The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-07-23
BOB PINkERroN's DEFENSE.

ileSe the troops already there.
BOB PINKERroN's DEFENSE.
Ee Assails Organized Labor and Says
His Non Did Right Mt Homestead.
WASHINGTON CRY. July 22.-The special
committee of the House inquiring into
the Homestead troubles heard Pinker-
tons side this morning. Robert Pinker.
ton presented statement covering the
history of his agency since it's organiza-
tion in 1850 stating that for twenty years
he had furnished men TO protect property
during strikes. These men were carefully
selected, and seldom permitted to carry
arms except under public authority.
They never wantonly fired q shot in any
strike. Men were sent to Homestead only
on the assurance that the sheriff would
swear them in as deputies if necessary.
Many of these men were regular
employees, thoroughly tried and trust
worthy, and the others were
vouched for. They did not go into Penn
sylvania as an armed force. The arms
were shipped from Chicago and ordered
not to be given to the men unless de-
putiZed by the sheriff. As matter of
fact, the boxes were not opened until the
strikers opened tire and it became a mat
ter of life and death. Klein had been
killed and five others wounded before the
Pinkertons returned the fire. The Pink
ertons were handicapped in the fight by
the fact that the strikers made a breast
work, by placing women and children in
front. Not single woman or child was
Injured. The statement declares the ac-
ton OF the strikers, after the surrender of
the watchmen, "a disgrace to savages,"
yet, because done in the name of Ameri-
can labor. it is upheld by some newspapers
and political demagogues, and declares
that on the trials for murder it will be-
shown that the Pinkertons' acts were legal.
The statement then reviews the history
of the strike. and says it has been shown
that organized labor everywhere will MUIR
der and destroy property out of sheer
wantonness and revenge. Pinkerton is
morally certain from the threats of the
men themselves that the Homestead strik-
ers would have done likewise if the COM
pany had tried to supply their places.
The employment all over the country by
banks and private people of Pinkertons as
watchmen is referred to, then the SUBJ
scribers to the statement affirm that their
counsel assure them they have violated no
law, federal or state; that they had q right
to employ and send men to Homestead to
act as watchmen; that if they were at
tackled they had right to kill if
absolutely necessary for self-defense;
that they had the right to bear arms on
the premises of the Carnegie Company, in
order to protect life and property, whether
or not they were deputized by the sheriff
of Allegheny county; that they had the
right to ship arms from Chicago to tho
Carnegie yards at Homestead for the pur-
pose of arming the men after they were
deputized by the sheriff; that in view of
the attack on the barges the men had the
right to bear arms and defend themselves,
and that all of their acts in firing in self
defense from the barges after the attack
on them was legally iustitiable under the
laws of the United States and the laws of
the state of Pennsylvania.
Robert Pinkerton was called to the
stand and required to answer long list of
questions which were prepared by repre-
sentatives of the Knights of Labor. The
replies in substance were:
Pinkerton agency owned about 225 rifles 400
pistols and an equal number OF clubs all depos-
tied at Chicago. In all of the various branches
the firm never had at any one time more than
500 persons in its employ. The employees were
advised exactly what they were to do, and were
perfectly at liberty to refuse employment TO
n
stead knew the nature OF the employment. Tho
barges were not constructed for the purpose OF
protection, were net lined with iron or steel and
could not resist small arms. The men would
never have been allowed to start on the expedi-
ton If IL was known they to be attacked
before landing. The barges were employed be-
cause IL was believed tho men then would be-
able TO land without breach OF the peace. Tho
landing was made at night for the reason that
the sherih's force had been resisted in day time,
and ii expected the strikers would be in
bed. The sole desire by all means TO avoid
a breach of the peace, otherwise the men would
not have been permitted to 20 unless authorized
by the governor or deputized by the sheriff Tho
only purpose WAS to put the men upon privaJo
properly and then protect it from attack. The
men would not fire except matter of self
defense 1t was understood the Carnegie CON-
pany had applied To the proper legal authorities
and that the men were going To Homestead with
the approval of the sheriff.
Pinkerton thought if his men had fired
to kill many more lives would have been
lost, and the works could have been taken
at that time, but not without great loss OF
life.
Chairman Oates asked the witness what
he had to say Of the statement that fifty
good soldiers could have scattered tho
Homestead mob. and that cowardice was
shown by the Pinkcrtons. The witness
replied that he had talked with his men.
and they said they could have taken pos
session of the works almost any time be-
fore 10 O'Clock, but would have had to kill
men, women and children, and they would
not do anything of that kind. The first
firing they did was over the heads of the
crowd.
Boatner having asked how il was the
trouble occurred when the strikers
claimed they did not encourage violence
and the Pinkertons were instructed not
to use violence. Pinkerton made a reply
that hit squarely at the Knights of Labor
representatives present. He said he had
never seen a strike when labor organiza-
tions or their men had not abused non-
union men. He had seen men knocked
off trains; he had seen them beaten to
jelly; he had known members OF the very
Knights of Labor. whose representatives
were here, 10 put distractions on tracks
and dynamite under ears. He had seen
men who wanted to work treated worse
than savages could have treated them by
representatives of secret labor organiza-
tions.
William A. Pinkerton corroborated all
his brother had said.
Cape Breton Forests Abiaxe.
HALIFAX, July 22.-Thsre has been so
little rain in Cape Breton for the last six
weeks that forest fire is raging People