Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1892-07-08

them. 1t was just four o'clock when the
two barges, towed by tug, were discov-
cred coming up the river. The news of
their approach was instantly spread by
messengers mounted on horseback, and
hundreds of men, women and children
started down the bank of the river to meet
the barges. Some one informed the en-
gineer at the electric light works, and the
harsh-voced whistle sounded the general
alarm. The people responded with alacri-
! ty. They were old men and young men /;
elderly women, mothers with their babes in
arm, and any number of children half-clad
! Thousands of men, women and children
/ lined the river banks. Many of them
were armed with clubs and revolvers.
When the Pinkertons finally reached
their landing place at Homestead they
found the shore black with a mob of excit-
ed people, estimated i'm number at about
5000. Men and women, many only half
| dressed, had left their beds to receive the
! invading force. The children played on
the outskirts of the crowd that lined the
waters edge. The Pinkertons tried to
land and firing began at once. Some work
men fell and the thick line on the shore
| for moment wavered. Then with an
angry shout the crowd bore down with
resistless force that paid no heed to the
crack of the Pnkertons' Winchesters.
The shots of the workmen in return told
with such effect that the Pinkertons re-
treated to the protection of their boats,
taking with them their dead and wounded.
Their captain was seriously disabled.
The workmcn thus won the battle be-
fore daylight in the first engagement The
lighting was renewed at : o'clock by the
second attempt of the Pinkertons to land.
In this struggle workman was killed and
several more were wounded, but the peo-
pie ashore fought with such desperation
that the Pinkertons could gain no foothold
ashore. \ perfect shower of bullets was
rained upon the men in the boats whenev-
er they showed themselves. Once Pink
ertOn showed his head above the railing
that protected him and back he fell dead.
The forenoon was not half spent when the
q
work of steel bars.
At about 8 o'clock the firing upon the
barges became general from both banks of
the MOnongahela river. Then some one
ashore thought that oil would burn on wa
ter. The idea was at once put into execu-
ton and many barrels were emptied into
the waters of the stream some distance
above where the two barges lay. The oil
was set on fire and the Pinkertons were
thus driven from their position in order to
escape being burned to death. When a
steamer came with reinforcements to the
aid of the Pnkertons at about II o clock
the workmen met it with a cannon and
drove it back. During the afternoon the
people ashore were being constantly rein
forced by workmen from neighboring mills.
The flags of truce raised repeatedly by the
Pinkertons from their boats were at once
riddled with bullets. showing the ugly tenn
per. of the mob. Finally, the beaten force
on the barges raised the white flag and sur
rendered. When they came ashore as
prisoners they brought six dead Pinker-
lOuS anu q DulnDtT OF wounded.
So determined and vicious had the work
men become in their warfare that after the
Pinkertons had surrendered and were on
their way to the lookup for safe keeping,
they were subjected to inhuman treatment,
and every man, woman and child in the
place was allowed a vigorous kick or a
sickening blow at the unfortunates.
Half an hour after midnight a special
train of cars was backed quietly into
railroad station, and the sheriff and a dep
uty jumped from the train and hurried to
the lookup and the rink, where the Pink
erton men were imprisoned. A moment
later the prisoners were marched to the
depot, and almost without a word they
were hurried into the cars awaiting them
and started back to Pittsburg. At 1920
Thursday they were despatched from Pitts
burg to New York bya special train, those
who were too badly hurt to undertake the
journey being left in hospital. The men
inside the cars presented a sorry sight with
their bandaged heads and arms. Nothing
could exceed their Impotence to get away,
and they were crazy for papers to get an
idea OF the situation at Homestead.
According to the latest accounts four of
the Homestead workmcn were killed out
right by the Pinkerton bullets and others
died in the evening. Eleven were injured.
six of whom may die from the effects or
their injuries. Two of the Pinkerton men
were killed on the barges, and two others
were shot and fell overheard. The total
of killed and injured is larger than in the
railroad riot of 1877. 1t is thought that sew
eral wOrkmen killed or injured are being
secreted by their friends. 1t is alleged that
several Pinkerton men jumped overheard
in the fight and were drowned.
The Latest.
This mornings dispatches state that
comparative quiet prevailed at Homestead
yesterday. The ruin incident to Wednes-
days fight has been repaired the dis
mantled fence around the works has been
rebuilt, the yard has been cleared of all
debris, and inside the works the old watch
men of the firm perform their customary
patrol. No reasonable man doubts, how
ever, that fighting would be renewed at
once if another attempt was made to intro
duce PinkertOn men into the town. The
town is picketed and no man can enter
without his presence being noted. The
men intend that the works shall not be
taken by surprise. They are stronger now
in numbers and death-dealing equipments,