Omaha daily bee., 1892-07-14
PROGRESS OF THE INQUIRY
Mr.. Frick and Others Before the Congress
sional Committee
SOME VERY lNTeRE Ting TESTIMONY
President Weyhc of the Amaigamated SO.
ciety aud Other Labor Leaders Exam
incd-Frick's Story-The Present
situation at tUomcstead-Notes.

|
committee last evening proved more inter
esting as it drew to close. Mr. Frck
stated that another point In dispute was the
change of date for the signing OF the scale
from July to January. No agreement could
be reached and the works shut down,
Mr.. Oates-What is the cost of produc-
| tioni
Mr. Frick-I don't think that is fair
question. don't think you should ask
that.
Mr.. Taylor-Would you object to tell the
cost Of ton of steel including everythingl
| MIR Frick-Yes, sir; would have the same
objection.
MIR. Boatuer-You don't propose to give
| away any of the secrets of the trade!
Mr.. Frick-No. sir; not yet.
Mr.. Oates-Will you state the labor cost
| alone!
MIR. Frick-Tnat would be equivalent to
| stating the whole cost.
MIR Oates-In consequence of all these dis
| agreements what resultedt
| In answer to this question Mr.. trick put
| in as evidence his newspaper interview had
| on the day after the riot.
Mr. Oates-You state that after the sheriff
failed you employed the Pinkertons. Did
you appeal to the governor!
| Mr. Frick-No sir. The experience of
| past years was the sheriff was powerless.
| We concluded to employ our own watchmen,
| put them on our own property and have them
stay there to protect 1t. We hired them and
agreed TO pay them s. per day and we
secured 80 of them on June "a. We con-
| cluded it would be necessary to protect our
own property and employ new men.
| Mr. Boatner-Nonunionm menl
Correspondence with the PinI<ertons.
Mr. Frick-we did not care whether they
were union or nonunlon. So on June "a we
| wrote the following letter to the Pinkerton
| agency in New York;
The Carnegie Steel Company. Pittsburg,
| Pa, June H.-Dear Sir: | am in receipt OF
! your favor OF the 2!ud. We will need 800
| guards for service at our Homestead mills
| measure of precautlon against interference
| with our pian5 to start operation of the works
| is that AN attempt viii be made to prevent
| such of our men, with whom we will by that
| time have made satisfactory ARRANGEMENTS,
| from going to work, probably some demon
| stration of violence on the part of those
| whose places have been flied or most likely
| by an element which is usually attracted to
| such scenes for the purpose of stirring up
tr%nb1e. 40. ,o.,rons mat tbo mon van sord
| shall be armed unless we call for such meas
ure later on for the protection of our em-
| ploycs or property. We wish these guards to
| be placed on our own prope ty and to remain,
| unless called into other service by the civIl
| authorities to meet an emergency that is liza
| BILE to arise.
These guards should be assembled at Ashta-
| buia. o.. not later than the morning of July s.
to"' To mSoes miSEy saR Rocks orN0n soms ot6eP n
| point on the ONO river DelCW IltuSDuTS.
| where they can take boats ana be
| landed within the inclosure of our premises.
| We think absolute secrecy should be observed
| so that no demonstration can be made whlie
| the men are enroutc. Specific arrangements
for movements of trains and connection with
| boats will be made as soon as we hear from
| you as to the certainty of having the men at
Asntabuia at the time indicated. As soon as
| the sheriff and ask that they be deputizel
| either ut once Immediately upon an out
| break OF such "A character rs to render such Il
| Gtnn 1ns n h.p
ii. G. FRiGx, Chairman,
| To Robert A, inllerton, New York City
| MIR. Boatner-So you arranged for the
| assembly of the Pinkertons at Ashtabula
| before there any hostile demonstration
mo, sir. The hostile demonstration was
made July l."
Mr.. Boatner-Had anything been said or
| done that Warranted this anticipation!
Nothing particularly"
| Mr.. Oates-Before shutting down the
works did you ouild a stockade around
| tnemi
"Yes, slr."
| Anticipated Trouble.
IN contemplation of trouble"
| "Ycs, sir"
| "What was the first disorderly demonstra-
tion on the part Of the menm
Mr.. Frlck answered this question by read
| ing the notice given TO the firm by the ad-
| vlsory committee, calling attention to the
shutting off the gas OF tho furnace and dis
. claiming any responsibility on their part for
anything that occurred should the fires be
allowed TO burn. He SAID that the notice
was served two days before the Pinkerton
men we're started from either New York or
| Chicago
Mr. Oates-What is meant by shutting off
the gass
Mr. Frick-We use natural gas in some of
our furnaces and that burning gas indicated
| that work was to be resumed.
| When asked how were the Pinkertons
armed Mr.. Frck salt: "'rhe arms and uni
forms OF the men were shipped to this city
oy rail and put on the barges here bv Cap
tain Rodgers. Then on July 4 we served a
notice on Sheriff McCleary calling on him
for protection
Mr. Frick, IN answer to questians, said he
bad not called on the sherf previous to
| making arrangements with the Pinkertons
| because the experience with the sheriff three
years ago convinced them il would be use
| less.
did you not advance the cost of the arms
for the PnkertonsP
| mo, SIR"
But YOU engaged the Pinkertons before
| applying to the sheriffW
| "Yes, sir"
"When was that fence built around your
worKsr
| within the last SIX weeks"
| "Was IL before or after the negotiations
| commenced with the Amalgamated associa-
| tionP
After"
| Other Letters Read.
Mr.. Frick requested, and was granted the
| privilege of reading the following communi-
| cations which he SAID had in large measure
| governed the actions of the managers of the
works at Homestead since the trouble began.
Tho first letter written by himself TO Man
ager Potter Is as follows: 'Please note
herewith inclosed copy OF letter written me
by our counsel, Messrs Knox & Reed. /
have no doubt You fully realize the import
ance OF not dong anything or permitting
anything TO be done by any of our employees
or any guards we may employ to protect our
property that Is not entirely lawful"
The inclosure referred TO by Mr.. Frick To
Manager Potter is as follows:
IITTsBuRG Pa, June 81, ls0!.-H. c. Frck-
Dear SIR; Would suggest that you paTticu-
| larry charge Mr., Potter, no matter what indlg-
mites he may be subjected To In the discharge
OF his duties at Homestead that neither lac
nor any OF the company's employees should dc
any net Of aggression but should confne
themselves TO protecting themselves and the
company's property, They should. under no
circumstances, resort TO the use OF arms un.
less II should be for the protect on of their
| lives. KNOX & REED
The committee continued the investiRa-
ton this morning with further examiu-
adon OF Frick He detailed the arrange
ments with the Piukertons TO furnish guards
for the Homestead property. and SAID the
arms were consigned to the Union Supply
company. who delivered them 10 Captain
| Rodgers OF tho Pinkertons FUck was not