The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1892-07-16
RIOT AT HOMESTEAD
Civil War in the Great Iron Mills
in the Vicinity of
Pittsburg.
A Number Killed and Wounded
Militia Arrive and Assume Command
Investigation Under
Way.
Matters of Minor Importance
Riot at Homestead.
Matters of Minor Importance

lrOuDle UTOke Out dl lHC 11oiiiC
stead iron works Thursday morning,
when 800 Pinkerton detectives came
down the river and attempted to
land and guard the the iron works
that had locked out operatives be-
cause they refused to accept the ad-
ditional cut in wages.
A Pittsburg dispatch says: A
bloody battle between Pinkerton
detectiles and locked out employees
at Homestead occurred at 4:3O
Thursday morning. Twelve men
were shot and number will proba-
bly, die. Among the wounded men
were five Pinkerton men. Early
this morning 300 Pinkerton detect
ives arrived in Pittsburg from the
east. They were quietly marched
to the Monongahela river, loaded on
barges and shipped to Homestead at
2:15. News of the arrival spread
rapidly and when the barges arrived
at Homestead there were 5000 peo-
pie waiting to meet them. As soon
as the Pinkertons attempted to land
they were met by a firm refusal
from the men and battle followed.
The Pinkertons opened fire and at
the first volley two workmen fell.
This enraged the crowd and they
bore down on the Pinkertons with
resistless force. After the exchange
of shots the crowd grouped on the
bank fell back and probably 300 men
stood their ground and returned a
desultory fire with their revolvers at
the invaders. These shots did little
or no apparent damage, and the
plucky band, finding their weapons
ineffective, slowly fell back before a
withering fire of Winchesters. The
first shot of the engagement came
from the barge, a signal for the Pin
kerton men to begin and for ten
minutes they continued to fire. Two
of the laborers were killed.
This bloody spectacle reused the
spirits of the crowd and with des-
perate cheer half dozen men rushed
to the place mhere the two men lay.
They picked up the bodies and car
ried them behind trestle. One of
the rescuers was shot in the leg just
as he raised the mans head from the
ground.
A second engagement commenced
| at 7:3O and continued with Interrupt
tions throughout the day. The work
| men built a fortifcation of steel bars
on the river bank and over 1000
men were within. They opened fire
and several Pinkertons were killed on
the boat. A cannon was secured and
using balls and slugs, poured hea-
Wy fire into the tug, but the steel
plates on the inside prevented the
balls from penetrating the interior.
When it was found how little i'm
preston could be made by cannon
on the boats an effort was made tc
fire the barges and thus compel the
detectives to leave the vessel OF
suffer the terrible fate of being burn
alive. This terrible deed was at.
tempted several times, but the boats
did not burn, and then the mob be-
came infuriated and hurled dynamite
bombs at the vessel with great effect
The situation of the detectives was
such as to appall the stoutest heart
Three times they ran up a flag ol
truce, but as many times it was
striken down by the bullets fired by
the strikers. Then it became evi
dent that the ammunition of the be
sieged detectives was either exhaust
ed or they were too much worn ou
to continue the fight.
Toward dusk efforts were agar
made to. burn the boats with thei
living freight and they would doubt
less have succeeded had it not beer
for the leading officers of the Anal
gamated association, who went tt
the scene in the afternoon. Through
their efforts it was agreed to ALLOW
the detectives to surrender.
At 5 o'clock the Pinkerton mel
hung out another white flag, and thi
time it was respected and com
, mittee of strikers went aboard t.
prepare the terms of the capitulation
They guaranteed safe conduct TO
the Pinkertons provided they lef
their arms and ammunition behin'
and agreed to leave the place unde