Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1892-07-14
BOTH SIDES HEARD.
Before the Investi-
eating Committee.
N0N-UNION MEN ENGAGED
To Take the Place Of the Former
Workers at Homestead Mills. tIs

tebttmouy DctOfe tue congressional
| committee investigating Homestead sf-
fairs. He stated that he had not stipu-
lated that Pinkertons should be armed
Other witnesses examined were Sheriff
McCleary, Deputy Sheriff Cluny, Presi-
dent Weihe OF the Amalgamated associa-
ton. and Hugh ODonnell. leader Of the
Homestead workmen and president OF the
advisory board The incidents leading up
to. and during riots. and which: shave here
tofore been published, were related by
witnesses.
Sheriff McCleary told of his inability to
obtain deputies to act and his calling on
the governor for aid. He admitted that
Deputy Gray had been sent to guide Pin
kerton m en- on the fatal night, but posi-
lively asserted that he had not ordered
that the Pinkerton men should be depu-
tized.
President Weihe was the first witness
on the side OF labor He told Of confer
ences with Mr.. Frick and Of the latter's
final refusal to further confer on the wage
question. Mr.. O'Donnell informed the
committee OF his efforts to induce strik ers
to cease firing at the Pinkertons on the
bsrg es and of the latter's final surrender
He did not know who fred the first shot.
and declined to answer the question Of
one ofthe committee a. to whether or not
he knew anything Of the attempt TO fire
the barges with oil.
He reviewed the sliding scale and the
failure to reach an agreement with the
company. Redu :tions. he said, were pro-
posed In most all departments The men
did not think reduction necessary. The
reductions would average 10 per cent.
The date Of expiration of the scale was
vital question to the men, because they
could not wor In the heated season. As
far ~ he could estimate the labor cost of
q ton OF steel at Homestead was $l.55.
Judge Taylor asked why the men
thought they had q right to take
Possession of the Mil.
Mr.. Weihe said: "There may be some
who think so. but they are not so taught
In the association"
"Was Il not The object OF these men,"
asked Judge Taylor. "when they fought
the Pinkertons, to prevent the mill being
worked by non-union menp
"Wsll, that may have been the object;
do not know that IL was"
"Are these matters Of ply steal resistance
settled In your convention"
mo. SIR; they are purely local"
"Did you ever offer to arbitrate this
question:"
mot until after the trouble"
"Are you willing to settle this question
by arbitrationV
''Tbe Homestead men are"
Are you In favor Of AN arbitration bill
by which all such matters will be set
tled"
II believe It will soon come to this, and
personally can see little objection to IL.
Compulsory arbitration would not be a
success"
Witness knew that after signing the
scale certain members OF the association
notified the company that unless certain
things were done In this controversy they
would quit work
Hugh O'Donnell was called and Mr.
Oates said:
Now. Mr.. O'Donnell, we wish to say
that IL the answers to any questions may
tend TO criminate, you nesd not answer
them"
well, ] am not afraid" said Mr..
O'Donnell. He said the men who wero
placed around the fence were not In
structed to keep anyone out o: the mill
They were to try and persuade non.unio,
men to remain out OF the mill.
"We intended to use only peaceful
MEANS" said the witness
The witness repeated the story Of the
battle and his efforts to prevent the firing.
What Is the great cause Of this hatred
to the Pinkertonsp was asked.
WELL" answered the witness, 1.-THE
laboring people look upon the Pinkertons
As Enemies OF the Laboring Men.
The chief objection to them coming here
was that we feared that with them would
come non-union men"
A recess was here taken.
At the second session OF the investi-
eating committee witnesses were John
McLuckie, burgess Of Homestead, Will
lam Roberts, an ex-vice president OF the
Amalgamated association. and ex-ShepiR
Gray. now deputy sheriff.
Very little information Of importance
was ELECTED. the testimony Of McLuckie
and Roberts resolving itself In great
measure TO an argument to the effect that
employers benefited largely by high
tariff, while at the same time they forced
down wages Of the workmen.
Deputy Sheriff Gray, who escorted the
Pinkertons MP the river, emphatically de-
clared that the first shot came from shore.
On cross examination, however, he AL
mitted that there was some shooting
from the barges before the continuous fir.
Ing from the shore began. Adjourned.
Non-Union Men Engaged.
HOMESTEAD, Pa, July IA-A telegram
was received at General Snowden's head
quarters stating that . number Of non.
union men had been engaged by Mr.
Frick and were on their way TO Home
stead. A message was sent asking for
further particulars. but no satisfactory
reply was obtained. The fact that any
messages on the subject had been re-
ceived was kept very quiet. The officers
at headquarters said In reply to all In
quires that they had no Information TO
impart on the subject Word was passed
to the officers In command OF the differ
ent regiments to be In readiness for or
ders. and preparations were made for
detail Of guards 10 quell any disturbance
In Homestead or vicinity.
Another dispstch received at General
Snowden's headquarters states that 400
hon-union men VIII be brought into the
Carnegie mills today. Nothing can be
learned a. To the direction from which the
men will come and where they have been