Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1892-07-13

forth and then went home and sent
eleven deputy sheriffs to enforce bis
proclamation. The mob tore down
the proclamation and threatened
and intimidated the deputies and
sent them home.
/ Meanwhile tbs Company had
brought into service company of
three hundred men OF the Pinkerton
Detective force and sent them from
Pittsburg up the Monongahela river
in two barges to Homssteai to take
. possession of the works and guard
thsm
THE BATTLE.
The barges were towsd up the
river by n tow boat, but long before
the Pinkerton men reached Home
stsad, thousands of strikers had
gathered on the banks OF the river.
When the boats attempted to land,
the workmeu broke through the
fence surrounding the mill, and en-
trcnching themselves behind piles Of
steel billets, prepared to resist the
landing Of the detectives.
| By / o'clock IN the morning, an
eifsrt wGs made te lard the detcc-
:ives, but the strikers met theIa and
farce battle was precipitated, both
sides exchanging heavy vollsy Of
shots. The detectives were armed
with Winchester rifles, but al the
point where the attempt TO land was
made, there was steep ombankment
md they were compelled to so single
1 file and were soon driven back to
the boats by the steady fire from the
shore. The Pinkerton men we're
determined to land and they poured
yelley after volley into the ranks of
the strikers, many OF whom were
stricken down by She bullets, some
OF them being fatally injured and
Others killed outright As the battle
progressed, the strikers took up o
/ position behind a breastworll hastily
constructed OF steel rails and billets
and from this place Of safe refuge,
were able to pick off the detectives
as soon as they appeared on the
deck Of the boats.
! Soon the strikers secured a small
brass ten FOUNDER, they planted it
within steel billet embrassurs so
as to command the barges which
were moored at the bank of the river
At the same time force OF more
than thousand mon took up posi-
ton on the opposite side of the river
and also planted a canon which they
protected with q breastwork of rail-
road ties. The fire from both sides
was kept up, oaken timbers forming
the sides of the boat were splintered
but the heavy steel plates inside pre-
vented the bullets from penstratins
the interior.
ATTRsPTED TO BURN THE BOATS.
When it was found that little i'm
preston could be made by the can
non On the boats an effort was made
to fire the barges and thus compel
the detectives to leave the vessel or
suffer the terrible fate of being burn
cd alive Hose were procured and
oil Was spouted on the decks and
sides Of the barges. While this was
being done, barrel after barrel of oil
was emptied into the river above the
mooring place, the object being to
allow it to float against the boat and
then ignite it.
This terrible deed was attempted
several times, but the boats did not
burn.
SURRENDERED.
At 5 o'clock in the evening the
Pinkerton men hung out another
white flag, and this time it was re.
spected and committee of strikers
went aboard to prepare terms OF
capitulstion. They guaranteed safe
conduct for the PInkertons provided
they left their arms and ammunition
bshind and agreed to leave the place
under guard.
Then began strange scene. The
strikers crowded the boats, captur.
ing the rifles and stealing and loot.
ing everything. They were mad
with rage. The first mau taken of
the barge was dying shot through
the side. Then one by one the
strikers followed, in charge Of an
alleged guard, each man carried @
Winchester taken from the Pinker.
tons. Tbs guards took the men q
mile to q rink.
TREATMENT OF THE PRISONERS.
There were 209 of them and prob
ably two-thirds of them were beaten
brutally by the time they reached
the improvised Jail. They were com
PEELED to run a gauntlet, composed
of men and women. They were
knocked down with stones, struck
with clubs, kicked almost into insen
sibility and otherwise maltreated.