Evening journal., 1892-07-23


private house or office cannot be protected
or guarded.
1T would, we think, surprise the COM
munity If it should be declared by congress
that the right TO protect ones property and
to hire servants or agents to assist in so
doing no longer exists in this country"
The representatives of the Knights of La
Dor present at the hearing submitted a
series Of questions to the committee, with
the request that they be heopounded to the
Pinkerton brothers. After examining them
and ascertaining that the latter were will
ing to be thus catechised the committee
complied with this request.
Questions Answered.
Robert Pinkerton, in reply to the uues-
tions, said that the agency had about 200
rifles, 400 pistols and clubs deposited at Chi
cago; employed not over GOO persons in all
parts of the country including clerks and
stenographers. The number Of men en-
ployed by them never exceeded 500 at one
time. The only authority the agency ex-
ercised over their men was that Of an en-
ployer.
The witness, at the advice Of his counsel,
refused to give the contracts with his men.
He said that the request was made by the
Carnegie company to send them about 800
watchmen, and that his firm had been en-.
gagged by Mr.. Frick during che coke strike
in Pennsylvania, at which time they sent
about 100 watchmen, who were sworn in as
deputy marshals
The Carnegie company wanted 500 men
by July 8, and the men furnished came
from New York, Chicago and Philadelphia.
The men knew for what they were wanted
The witness said that he did not know
personally anything about the barqes. but
did not believe they were lined with iron
and proof against small firearms. He
would not have allowed his men 10 have
gone on them if he thought that they would
have been attacked
Barges were employed because they ex-
pected that the watchmen would be en-
abled to land upon the company's property
without causing any breach Of the peace or
tending to excite the strikers. The landing
was made at night, when it was thought
the men would be in bed, with the sole de-
sire of avoiding the melting Of a riot. Had
1t been known that the men could not land
without breach of the peace, they would
not have been sent, unless authorized by
the governor or deputized by the sheriff.
There We're about $40 men on the barges,
and about 250 rifles, 800 pistols, ammuni-
tion and night clubs.
Only Three Killed in Twenty Years.
The arms on the barges were in boxes
and were destined for the yards and private
property Of the Carnegie company. Posi-
tive instructions We're given that they
should not be given to the men until after
they had been sworn in by the sheriff and
the witness was assured that this would be
done upon the first signs Of trouble The
Pinkertons were not to commit a breach of
the peace, and there was no understanding
that they We're with the Carnegie people or
any one else. They were not permitted to
use force to recover possession Of the works
unless they had been sworn in by the sheriff.
The men Were not instructed to fire upon
strikers, and would not have fired upon
them had they not been attacked and six of
their number killed.
The Pinkerton agency understood that
the Carnegie company had duly applied to
the proper authority, and that they were
sending men to Homestead with the con
sent and approval of the sheriff. The wit
ness stated that in twenty years but three
men had been killed by watchmen up to the
time Of the Homestead affair. In every
instance they We're sworn in as deputy sher-
ifs or peace officers, and whenever tried
have been acquitted Mr. Frick had agreed
to pay him S. a day for each man fur.
nished.
In answer to Representative Boatner, the
witness said that if the Homestead workers
had come into the works and tried to mt
his men out they would not then have
used their arms. His men would have
probably fought, using what are called night
clubs