The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1892-07-07
Arrival 0f Pinkertons at Carnegie's
Steel Works Precipitates
Trouble.
The Fight Begins at Daylight and II
Continued at Intervals Through
ont the Day.
Exact Number Of killed and Wounded
Not Ascertainable, Bat 1t Ii
Large.

-
HOMESTEAD, Pa, July 7.--"For,
Frick" il in the hands Of the enemy. "A,
4:80 o'clock 4. fn. 800 Pinkerton detec.
tives landed from bargcs ut the Home.
stead Steel works of the Carnegie com.
pany. Immediately the army Of 5000
strikers which had gsthered expecting
their landing, broke over the fences and
charged upon the invaders. The men
were heavily armed and firing began a
once. The Pinkertons stood their
ground as well asthey could before the
host, but were forced to retreat to their
boats. At the first FIRE fve detectives
were killed and two strikers wounded.
The Pinkerton men were secured by
the firm after the deputy sheriffs had
been run away In the evening. They
were loaded into two model barges
which were fitted mp with berths for the
occupancy OF the detectives. The
barges were towed by the steamer Tide
and were started for Homestead at
o'clock. Their approach had been her
aided and the steamer had only rounded
the corner below the town when gem
eral alarm was sounded and all OF the
strikers were called ont. Tho men
armed themselves quickly and congre-
gated at the river front and about the
stockade surrounding and inclosing the
works.
The steamer first made as II to pass,
but suddenly swung in and reached the
bank. The vatchers saw the lines
made fast and then the planks were run
ont and the Pinkertons began to land.
The men had been expecting this and
were ready to oct. There was no or.
ganisation, but suddenly the cry rose,
Charge On. Thsm..' I.
Instantly. there was 4 rush for. thu
fence. In second it was surmounted,
and the scaling party made access more
easy by prying open the gates. One
rush, and the army OF 5000 met the
Pinkertons at the top Of the bank. u
Fire.
No one knows who gave the word, but
at it . voliey rang out and was returned.
Five Pinkerton men fell dead, while
two OF the strikers were wounded BY 1t.
The strikers had the advantage Of po-
sition, and poured fire down the bank
into the guards, who did their best tc
return it with their Winchesters, but
could do little execution, and had to re-
turn to the boats.
The men soon after withdrew with
their wounded, and at once organized a
battalion of 1000 men, and armed them
selves with Winchesters. They say they
will again attack the works and drive
the Pinkertons, who have come ashore,
into the river.
When the boats approached the land
ing the first man who came forward 10
disembark advanced with Winchester
rifle ready to fire on the crowd. AZ be
went to step OF ne discharged his
weapon. This was the signal FOR gen
eral fight. There was rapid exchange
Of shots from both sides. The boats
pulled up at the pump house Of the
works. There they were greeted BY the
coowd, ready at al hazards to prevent
their landing. Il was seen at glance
that the men on the boats were thor
oughly armed, as the Winchesters were
in plain view. Five thousand men,
women and children stood upon the
river bank watching the fight and cheer
ing on the workmen III their efforts To
prevent q landing BY the Pinkertons.
Not Pinkerton was allowed to como
ashore. and the men 1t o'clock !. IA.
declared none would be allowed to enter
the works There IL very dangerous
feeling ii the community and another
outbreak at any moment would not Be
surprising. -
Pinkertons Fired First.
The first shot Of the engagement came
from the barge It was aimed at 1 BIZ
Hungarian who stood Ut the water :
edge, The ball went wide OF the human
target but II was the signal to ths Pink
erton men to began, and Tor fun ten
minutes they continued to Are. The
first man TO fall was Martin Merry, 3
hsstefsin one of the mills He xns s|1ot
ID the left side md. fell face downward
on d pile aof ashes. Close besfde Merry
stood Hungarian. He stopped over
Merry's proetrate body, and . he Vas iii
the act Of raising him, he staggered and
fell by the side Of his c0narade. This
bloody spectacle reused She dropping
spirits Of the crowd. and with hoarse
cheer half q dozen men rushed
to the place where Merry and
the Hungarian laid. They picked
up the bodies and carried them
behind the trestle. One Of the rescuers,
= Welshman, who refused to give his
name, was shot iii the left Log Just ~ he
raised Merry's head from the ground.
Merry and the Hungarian were carried
to Dr. Purmaziss ofIice. and after hastv