St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-07-23
Robert Pinkerton Holds His
Men Up as Models Of
Forbeapanee.
The Homesteaders He Con-
siders the Aggressors
at All Stages.

and Devlin, Of the Knights of Labor,
were also in attendance.
Before the examination of witness
was proceeded with Mr.. Deviin, of the
X. of L., submitted number of 9ues-
tionS, which he wished the committee
to ask the witness. Chairman Oates re-
ceived the questions, SAID they would be
considered blythe committee, and it found
proper would be asked. The commit
tee then went into secret session to con-
slider the questions submitted by Mr..
Devlin; also statement submitted by
the Pinkerton brothers, and at tine con-
cluSion of the secret session the COM
mittee took recess until l o'clock
The Pinkertons submitted a long state
ment, claiming their men fired only in
self-defense.
The chairman stated that the COM
mittee had examined the questions sub
mitted by the labor people, and. as the
Pinkerton people did not object to an
swering them. they would be pro-
pounded. Mr.. Oates put the most i'm
pOrtant questions to Robert Pinkerton,
as folio VS.:
TX of L. Questions
What are the names and residences of the
principals composing the so-called Pinkerton
agency!
What is the nature of the several branches
which the agency undertakes to conduct?
What number of officers or weapons of
ofense.o of all kinds were subject to your
control or owned by your agency on the 4th
day of July, A. D. 1892. and where were they
deposited?
What authority do you exercise. or claim
TO exercise over your employees as to ODE
dence of orders? Are they required 10 bear
arms and go wherever ordered by the prin-
cipais of al agency, aud perform whatever
service is posed upon them:
Are any of your contracts with your en-
ployes in writing: If yes, produce one or
more OF them.
State under what circumstances you
entered into the agreement with Mr. Frick
or his associates to guard the works at
Homestead, Pa. Who first preached the
negotiations ending i'll the employm ent?
Produce all correspondence relating thereto.
Was this your first agreement to supply
men to Mr.. Frick or has associates? How
many men and on what terms did you sup
ply them in the matter of officially i'll the
Connelivllle coke regionsl
How many men were you requested to
furnish III the Homestead matter? Within
what time and from what localities did you
obtain them?
TEae Hronciad Earges.
How were the barges on which your men
as to defense and precaution of persons upon
them? Were the barges lined with iron or
steel plate with sufficient strength to resist
small arms of every kind?
Were not the men on the barges entirely
= secure from any attack from the iron men of
Homestead as long they remained behind
the protecting sides OF the barges:
Why were the barges employed to trans
sport the men from Pittsburg 10 Homestead
instead of ordinary modes and means of
travel by land and water?
State the number of men on the barges, the
amount of ammunition and number and
kind of firearms of all kinds. and by whom
the said ammunition and arms were sup
piled:
How many OF the men on tn parges were
old and trained employees of the agency?
What authority had they over the new re-
cruits in respect to requiring them to use and
bear firearms at their command and direc-
ton:
State particularly where the men who
finally landed in Homestead were assembled
together. by what states and by what lines of
railroad they were transported TO Pittsburg.
State precisely the object in placing the
large number of firearms on the barges, and
whether 1t was not understood between the
principals of the agency and Mr.. Frick and
others representing the Carnegie works at
Homestead. that the men on the barges were.
to commit breach of the peace Or to use
force TO recover possession of these works if
necessary.
Orders TO Fire.
stale WnetQer II WAS not the intention OF
the superi0rs on the barge and whether they
had not been instructed to fire upon the
! called locked out union workmen at Home
stead, land to take life if necessary to obtain
possession Of these works
What right did you believe you had to as
sembIe men outside OF Pennsylvania and
carry them within that state armed, or with
arms conveniently at hand, without the re-
quest or consent of the authorities of the
state any municipality therein?
Did your agency make any efforts to obtain
the consent or authority Of the executive of
Pennsylvania or did you ever before TAXI ny
armed men into any state ask for obtain
the consent or authority of the executive of
such state!
Would you not have the same right to
place lo,t05 armored barges Oh the navigable
waters of the United States equipped with
men and loaded with arms and ammunition
as you had to place these two barges, manned
and loaded, upon the waters of the Monon
gahela river?
ployes taken since your agency first entered
upon the business OF supplying men to pro-
tect property of corporations and employers
against socalied strikers or to make eff
fective so-called .lock-outs:"
PinkertOn's Replies.
Witness Sa d that the National Pink
erton agency was controlled by Robert
and William PinkertOn, with their main
offices in New York and Chicago. The
former was controlled by Robert Pink
erton and the latter by William Pink
erton. They also had six other branches
in other cities. The nature Of the
business of the agency was to furnish
watchmen for private business firms,
race courses and fairs.
6 He said the agency had about 200
rifles, 400 pistols, clubs, etc., deposited
in Chicago: the number OF regular en-
ployeS did not exceed 600 in all parts of
the country, and TO the best of his belief
the number OF men employed by them
never exceeded 800 at one time; the
only authority they exercised over their
men was that of an employer; their men
were not required to bear arms, and
were at liberty TO refuse to go to place
to which they were ordered if they
chose.
Refused go Produce Contracts.
Mr. Pinkerton, at the advice of his |
counsel. refused to give the contracts
with his men. He said that the request |
was made by the Carnegie company to I
send them 800 watchRien. His firm had |
been engaged by Mr.. Frick in the coke |
strike i'll Pennsylvania, at which time !
they sent about 40 watchmen. They |
were sworn in as deputy marshalS. The |
Carnegie company wanted 300 men by |
Jiily g. The men came from New ork, /
Chicago and Philadelphia, and knew |
what thew were wanted for.
He said he did not know personally /
anything about the barges, but thought !
they were ordinary barges used in trans |
portation. He did not believe the barges |
were lined with iron, and professed ig- |
nuranee about the arms. He said the
barges were not secure from attack, and |
that he would not have allowed his men
to have gone in them if he thought they
were to be attacked. Had he known |
that the men could not land without
breach of the peace, he said. he would |
not have permitted them to go unauthor- |
lied by the governor or unauthorized
by the sheriff.
WeH-Equipped Army.
s There were 500 mel on the barges.