St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-12-22
THREE INDICTED.
True Bills Returned Against a
Trio Of the Alleged Home
stead Poisoners.
"A Carnegie Official Claims That
Thirty-Two Men Died From
Poison.

PITrsBURG, Dec. 2l.-True bills were
returned by the grand jury today
against Hugh f. Dempsey, Robert Be-
atty and j. NJ. Davidson for felonious
assault and battery in administering
poison to the non-unon men at the
Homestead steel works. 1t is likely
that the trial of these cases
will take precedence over the
other Homestead cases. Much
has been said about the Carnegie at
torneys and the PlnKertons being i'll
possession of knowledge relating to the
kind of drug used; about their analysis
made of the contents of the stomach of
man who died, and about all analysis
having been made OF the tea and coffee
containing the drug. The district at
torney and county, coroner both de.
manded of Attorney Breck a report of
the analysis. Mr.. Breck admitted to
both. that he had no such evidence and
from this 1t may be inferred that the
prosecution knows no more than is con-
tanned IN the confessions Of Davidson
and Gallagher. The latter said they
had been told by Beatty that it con-
tanned Turkey rhubarb, catarrhal snuff
and something else"
The indictments of the grand jury
show that no further Information on
that point was developed. Four ply
sicianS were the only witnesses eX-
amined. The bill is returned for the
poisoning of William E. GrlftithS and
other persons, names unknown. AT the
request of the district attorney DR.. Pur-
man and druggist of Homestead, whose
names have been connected with the
alleged poisoning, called at his Office to-
day. They had a long and private con-
ference. They would only say that the
talk developed nothing. 1t was agreed
today, on application of Attorneys Coke
and Brennan, to admit TO bail eX-Bur-
CESS McLuckie and Hugh Ross. who are
charged with murder. They will prob
ably get their freedom tomorrow. Ed
ward ChrSty. of the Carnegie Steel COM
pany, said today:
80 far as we have been able to learn
the number of persons who died from
the effects of the poison they received
number thirty-tWO, but many other
workmen, some of whom will appear at
| the trial, are dying on their feet. Since
we have begun this investigation we
have been startled by the number
| Of letters we have received from
| every part of the country written by
non-union Workmen, who became sick
| of the prevailing complaint at Home
stead, and went to their homes. Many
| are yet sick, and all are confident they
were poisoned. There were altogether
| 1000 men employed at the Carnegie
| Steel company during the strike, and
OF these over 1000 became sick. Some
| died. and many were for weeks on the
verge Of the grave"
Coroner Mcdowell proposes to carry
! his investigation of the Homestead
! poisoning beyond the grave. He intends
| to eXhume the bodies of all the men
who worked in the mills and VINO have
since died under circumstances to which
the slightest suspicion is attached. In
each case the stomach will be subjected
to chemical test to discover the pres
ence of poison, if any.
EAST LIVERPOOL, O., Dec. 21.-A
| story of attempted and partially whole
sale poisoning, similar to that alleged al
Homestead, comes from New Cumber-
land, W. Va. A large number of Hun
garianS have been imported to take the
places of striking workmen in the John
Porter company'S brick works. A
number Of men have been com
planning of sickness. and many of them
have left in consequence. The trouble
was charged to the water kept for
drinking purposes about the works. AL
though no chemical analysis of the
water has yet been made, an investiga
ton leads to the belief that the drinking
water of the workmen his been heavily
dosed with crOton oil.