Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1892-07-28
4 the roof of the Mononganasa and in

were at work with dynamite, pow
der, shot and ball. President Will
lam Weihe, of the Amalgamated
Association. and others belonging
to the organization, arrived from Pitts
burg and called mass meeting of the
steel workers in one of the company's
buildings. They deprecated further
violence and their words produced eff
feet, for when the Pinkertons again put
up the white flag of truce it was re-
ceived with cheers, although some of
the more hot-headed still cried for blood.
Several of the leaders, including Hugh
O'Donnell, leading member of the
Amalgamation in Homestead, went to
the landing and conferred with the
Pinkertons. The latter only asked to
be allowed to leave the boats with their
lives, leaving after them their arms and
ammunition. This was readily conceded,
and the battle on the banks of the placid
Monongahela was ended.
Running the Gauntlet.
After the capitulation of the Pinker-
tons excitement ran high when the news
spread that the deputies weSld be taken
ashore. A crowd of steel workers
rushed upon the boats and in twinkling
the cabins were filed. The Pinkerton
guards shook like aspen leaves. They
huddled in groups in the corners and
waited for death. They were jostled
about, kicked and cuffed and sworn at,
but their lives were spared, although
rOugher treatment was in store for
them at the hands of the main army of
the mob still left on the river bank.
Broken windows and doors and bed
ding, with which the boats were well
stocked for siege, were thrown over
board, and about thirty rifles were con-
fscated by the steel workers. The rest
of the arms and ammunition. were taken
charge of in the name of the Amalga
mated Association. Then the march
of the prisoners to the shore and through
the quarter of a mile of mill-yard to
Munhall station of the Pittsburg, Tir-
ginia and Charleston Railroad was be-
gun. The Pinkerton men were brought
ashore singly and in couples. They
walked unmolesttd down the gangplank
and up the bank.
At the top of the bank they found
themselves in narrow passageway be-
tween two huge piles of rusty pig iron.
When they emerged it was to enter IL
lane formed by two long lines of infuri-
ated people who did not act like human
beings-people who had not been brave
enough to do battle when there was
danger, but who were cowardly enough
to maltreat the Pinkertons when once
they were prisoners and disarmed. The
cooler headed men tried to protect their
prisoners, but were not wholly success
full. The people composing this mob
were men and women who were frenzied
by the long day of fighting and blood
shed. Their own relatives and COM
rades had been shot down, and they
thirsted for revenge. They had 10
thought for the rules Of modern warfare.
Surrender did not end all with Them and
as the Pinkerton men, every one with
satchel in hand, came in view they
jumped upon them like pack of wolves.
The men screamed for mercy. They
were beaten over the head with clubs
and the butt ends of rifles. You could
almost hear the skulls crack. They
were kicked, knocked down and jump d
upon. Their clothes were torn from
their backs, and when they finally es-
capped it was with faces of ashen palo-
ness and with the blood in streams
rushing down the backs of their heads,
soaking their clothes. 1t ran in rivulets
down their faces, which in the melee
they had covered with their hands.
Women, too, were in the line, and
UntFt Dllcu CLUBS olIC SlOllco dS vigil
ously as did the men. They made more
noise. for they were continuously hOot-
ing at the Pinkertons and urging the
men on in their terrible work. The only
guards that were not assaulted were
those wounded, and they were greeted
with bowls and cries that must have
made them pray for death.
Arriving at the outer gate the Pinker-
ton men were compelled to run another
gauntlet. Women and children and
small boys with rifles on their shoulders
formed the major portion Of the crowd
which gave the Pinkerton men the part
ing salute.
At the end of the lane the Pinkerton
guards were met by a score Of men, all
armed with rifles. This little escort
headed the procession for the Opera
House, where the main body of the pris-
oners were held for safe keeping pre-
paratory to the arrival OF the Sheriff.
When the last Pinkerton had left the
barge the mob cried, Burn the boats!"
The suggestion was taking one, and
they waited long enough to unload sew
eral boxes Of Winchester rifles and am
munition, and then, satisfied that they
had all the arms, the torch was applied
to the Iron Mountain and the Mononga-
heIa simultaneously. Alded DF OH anu
fed by the dry wood Of the inside, it was
not long until the flames were leaping
far above the high river bank, and the
mob. was driven back by TIE intense
heat.
Nero could not have been more happy
when he saw rome in flames than were
those Infatuated steel workers when
they beheId the fire destroying the
baroac which only n short time before
sheltered their deadly foes.