Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-12-30
HE MADE A BLUNDER
Berkman's Murderous Attack
Upon H. C. Frick Defeat
ed the Strikers.
MR. CARNEGIE CABLED,
Asking That Concessions Re Made
to the Homestead Workers.
RECEIVED A POINTED REPLY.
The Enthusiastic New York Anarchist
Now Spending His Days
MR. CARNEGIE CABLED,
RECEIVED A POINTED REPLY.
The Enthusiastic New York Anarchist
Now Spending His Days
MAKING HOSE IN THE PENITENTIARY

The Anarchist Berkman, who said he
Eould suicide if given more than ten
years sentence, is quietly serving out the
mere beginning of his more than score
gears in the penitentiary. Berkman, with
his agile fingers and cleaning eye, is serv-
ing his first practical uses in this world by
turning his talents to account in making
hosiery. This is a new industry in the pen
itentiary, and promises good results. The
Anarchist is disgusted with American ideas
of Justice, and SAYS he will leave this coun-
try forever, after his sentence is served.
There are 900 convicts in the penitentiary,
and many more are expected, as 100 persons
charged with penal crimes are awaiting SEN
tencs in Allegheny county alore.
One story of the Homestead affair yet re-
mains to be told before the old year ends,
and that is the story of the csblegrams be-
tween Andrew Carnegie and b. c. Frick.
Their story is brief but eloquent
On the one side of the ocean was the man
who was given full and autocratic power in
the mere management of the great mills,
and on the other side was the man who held
the balance of financial power in his hands,
while neither could exercise his full prerog-
atiVe without the assistance of the other.
Ever since that memorable riotous dav
of the sixth of July, one event of such
startling import has followed so rapidly up
on the heels of the other, that the public be-
lieved each time that the crisis between
labor and capital had arisen and passed.
But there was only one real crisis in the
whole interesting story, and that crisis was
met-whether for right or for wrong let
future events tell-by one man.
A Wish and a Weapon,
That man was BerkmRn, the ultra-Social-
NIhilist, born in a foreign land, bred,
raised and adopted by the ofscourings of
the very lowest of a New Worlds society,
and then cast in the midst of the Home
stead problem with a weapon in his hand
and what he fondly imagined was a solution
Of the whole thing.
Had Berkman never appeared upon the
scene 1 am confident the whole trouble
would have been amicably settled" said a
gentleman yesterday who has been con-
versant with the Carnegie Company's affairs
all through the strike. 'tMr. Carnegie was
ut his home in Dunfermline during the
warmeEt part of the struggle" said he,
land was advised regularly by cablegram
of what occurred at the mills Mr. Car
negie rarely answered the cables, as have
reason to know, as was in the city office
here almost daily. The cablegrams sent to
him up to certain date were merely ad-
yisory. That is, they told of the condition
of the mills, how many men were at work,
what the prospect was of securing men, etc
'fEarly in the afternoon of July % Berk-
man made desperate and horrifying at
tempt on the life of b. c. Frick, and say
had that attempt never been made an ami
cable adjustment of the trouble would
have come about The story of the cable
grams tells this. Up to certain date those
sent to Mr.. Carnegie were merely advisory.
Three weeks after Berkman's desperate at
tempt Mr.. Frick was sitting in his Office /
when cablegram was received from An
drew Carnegie.
Blue on Both Sides.
"Afairs were then looking decidedly blue
on both sides. Men were returning to work |
but not in sufficient numbers to please the |
firm, though they were enough to discour- |
age the strikers 1 do not know what the |
cablegram from Mr.. Carnegie said, nor |
does anyone but Mr.. Frick. do know |
Dfice saw it, and the answer told plainly |
enough what Mr.. Carnegie had said The |
answer read:
Andrew Carnegie, Dunfermline, Scotland:
No. That would encourage anarchy.
II. c. FRIoK.
''It was talked about the Office at the
time" continued the gentleman, "that Mr..
Carnegie had asked for q truce Of some sort.
Mr. Frick was even then suffering from an
exhibition of anarchistic sentiment in its
worst and most murderous form, and for
that reason he answered as he did. Had
Berkman never made the attempt upon his
life, his answer would have been far differ
ent
"His sentiment, That would encourage
anarchy, shows what he thought, and that
Mr.. Carnegie appreciated it, as that was the
first and last request for a truce that ever
came from across the water. Cablegrams
thereafter resumed their wonted tenor of
mere adVisemeIt as to- conditions in the
mill and the Office