Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-07-06
PINKERTONS AND THE MILL MEN FIGHT
The Former Repulsed in Two Bat
ties.
FIVE KILLED, MANY INJURED.
Effort to Dislodge the Deputy
Sheriffs With Fire.


BLOODSHED AT HOMESTEAD.
Three Hundred Pinkerton Men Driven
From the Steel Works.
PIrTsBURG, Pa, July Cat an early hour
this morning 800 Pinkerton detectives
arrived in Pittsburg from the east. They were
quietly marched to the Monongahela river,
where they were loaded on barges and shipped
to Homestead a. 2:15. The news Of their ar
rival spread rapidly, and when the steam tug
Tide towing barges arrived there were 5000
people waiting to meet them. As soon the
Pinkertons attempted to land they we're met by
a firm refusal from the men and battle fol-
lowed.
TWO woRKMEN SHOT.
The Pinkertons opened are and at the first
volley two workmen fell. This enraged the
crowd and they bore down on Pinkertons
with resistless force. Nobody stopped TO in
sheriffs, Pinkerton detectives or non-union
laborers. After the exchange Of shots the crowd
grouped on tho bank, fell back and climbed
over the heap Of rubbish, rushed toward the
bridge. Probably 800 Of the men stood their
ground and returned desultory fire with their
revolvers at the invaders. These shots did
little or no apparen. damage and the band.
finding their weapons ineffective. slowly fell
back before the whitening fire of the VIM
chesters.
The first shot of the engagement came from
the barge. 1t was aimed at big Hungarian
who stood at the waters edge. The ball went
wide Of the human target, but it was the signal
to the Pinkerton men to begin and for full
ten minutes they continued to fire.
FIRST ONE TO FALL.
The first man to fall was Martin Merry.
heater in one of the mills. He was shot in the
left side and fell face downward on pile of
ashes. Close beside Merry stood big Hun
garinn. He stopped over Merry's PROSTATE
body. and as he was in the act of raising him he
staggered. and an instant later fell by the side
Of his comrade.
1uib UlOOus opcCGtClc EOuseu Tue dropping
spirits of the crowd, and with hoarse cheer
half dozen men rushed to the place where
Merry and the Hungarian lay. They picked
up the bodies and carried them behind the
trestle. One Of the rescuers, q Welshman, who
refused to give his name, was shot in the left
leg just as he raised Merry's head from
the ground. Merry and the Hungarian were
carried over the trestle work to the Peemickee
tracks and then taken to the Office of DR..
Purman on Dixon street. The doctor, after
hasty examination, announced that both men
would probably die.
Five more of the strikers were wounded and
two Of them very seriously, but they .were
spirited away by their friends and it was i'm
possible to get their names. The shots of
the strikers were also well aimed, as four Pink
ertons are reported dangerously wounded
THE ALARM
It was exactly o'clock when the steamer and
barges were sighted by the watchers gathered
on the river bank a mile below the town.
Directly the feet was sighted, three messengers.
each mounted on fresh horses, started
for Homestead, shouting as they went
in advance Of the dreaded barges.
Some one notified the engineer at the electric
light works, and for second time the harsh
voiced whistle sounded the general alarm. The
people responded with wonderful alacrity.
There were old men and young men, elderly
women, mothers with their babes in arm and
any number of children. The throng headed
toward the river.
The day was just dawning and clouds Of thick,
grayish vapor hung over the waters. Suddenly
from out the shadows were seen the lights of
the steamer. On either side Of her were the
barges. The moment the people on the bank
caught q glimpse Of the hotilla they made .
break down the road toward the works. When
the head Of the line reached the city farm fence,
which has been built out several feet into the
water, fifty men or more used their shoulders
as battering rams and almost in twinkling
had battered down the barrier.
Once through the fence the crowd poured
along the steep embankment skirting the river
fence Of the Carnegie company and, despite the
mud and the uneven character Of Tie ground,
they made rapid headway. It was strangely
silent crowd. Few words ware spoksn and thess
sprang from the lips oe ~ wonsn Who were