Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-11-25
GONE TO NEW YORK,
The Senate Committee Winds
Up Its Investigation in
Pittsburg.
A BANKER ON THE STAND.
he Criticises Sheriff NcCleary and
Governor Pattison.
WILLIAM WEIHE ON ARBITRATION,
Councilman A. c. Robertson Gives His Ex-
psrience NTH Strikes.
A BANKER ON THE STAND.
WILLIAM WEIHE ON ARBITRATION.
PEFFER'S COMPREHENSIVE QUESTIONS

AnNSsSsatlOu u laDor troubles at nome
stead and Pinkertonism yesterday in cheer.
Parlor c at the Hotel Duquesne. "We ar
patriotic to degree" remarked Senate
Gallinger, Of New Hampshire, the chair
man of the committee, yesterday
morning, as an apology for sitting
on holiday. Senator PETER wa
in perfect fettle for asking the
longest questions possible, and his appetite
for useful information seemed Unsuitable.
In Chicago they accused the Kansas states
man of asking questions as big as ten-acrt
lot, but yesterday his colleague laughingly
admitted that they had grown as big q,
quarter sections
Judge Mellon was as attentive listener
as the stenographer by whom he sat all the
morning. He enjoyed the proceedings i'm.
mensely, and when Senator Gailinger apol
ogized for postponing his examination as 6
witness till the afternoon, in order to gel
the testimony of MI. Weihe and Mr..
Roberts, Judge Mellon said: 81 am glad
TO oblige this committee in any way can,
for 1 see that you are really trying to get al
facts
Captain Rodgers Fateful Cruise.
Captain James B. Rodgers, of the Tide
Coal Company, was the first witness on the
stand. He told once more the story of his
voyage up to Homestead with the Little
Bill and the two barges full of Pinkertons.
His most interesting answers were to ques-
tions put him about the necessity of en-
ploying armed guards to protect property.
Captain Rodgers said he certainly believed
corporations and individuals had the right
to hire armed guards; that they were neces-
sary to protect buildings and other property
in case of dispute between employers and
their men. His experience in coal mining
had taught him that during strikes armed
guards were absolutely necessary, Just as
banks and other institutions kept armed
watchmen to guard against thieves and other
lawbreakers
Senator PETER asked Captain Rodgers
this question:
Q. Would the Homestead men on July
Just as soon have fired on United States
troops as upon the Pinkertons? A. They
would, / believe. Fourth of July and pay
day had wrought them up into great state
of excitement. They were turbulent had
been drinking q great deal, and we're ready
to shoot at anyone, without respect to per-
sons.
Q. Why do employers hire men from the
turbulent cas~? a. Force of circum-
stances; they have to employ the men they
can get Nliteracy is these mems greatest
curse, but it is generally the men of higher
wages and higher intelligence who start the
disturbance.
Q. Is there more trouble in coal mining
Ia
from what one reads in the papers.
Tried to Land Them Secretly.
Q. When you took the Pinkertons up to
Homestead did you try TO secure secrecy
A. remember that Mr. Frick impressed his
desire for secrecy in the movement upon
me- so as to avoid a conflict, and that is why
the watchmen were taken up to the mill by
night
O. Please tell us the difference between a
strike and lockout. A 1t is a difference
that does not amount to much. In strike
the men for some reason or other go out; in
the Homestead case the men were not al
lowed to go back into the mill unless they
agreed to the scale proposed by the firm,
and so were locked out after being paid on.
@. When sheriff Gray left the boat did he
make any arrangements Tor the care of the
PinkeTtons on the boats? A. l don't know
hut 90 know that Sheriff Gray took part
in all the consultations as to the movements
OF the men and the boats. Gray was III con-
troll OF the boats.
Mr.. Mellon laughed out loud when Sem
htor PETER asked Captain Rodgers why cer-
tain men e t paid better wages than others,
and Captain Rodgers cheerfully replied be-
cause they were more skilled.
William Weihe, the ex-president of the
Amalgamated Association, next laid before
the committee in very lucid manner ex-
actly how the difference occurred between
the Carnegie Company and its men at
Homestead last summer, explaining that
the principal objection of the men was to
changing the scale-signing date from sum-
mer TO winter, which they thought would
put them at great disadvantage.
The Average Reduction Demanded.
Examined by Senator GallInger:
O What would have been the average re.
duction in wages in the Homestead mills
had the company's scale been signed? A.
Eighteen per cent on an average-some
would haye suffered worse than Others
@. Was the Carnegie Company forced by
trade conditions to reduce wages? A They
could afford to keep on paying the same
waves.
Q. After the Carnegie Company had pre-
sented its ultimatum, why did the men wait
till the day before the last possible day to
ask for conference? A. The men had to
wait to CO. er among themselves, to get the
reports from the lodges.
2. Was there much intemperance at
Homestead? A. have not much chance of
knowing, hut 1 know that the company
could always discharge a man addicted to
drink and he would have no redress: the
Amalgamated Association would not assist
him to redress.
Q. Would Homestead men have fired on
the United States troops had they lam ded
from barses? A No; that's a mistaken
idea.
O. How 10 workmen look unon en,n,ov-
ment OF armed bodies in connection with
labor dispu es? A. With grave suspicion.
There is a very bitter feelin. against the
Pinkertons. If the barges had contained
United States troops the Homestead men
would have received then. as they did the
state troops, In law-abidlng manner.
Could Have Prevented Bloodshed.
@ How could bloodshed have been pre-
vented at Homesteadf A If the Carnegie
Company had acceded to the request for a
Conference and kept up negotiations till
July there would have been some AMIGA
bic settlement reached: Ny experience is
hat when things look as they did when the
Carnegie Company fetched the Plnkertons
there is still q good chance of a mutually
satisfactory agreement. / do not believe
lie Carnegie property would have been in
ured.
Mr.. Weihe gave an account of his share
n the doings of July 6. He had asked Mr..
Frick to meet the Sheriff and him for con-
erence, but Mr.. Frick declined the invita-
ion, so he, Mr.. Weihe, went to Homestead
With other Amalgamsted officials as peace
Makers
Q What effect has the sending OF detec-
ngmeni A Arouses suspicion and discon-
ent. The men Ieel uneasy.
Examined Mr. PETER:
O. Pinkertons are re0a rded as fnterferino