The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-07-23

Mills and landed within the inciosure
without accident. This morning every
thing is quiet. The strikers still have
the approaches to the mills picketed.
PINKERroN QUESTIONED.
Heads Of the Agency Tell About the
Homestead Trouble.
WASHINGTON, July zS.-Ths sub-com-
mittee of the House committee on judi
ciary, charged with the investigation Of
the Homestead troubles. resumed its ses-
sion In this city yesterday. r. A. Pink
srton of the Pinksrton agency was the
nrst witness called.
A statement was submitted by the
Pinksrtons to the COMMITTEES In which
they say:
When Arst requested to send watch
men to protect the Homestead plant and
property Of the Carnegie Steel Company
We refused to do SO unless all our men
should be sworn In a. deputy sherids be-
fore going to Homestead. We were as
sured that the sheriff had promised i'm
mediately upon any outbreak or dis
turbance to deputize all our work
men rs sheriff's deputies II 1t became
necessary for the protection of life
and property. On that condition only
did we consent TO furnish about 800
watchmen. They did not go into the
state of Pennsylvania AZ an armed body
or force.
Klein had been murdered by the strik-
ers and about dve other watchmen shot
and wounded before our men began their
hre In self defence. Even then 1t was
Impossible to attempt to shoot those fr-
ing at the barges, because the strikers
made q breastwork for themselves by
placing women and children in front and
firing from behind them. Not single
woman or child was injured by our men.
After recess, Robert Pinkerton was
called to the stand and required to an
resentatives of the Knights OF Labor.
The replies were in substance as follows:
The Pinkerton agency owned about $50
rifles, about 400 pistols and an equal
number of clubs and they deposited at
Chicago. In all its various branches the
firm never had at any one time more than
800 persons in its employ and on July
not to exceed 600 persons. Many OF its
contracts with its employees were In writ
ing. They required sobriety, honesty
and attention to duty on the part OF the
employees. The employees were not re-
quired to bear arms nor perform what
ever service was imposed upon them.
The employed were advised exactly what
they were expected to do and under
stood that they were at liberty to refuse
any employment to which they objected.
BY advice of counsel the witness de-
clined to produce the contracts because
they were matters Of private agreement.
The Carnegie Company requested the
Pinkertons to furnish about 300 watch
mon to protect the Homestead property.
The negotiations were first broached by
the Carnegie Company's representatives.
The men sent to Homestead were OBJ
tanned in New York, Chicago and Phiia-
delphia.
Ali of them knew the exact nature Of
their employment and about two thirds
of them had been for some time In the
employ Of the Pinkerton agency and
were we'll recommended.
The barges were not constructed for
the purpose OF protection and were not
lined with iron or steel and could not re-
sist small arms. The menswould never
have been allowed to start on tho expe-
dition IL Il had been known that they
| were to be attacked before landing. The
barges were employed because IL was be-
lieved the men would be enabled TO land
| without breach Of the peace and the
landing was made at night because the
sherin's force had been resisted In the
| day time and IL was expected the strikers
| would be In bed.
The sole desire was to avoid. by all
means q breach of the peace. Otherwise
the men would not have been permitted
| or deputixed by the sheriff. There were
about $40 men on the barges, with about
| $50 rifles, 800 pistols and ammunition and
| clubs. The arms were in boxes and were
not to be used by the men before the lat
ter were deputixed. The only purpose
| was to put the men upon private property
and then protect 1t from attack.
| One of the questions was: "Would you
not have the same authority or legal
right to place 10000 armored barges on
the navigable waters OF the United states
equipped with men and loaded with arms
these two barges upon the waters OF the
Monongahela riverf
The reply was: s'This question 10 mat
| ter Of law, and It would be waste OF
time for us to attempt to instruct the
committee.
Mr.. Oates then asked number OF ques-
tions, one of which was designed to
bring out an answer that would touch
the Jurisdiction of Congress over the
| Pinkerton system.
| Question-Have your ever furnished
men as guards to travel on trains trans
porting the mails or interstate commercel
| Answer-Yes sir; in the case OF the
Burlington strike and in the New York
Central strike. think wherever we have
done strike work for railroads at times
we have furnished men to ride on the
trains. They probably were armed, but
| 1t would depend on circumstances. Iney
went armed during the New YORK Cen
trail strike to protect themselves from
assault.
Mr.. Pinkerton said his firm furnished
$40 or 315 men to Mr.. Frick at 70 per day
per man. Mr.. Pinkerton said that any
time his men had trouble IL had always
been brought on by strikers or theiI
friends. They went armed only wher
sworn In a. law officers or when riding tt
protect property. They never Travelled
armed when being transported over th'
country.
Mr.. Boatnsr asked why witness, know.
ing trouble might occur at Homestead
sent men in without authority from TIT
sheriff Of Allegheny.
The witness replied that he had stipu
lated a. far as possible for authority from
the sheriff. He had no reason to expec
trouble and had taken the word OF th
Carnegies that the sheriff would swea
his men in. He asked to be excuset
from answering Mr.. Boatner's inquiry
..If he had ever employed men to becom
1 Rufnhta of n hnr