The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1892-07-30
THEIR SIDE.
Pinkerton Bros. Before the lnvestiga-
ton Committee.
The Men Employed by Them Are Selected
with Great Care--T'ley Are Thorough
ly Trusted for Prudence, SobrIcty,
Etc, Etc, Say the Pinkertons.

WAsHrSeToN, July 23.-The two fam
GUS Pinlerton brothers, w. A., the
elder, and Robert the younger, appear
ed Friday morning before the house
investigating committee to explain their
connection with the Homestead riot
The two Pinkertons are heavy-set,
low-browed, swarthy, muscular men,
a little above ordinary height and
weighing about two hundred pounds
each.
Robert Pinkerton was the first wit
ness called. His brother, William, Mr..
Guthrie, of New York, with his attor-
ney and Messrs Hayes, Wright and
Devlin, of the X. of L., were also in at
tendance.
The following is the statement sub
mitted by the Pinkertons:
"The present inquiry by your committee
arises from the recent deplorable events al
Homestead, in the state of Pennsylvania.
THE agency was founded in 1850 by the late
Allen Pinkerton and during the last 70 years il
has frequently furnished private watchmen
TO protect the property Of individuals
and corporations during strikes The
men employed by us in this strike
work are selected with great care
ncters and antecedents. Not q single instance
can be cited where we have knowingly EN-
ployed unreliable or untrustworthy men OF
where any of our watchmen have been con
victed of q crime. Moreover, we have seldom
permitted our watchmen to carry arms for the
purpose OF protecting property and life unless
they were authorized by the proper legal au
thorities or sworn as deputy sheri1s.
when first requested TO send watchmen tc
protect the Homes tead plant, we refused 10 dc
so unless all our men should be sworn in as
deputy sherirs We were then assured that
the sheriff Of Allegheny county, Pa, knew thai
our men were going to Homestead to act as
watchmen and to guard the property of the
company and to protect its workmer
from violence We were further assured
that the sheriff had promised immediate
ly upon any outbreak disturbance
to deputiZe all our watchmen as sher
in's deputies. On that condition only did we
consent to Furnish about 800 watChmen. A
large number OF the men were our regular EN-
ployes who could be thoroughly trusted for in
tegrity, prudence and sobriety. The remain
der were men whom we employed from time
TO time, or who were known and recon-
mended to US. They did not go into the
state OF Pennsylvania as an armed body
or force, and we should not have per
mitted or assented to this. There was
no intention or purpose whatever of armins
them until they were on the property OF the
company ut Homestead. The sheriff s chic
deputy, Gray, accompanied our men, was on the
tug towing the barges and it was distinctly un
derstood that he had authority TO duly deputizt
them in case of necessity The boxes on boart
the barge were not opened and the arms anC
ammunition were not distributed until after tn,
strikers had commenced firing on the watch
men, and it became evident that it was mat
ter of selfdefense for life or death.
"Klen had been murdered by the strikers
and about five other watchmen shot and wound
ed before our men began their fire in self
defense. Even then 1t was impossible 10 at
tempt to shoot those firing at the barges, be
cause the strikers made breastwork for them
selves by placing women and children in from
and firing from behind them. Not a single
woman or child was injured by our men.
after the surrender, all our men, including
the wounded and helpless, were brutallS
beaten and robbed by the strikers, and the
leaders made no real, honest effort to protec
them. Our men were robbed of watches
money, and in fact every thing, and then un
mercifully beaten.
Edwards, also wounded and helpless, wal
dubbed by another striker with the butt-end o
musket,
HE died, and subsequently another watch
man became insane and committed suicide as
result of the fearful beating after he had sur
rendered. All of our men were more or less in
jured.
1.-THE acts Of the strikers after our men hat
| surrendered would be disgrace to savages
Yet, because done in the name of organized
American labor, sympathy, If not encourage
ment. is shown for such deeds by part of The
press and by political demagogues."