be attacked before land
ing. Barges were employed because it
GHdDlGO
to land, and the landing was made at
night for the reason that a Sheriff's force
had been resisted in the daytime, and it
was expected the strikers would be in
bed. The sole desire was by all means to
avoid breach of the peace, otherwise the
men would not have been permitted TO go
unless authorized by the Governor or
deputized by the Sheriff.
The only purpose was to put the men
upon private property and then protect it
from an attack. The men would not have
fired except as matter of Self-defense
1t was understood that the Carnegie
Company had applied to the proper legal
authorities, and that the men were going
to Homestead with the approval OF the
Sheriff.
Pinkerton thought if his men had fired
to kill many more lives would have been
lost and the works could have been taken
at that time, but not without great loss of
life.
Chairman Oates asked witness what he
had TO say Of the statement that fifty good
soldiers could have scattered the Home
stead MOB, and that cowardice was shown
by the Pinkertons.
Witness replied that he had talked with
his men. They said they could have
taken possession of the works almost
any time before 10 o'clock, but would
have had to kill men, women and chill
uTeI, ana Gney 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 the
trouble occurred when the strikers
claimed they did not encourage violence
and the PinkertOns were instructed not
to use violence.
Pinkerton made a reply that hit
squarely at the knights of Labor repre-
sentatives present. He said he had never
seen strike when labor organizations or
their men had not abused non-union men.
He had seen men knocked off trains; he
had seen them beaten to Jelly. He had
known members OF this very knights of
Labor. whose representatives We're here,
to put obstructions on the tracks and
dynamite under the cars. He had seen
men who wanted to work treated worse
than savages could have treated them by
representatives of secret labor organiza-
tions.
William A. Pinkerton corroborated all
his brother had said