Los Angeles herald., 1892-12-12
A NEFAR|OUS CONSPIRACY,
Poison Put in the Food of
Carnegie Employees.
Attempted Wholesale Slaughter
of NOn-UniOn Men.
A Cook ia the Homestead Mill Hired
to Do the Work.
Members of the Ama1gamated Associa-
tion, the Strikers Advisory Com
mittee and Others Implicated
in the Crime.
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
PITTsBURG, Pa, Dec. 1l.-A Sunday
paper publishes story today of con-
spiracy to poison by wholesale the non
union workmen at the Carnegie steel
plant. The developments made, it
Gays, implicate members of the advisory
committee, members of the Amalgam-
ated association. and officials of some
labor organizations sympathizing with
the locked-out men. AS the result OF
the conspiracy it is alleged several per-
sons have lost their lives, while scores
of others are still suffering at their
homes and in hospitals from the effects
of poisonous drugs administered to
them with criminal intent. Today,
nine or more persons, more or less iden-
titled with the strike. were placed under
arrest, ostensibly on less serious
charges, but really for the purpose of
avertlng suspicion until all those who
are claimed to be in the conspiracy are
secured The only name given of those
charged with administering poison is
Robert Beatty, who was arrested at
Louisville last night. Several others,
however, are under heavy bail on other
charges, and new charges will pro badly
be made TOM Trow.
The details of the foul plot are suf1i-
cient to cause ehudder, especially
when it is known that at least two
deaths, and perhaps number of others,
are already traced to the work of the
willing tool selected to carry the muir
derous plan into execution. 1t will be
remembered that shortly after the
arrival of the state militia at Home
stead, and after the non.union men
had commenced work in the mill,
cas- ,s of sickness were reported,
attributed to the impurity of the water.
A supply from other sources was Sc
cured and notices posted conspicuously
about the mill warning the employees.
Despite the precautionary measures, the
sickness continued, and it soon became
current at Homestead that an epidemic
was prevailing among the men in the
enclosure. The first intimation that
the men were the victims of conspira-
cv was obtained more than two yral sbtss
ago, but in such manner as to make it
impossible to make arrests Immediately,
and not until yesterday was the evil
dence deemed to be sufficiently strong
to warrant the apprehension of at least
one of those implicated. The price to
bs paid for the accomplishment of the
nefarious plot was $1,000, to be paid
when the mills close down.
The terrible plot, according to the in
formation obtained by reporter from a
man who was in the plot, was substan-
TALLY as follows:
One of the chief cooks at Homestead
met him one day and asked If he wanted
a job at Homestead. He said the in.
formant could make big money if he
would help him. He eaid he was not
only employed by the Carnegie COM
pany, but was also in the pay OF the
labor associations and members of the
strikers committees, and was just coin
ing money. AS he grew more confiden-
tial, and prompted by questions about
the pay from the associations, he told
of the plan to poison the food of the
men employed in the mill, so as to
make them sick nd render them un-
able to word. He Uetailed the plan he
had been pursuing, and asserted that
nearly, if not all, of the sickness among
the men was caused by poisons he had
placed in their food. He urged the in
formant and his friends to accept
places. told them it would be
an utter impossibility for them to
be detected and finally left with the ups
derstanding that he would meet them
in the city next day, give them some
advance money and take them to HON e.
stead with him.
Realizing the Nervousness OF the posi-
tion the men called upon Chairman
Flick and laid the matter before him.
Upon the advice of the company's at.
torneys they met the cook and pro-
ceeded to Homestead with him, and
were duly installed in positions by the
cook. The day after their arrival, a
number of men were reported sick and
the cook told how he had placed poison,
a colored powder, into the food and told
them to watch for an opportunity to use
it in the food. Fearing the men could
not be trusted, two Pinkertons were en-
gagged to keep close surveillance on the
informants, as well as the cook. The
latter became suspicious and at once
discontinued the use of the pow der.
Orders were then given that the work
men should take their meals at restau-
rant outside the enclosure Later the
men reported that the cook was becom-
| ing very uneasy and feared he might
They said the deaths among the men,
especially that of Charles CLOSER, un-
nerved him an hey believed he would
make clean breast of the whole plot if
placed under arrest. This was done,
and when confronted with the facts, as
stated above, the cook broke down and
made full confession, in which he gave
the names of those who employed
him, the amount of money he re-
ceived and the manner in which he
carried out his part of the terrible
crime. He stated also that he frequent
ly visited the camps of the militia and
dosed the food prepared in the cook
house. His visits were always followed
by increased sickness among the mem
bers OF the national guard. His con-
fession was taken by stenographer in
the presence OF several witnesses. He
also exhibited vouchers for money due
him. Alter the testimony was repro
duced upon typewriter it was read to
him and he signed the statement in the
| presence of witnesses.
After ma kip0 hiaa cou foucinn thu oook