Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1892-12-30
The Poisoning Case.

The District Attorney OF Allegheny Co
is causing Wholesale arrest of the river
cooks, many of whom were employed at
Homestead during the strike.
Millerstown. this county had four victims
Of Homestead poisoning.
They are l.. Il. Craig, George Army, b
B. Thompson and George North. Each OF
these men had good paying positions IL
the mill, but they were among the first te
be stricken with the mysterious malady
which they say has sent more men to theil
graves than the general public dream of
They held on at the works, thinking thei
ailments would yield to the ordinary treat
ment, but were finally brought home brok
en- down and almost helpless. Army
troubles have developed liver complaint
and, although he was large, healthy
man, he is now q living skeleton and il
unable to do anything: In speaking o
the condition of things at the mill during
the strike the men all tell the same story
substantially as follows:
eve had worked in the mill only few
days when we were attacked with severe
cramps and dysentery. Because msus
other workmen were affected in the sam.
way we attributed it to come general Gauss
and finally agreed that it must the watel
and the change Of our manner of life. The
thing thas finally alarmed and discouraged
rs was the fact the treatment given rs a
the hospital department in the works diG
M 0on1 and ~ ~ nnlv nnaofinn a1
time until we were physically unable to d,
our wcrk, and were forced to come home
s'The newspapers have told little or moth
ing about the terrible condition Of affair,
that existed at one time within the so call
ed stockade, where the stenches ant
foulness incidental to the character of til.
erailing malady amons SO many mel
was at times almost unbearabIe. even Il
those who were not so badly affected. par
ticuIsrly when the days were hot. 1t wa,
q condition of things where sickness begol
sickness, despite all that the company
could do, and the company poured ou
money like water in providing for the mel
in its employ at that time. Veteran sol
diers who saw the horrors of Southern
stockade prison pens told Us it recalled
their experience in prisons. Looking bacl
at it now seems like horrible dream, ant
If tair trial of the men accused of poison
ing US shows that the charges are true
whether popular sentiment serves To shielt
them or not, they deserve punis hment fol
Wholesale murder, and if they are unfairly
acquitted some men among the man,
whom they have ruined for life will surely
wresk on them the vcngence they merit.
Glade Mills also had couple of cases.
A mill foreman is quoted rs follows: 81
do not think the charges are trumped nj
or made for effect, as circumstances which
came to my personal notice convince m'
otherwise Of course do not know JUS
what evidence the company has In th'
matter. Nobody at Homestead seems T.
have any idea of that, but let me- call you
attention to peculiar fact, which / eau
not attribute alone to the causes ascribst
ut the time-diarrhea and dysentery
From the time when this sickness begsI
in the mill the number of men taken sici
and the character of the sickness conviuc
ed me that it was no ordinary case ofdisrrh
ca which affected the men. Why, do yol
know thut in six weeks had to break il
three entirely different gangs of men il
each of the departments had charge g
and that in almost every one of these case
the men were fine looking, able bodied
personsf know of one instance wher'
two young men of Glade Mills. Butler Co.
who had been oil well drillers, went ts
work there. Within two weeks both wer'
So sick they had to be sent home. Thei
home doctor examined them on their re
turn and pronounced their ailment as poi
soniDg snd both men we're cured by thi'
treatment These and several other Incl
dents which came to my notice are enongi
to make me believe that the grounds up"'
which the charges are made are goot
ones"