Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1892-07-23
THE PINKERToN INVESTIGATION.
No More Testimony Regarding the Agency
will Taken.

no more testimony Regarding the Agency
will Taken.
WASHINGTON, Jul 23-Before the Pink
ertons, Robert A. and William, were ex-
cused from testifyin before the Congress
sional Committee, G airman Oates thank
ed them for the evidence they had given
Robert Pinkerton in turn thanked the
committee for it's kindness to them and
stated that he wished the committee could
visit Chicago and examine the books and
papers of the agency.
Representative Oates will probably make
his report on the Homestead matter early
next week, and it is not likely that any
more testimony will be taken regarding
the Pinkerton agency unless some new
matter regarding it is brought to the at
tention of the committee.
Robert Pinkerton, in replying to ques-
tions put by Chairman Oates said that
the number of persons employed by the
Pinkerton agency does not exceed 600 in
all parts of the country, including clerks
and stenographers, and the number of
| men employed never exceed 800 at one
time.
The only authority exercised over their
men was that of an employer. Their
| men were not required to bear arms and
| were at liberty to refuse to go to place
to which they were ordered, if they
| chose.
Mr.. Pinkerton, at the advice of his
counsel, refused to give the contracts with
his men. He said that the request was
made by the Carnegie Company to send
them about 300 watchmen. His men had
been engaged by Mr.. Prick during the
coke strike in Pennsylvania, when they
| sent about $50 watchmen. They were
sworn in as deputy marshals.
| Mr.. Pinkerton said that the Carnegie
| Company wanted 300 men by July 5. The
| men were furnished, and came from New
York, Chicago and Philadelphia. They
| knew for what they were wanted. He did
not know personally anything about the
barges, but thought they were ordinary
barges used in transportation. He did
not believe they were lined with iron and
proof against small firearms. He would
not have allowed his men to go on them
| if he thought they would have been at
| tackled.
4; The barges were employed so as to land
the men upon the company's property
| without causing any breach of the peace.
| The sole desire was to avoid riot There
were about 80 men on the barges, about
| $50 rifles, 300 pistols, ammunition and
| night clubs. About two thirds of the men
had previously been in the Pinkerton en-
| ploy. All were under the charge of F. II.
| Hines. About 100 men were sent from
Chicago, rs from Philadelphia and 100
from New York. All met at Ashtabufa,
o., and went from there to point near
Youngstown, O., where they were put on
barges
Positive instructions were given that
the arms should not be given to the men
until they had been sworn in by the
sheriff The men were not INSTRUCTED to
| fire upon the strikers and would not
have fired upon them had they not been
attacked 1t was understood that the
men were going to Homestead with the
consent of the sheriff. The Pinkertons
had never attempted to send an armed
body anywhere.
In twenty years three men had beer
killed by their watchmen up to the time
1 Of the Homestead affair.