Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-11-27
JACK CLIFFORD NEXT.
The District Attorney Denies Argos
Statement and Says the
HOMESTEAD TRIALS WILL GO ON.
Will Not N0lle Pros the Cases and noes Not
See How He Could.
ATTORNEY ERWIN RETURNS TO ST. PAUL

Jack Clifford will be the next Home.
steader to be tried for murder, unless some
change in District Attorney Burleigh's
plans are made. The time for the trial has
not been fixed, but it will be heard soon.
Mr.. Burlegh denies the assertions made
by Attorney Argo. mo one had any au-
thority from me, said he, ''to ray that the
cases would probably be dropped. do not
think that anyone ever approached the
Western lawyer with proposition or inti-
nation from the prosecution. am not 60
ing to nolle pros any Homestead case.
1 cannot see how 1 could, and surely MI.
it understood that am going to try every
Homesteader who was indicted by the
grand jury"
The intimation made by Attorney Argo
that the other cases would be dropped
caused considerable discussion yesterday.
Many people thought it was the sensible
thing to do, but they doubted if it could be
done under the law.
How Outsiders View the Situation.
1t was argued that so far as the Carnegie
people are concerned they are satisfied now
that the strike is settled. The firm has
been put to great expense collecting evil
dence, etc, and the managers would like to
see the drain stopped as soon as possible
There is not much glory in being tried for
murder, and it will require some money to
defend the members of the steel company
who are indicted. Others claim that
enough lives have been sacrificed, and the
lesson for both sides has been SO severe and
bitter that another riot of the proportions
of the Homestead affair will never be re-
peated.
Surprise also is expressed that the jury in
the Critchlow case disregarded the judges
charge and the testimony. 1t was gener-
ally believed that the verdict was based on
the alibi alone The statement of the four
jurors that they acquitted the prisoner be-
cause they considered the presence OF the
Pinkertons on the river as an unauthorized
invasion is corroborated by another Juror
who was considered the most conservative
man among the IL, and from the prosecu-
tion expected a vote for manslaughter at
least This juryman states that they had
made up their minds to acquit before Bill
Erwin, the ST. Paul lawyer, made his
speech.
Erwin Returns to st. Paul.
Attorney Erwin and his wife left for st.
Paul early yesterday morning. As he was
leaving the hotel the clerk asked him if he
expected to come back. Mr.. Erwin replied
that he was not sure, but if be did he would
notify the hotel people. Mr. Argo stated
that his colleague would know before he
left whether the other cases would be tried
or not. This looks as if Mr.. Erwin had not
been Informed and he expects to return.
Mr.. Erwin prides himself little on his re-
semblance to Julius Caesar and Cicero
who have seen him saw he looks a good deal
like Count Won Moltke who was said to be
silent in seven languages. The St. Paul
lawyer is certainly eloquent in one.
Since the verdict was handed in consider
able that occurred at the conferences be-
tween the lawyers on both sides has leaked
out 1t was learned yesterday that Erwin's
case were very slim at one time 1t was
only the protest of Major Montooth that
secured the opportunity for him.
Montooth Gave Erwin His Chance.
It will be remembered that Critchlow's
Sunday to decide what thev would do 1t
had been agreed that Messrs Bremen and
Cox should conduct the cross-examination,
as they were familiar with the locality and
all the facts. Some discussion was INDUCED
in before it was arranged who should talk
to the jury. First it was decided that
Bremen and Argo should make the OPEN
ing speeches and T. NJ. Marshall and Major
should close. The Major at this
point suggested that Mr.. Erwin had been
overlooked, and so far as he was concerned
he didn't want to speak, and would gladly
give way to the Western lawyer This is
how Mr.. Erwin happened to get in his
work, and only the attorneys for the defense
knew what narrow escape the public had
dress.
1t is now stated on good authority that if |
the other cases are tried the local LAWYERS
will do the work, and Messrs. Argo and
Erwin will serve in an advisory capacity,
1t is safe to say that man as adroit az
Erwin can change his tactics at will, and |
make strong argument to q jury along
other lines.