Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-07-23
THE PIN KERT 0NS.
THEIR STATEMENT BEFORE THE
HOUSE HOMESTEAD COMMITTEE.
How Their Business Is Conducted--Cha-
racter Of the Men They Employ
Tho Homestead Affair.
fpy telegraph % the pIspa.ch.l }

homestead ana OF tne OptfaLOns VI INC
Pinkerton system. Messrs. Hayes, Delvin.
and Wright. of the Knights of Labor, were
present to watch the proceedings. Before
the investigation began Mr.. Delvin said
that as the representatives OF the
Knights of Labor they had prepared
some questions they desired the com
mittee 10 ask the Pinkertons relative
to their methods of business. Chairman
Oates said that the committee would ex.
anime the questions and take such course
as IL thought proper. Robert Plnkerton
took the stand and laid before the COM
mittee a statement that had been prepared.
Messrs. Oates. Bynum, and Broderlck,
who were the three members present, re-
tired to examine the statement. The Two
Pinkerton brothers-Robert A. and Will
lam A. PInkerton-were present with their
counsel. Mr.. w. ID. Guthrie, OF Seward,
Guthrie Il Merawetz, OF New YORK city;
Mr.. Oates announced that the statement
would be admitted in evidence. 1t is as
follows:
TIE PINKERToys' STATEMENT.
WAsHISGTos, d. O., July 70. 1892.
To the Judiciary Committee Of he House Of
Representatives.:
You have asked us TO appear before you
and testify in regard 10 the business con-
1
tons' National Detective Agency The
present inquiry by your committee arises
from the recent deplorable events at
Homestead. in the State of Pennsylvania,
and we are informed that statement on
our part of our connection with strikes
and of the general method of carrying on
this branch of our business will AID the
committee in its investigation. =,
The agency was founded in 1870 by the
/ /. III aud dnrtnO the lQgf
twenty years 1t has frequently furnished
private watchmen TO protect the property
of individuals and corporations during
strlkos The men employed 10y us IN TINS
strike work are selected with great care,
and only after full Investigation OF Their
characters and antecedents. Not single
instance can be cited where we nave Know
ingly employed unreliable or runtrustworthy
men, or where any OF our watchmen nave
been convicted of q crime. Moreover,
we have seldom permitted our watch
men 10 carry arms for the purpose OF pro-
tecting property and life unless they were
authorized by the proper legal authorities
or sworn in as deputy sherlfs. Our men
have never wantonly or reckiessly hred Q
single shot IN any of these strikes ana
have only used their arms as the last ex-
tremity in order to protect life. we nave
consistently refused TO permit our watch
thority or as deputy sheriffs. even when on
private property, and we had no intention
Of varying from this rule IN the Home
stead strike.
THE HOMESTEAD STRIKE.
When first requested TO send watchmen
to protect the Homestead plant and pro-
perty of the Carnegie Steel Company,
| Limited, we refused to do so unless oil our
men should be sworn in as deputy sherlhs
before going TO Homestead. we were then
assured that the Sheriff OF Alleghany
county, Pa, knew that our men were GO,
ing to Homestead TO act as watchmen ana
10 Guard the property of the company
and protect its wOrkmen from violence.
We were further assured that the Sherih
had promised, immediately. upon any
outbreak or disturbance, 10 deputlze all
our watehmen as sheriff deputies If II
became necessary for the protection OF
life and property. On that condition only
did we consent to furnish about 800 watch
men. A large number OF these men, were
our regular employees, who could be
thoroughly trusted for integrity, pru-
dence, and sobriety. The remainder were
men whom we employed from time 70
time or who were known and recommend
ed to us. They did not go into the state
of Pennsylvania as an armed bodY OF
force. and we should not have permitted
Oh assented to this.
NOT AN ARHED FORCE.
There was no intention or purpose what
ever of arminq them until they were on the
nroperty OF the company at Homestead and
until and unless they had been sworn IN
az the SberIa's deputies. The Sherih s
chief deputy. Gray. accompanied our men,
being on the tug towing the pargeS. ana a! u
was distinctly understood that he had the
authority to duly deputize them IN case OF
necessity. The boxes containing the arms
and ammunition we're shipped from Chicago
and were 20 be delivered at the Homestead
wards. The instructions To cur men were
that they should not be armed unless pre-
yiously deputized by the Sheriff. As, a
matter of fact, the boxes on board the
barges were not opened and the arms
and ammunition were not distributed
until afte the strikers had commenced
firing ON the watohmen and it became evil
dent that it was a matter OF selt-defence,
for life or death. Klein had Deen
murdered by the strikers and about tye
other watchmen shot and wounded before
onr men began their FIRE in self-defence.
Even then IL was impossible to attempt to
shoot those firing at the barges, because
the strikers made breastwork tor theiil-
selves by placing women and chlIdren IL
front ard firing from behind them; NOT a
single woman or child was injured oy our
men.
WHAT THE STRIKERS PROMISED.
"Uben our men surrendered the leaders
of the strikers solemnly, promisen lul, pro
tecnon TO property and life. They knew
that our men surrendered because the
wounded required attention, and for the
purpose of saving further loss OF lie. Alter
the surrender all our men. including the
wounded and helpless, we're brutgiiy beaten
and robbed by the strikers, ana the lead-
ers made no real or honest effort to pro,
tect them. Our men were roooed oi
watches, money. clothlng-in fact, every;
thing-and then mercllessly ciuoDeu ahu
stoned. Conners, unable to move or de-
fend himself was deliberately shot by one
of the strikers and then dubbed. I'd
wards. also wounded and helpless, was
clubbed by another striker with tne
Init end of q musket. Both died ;
and subsequently another Waterman
| became insane and committed SUICIDE as
result of the fearful beating after having
surrendered. All our men We're more OF
less injured. The acts OF the Strikers aitei
our men surrendered would be adisgiact
20 sayapes. Yet, because done IN the
name OF organized American labor, sym.
pathy, if not encouragement, Is SHOWN
| tor su ch deeds by part OF the press ahu
| by political demagosues.
DO NOT sHIRK RESPONSIBILITY.
I'VE do not shirk responsibility for any
| of our acts in this or any other strike
| The coming murder trials ought 10 orlng
out the truth and uphold the law. Oui
actions will then be shown to have been
legal from beginning to TO end. What
ever may DO the present prejudice against
| our agency, wo shall patiently wait the So
| Der reflection Of the country, IN the conn
dence that the enormity OF the wrong
and outrage done to our men nt Home
stead will be ultimately recognized, al
| though the example will. in the meantime,
have caused incalculable INJURY 10 the
community.
"The principle involved Is Of. far more
Importance than are the merits OF the
present controversy between the Carnegie
company and its workmsn. we nave no
quarrel with organized labor. and they
have no cause of complaint against US e1-
oept in SO far as they attempt to destroy
property and life and TO-, violate the
law. IL the owners OF mills, factories
mines, railroads, and other valuable pro-
perty cannot employ watchmen TO protect
| life and property, then all capital so IN,
vested is practically at the mercy OF secrei
labor organizations. whose tyranny ana
despotism exceed anything ever known in
the history of the world.
WHAT LABOR ORGANIZATIONS DO.
These societies intimidate whole com
munities by threats CT murder and are de
ternined upon ruin and destruction Of