The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-07-23

TO employ aud send men TO honesbead 10
act as watchmen; that if they were attacked
they had right to kill. il absolutely for
selt-defense; that they had right TO bear
arms on the premises Of the Carnegie COM
pany in order to protect life and private
property, whether or not they were depu-
tized by the sheriff Of Allegheny county:
that we had a right TO ship arms from Chi
cago to the Carnegie yards at Homestead
for the purpose of arming our men, X
they were depusiEed by the sheriff;
that IN view of the attack on the barRes our
men had a right to bear arms and to defend
themselves, and that all their acts Ia firing
In self-defense from the bsrges, after the
a tack on them, were legally justihable
under the laws Of the United States and of
the state Of Pennsylvania. The statement
is signed by William A. and Robert Pinker
ton. Both of these gentlemen were present
with their counsel Megsrs. Hayes. Devlin
and Wright of the Knights of
Labor were present to watch
the proceedings. Before ths investigation
began Mr.. Devln stated that as representa-
tives of the Knights of Labor they had pre-
pared some questions they desiI ed the con~
mittee to ;ask the Pinkertons relative TO
their methods of business. Chairman Oates
said that the committee would examine the
questions and take such course as it thought
proper.
ROBERT PINKERFoN ON THE STAND.
After the recess Robert Pinkerton was
called TO the stand and required to answer
ths questions which had been prepared by
the representatives of the Knights of La
Dor. The recess bad afforded ample
opportunity for the preparation
of the replies. which were generally covered
by tho statement read in the forenoon.
From these replies the following extracts
are made: The Pinkerton agency owned
about $50 rifles, about 400 pistols and an
equal number Of clubs aud they were de-
posted at Chicago. In all its various
branches the firm never had at any one time
more than 500 men in their employ, and on
July not to exceed 800 persons. Many of
their contracts with their employee were in
. writing. They required sobriety, honesty and
attention to duty on the part of their en-
ployes. Their employees were not required
TO bear arms nor perform whatever service
was imposed upon them. Their employees
were advised as to exactly what they were
expected to do, and understood that they
were at perfect liberty 20 refuse any en-
ployment to which they objected. The
Carnegie company requested the Pinkertons
to furnish 800 watchmep to protect the
Homestead property. The negotiations
were first bruached by the Carnegie COM
pauy's representative. The bargss we're not
constructed for purposes OF protection and
were not lined with iron or steel and could
not resist small arms. The men would never
have been allowed to 60 on the expedition
if 1t had been known that they we're to be
attacked before landing. The barges were
employed because it was believed that the
men would be enabled to land without
breach of the peace, and the landing was
made at night Tor the reason that
the sheriff's force had been resisted in
the day time and 1t was expected
that the strikers would be in bed. The
sole desire was to avoid by all means a
breach OF the peace. Otherwise the men
would not have been permitted to go unless
authorized by the governor or deputiZed by
the sheriff. There were about 800 men on
the barges with about $50 rifles, 300 pistols
and ammunition and clubs. All of the men
were in charge of F. II. Hines, an old re-
liable employe, and about t@o.thirds of the
men were old employees.
MIGHT EMPLOY AN ARMY.
One of the questions was: "Would you
not have the same authority or legal right
to place 10,e00 armored barges on navigable
waters Of the United States equipped with
men and loaded with arms and ammunition
that you had to place thosa two bargss upon
the waters Of the Monongaheia rivers"
The reply was: That question is a matter
of law, and It would be a waste of time for
US to attempt to answer it.
Mr.. Oates then asked a number Of ques-
tions, one Of the first of which was destined
W lIAuk DuL Gil duoWbT budb EOuCu
the jurisdiction of congress on the Plnker-
ton system. The question was: "Have you
ever furnished men as guards to travel on
train Transporting mails or interstate COM
merce?"
The answer was: ''Yes, sir. In the case
of the Burlington strike aud in the New
York Central strike. | think wherever we
have done strike work for railroads at
times we have furnishd men to ride
on trains. They probably were ermed, bat
it would depend on circumstances. They
went armed on the New York Central TO
protect themselves from assault"
Mr.. Pinkerbon said thar any time his men
had trouble it had always been brought on
by the strikers or their friends. They went
armed only when sworn in as law officers
or when riding TO protect property, They
never Travelled armed when being traus-
ferred over the country as, for instance, to
the Carnegie works
Arms were generally put on at the COM
paDy's works. That is, added the witness,
I'VE don't carry armed guards through the
country"
DIDN'T EXPECT THE ATTACK.
AS the witness had no reason TO anticipate
an attack on the barges. no arms we're given
to his men. On the contrary, he had every
reason to believe they would land peacefully
at the company's works. He thought that
if the detectives had fred to kill, many
more lives WOulQ nave Deen Iost anu
the works could have been taken at
that time. but not without great loss
of life. Mr. Pinkerton stated that he was
a sworn peace officer. a deputy sheriff, and
he made it rule ALWAYS 60 swear in his
men except in case of railroad servics.
Mr.. Boatner having asked how it was that
trouble occurred when the strikers claimed
always that they did not encourage violence
and only persuaded men not to work and
the Pinkertons were instructed not 10 use
violence, Mr.. Pinkerton made an answer
that hit squarely at the Knights of Labor
men present he said he had never seen a
strike whom the labor organizations or their
men had not beaten non-union men, He
had seen men knocked Off train he had
known members of the very knights of
Labor whose representatives were presen
here to put distractions on the track and to
put dynamite under cars. He had seen men
who wanted to work treated worse than
sevages by the representatives Of the labor
organizations and he had had them sent TO
prison for 1t. Mr.. PiDkerton ans wered all
questions frankly and candidIy.
The COMMITTEES has adjourned subject to
the call of the chairman. If further testi-
mony touching new points Is offered in a
day or two 1t will be received, otherw the
committee win begin the preparation Of its
report soon.
DENIES BEING A DEFAULTER.