Oakes weekly Republican. (Oakes, Dickey County, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1883-1898, 1892-07-08
A BIG BATTLE.
STRIKERS AND PlNkERTONS FIGHT
DESPERATELY AT HOMESTEAD.

Five OH Each Side Reported Killed, and
Many Wounded The strikers Deter
mined That No Detectives Shall Guard
the Steel Works.
HOMESTEAD. Pa. July G.-"Fort
Frick" is in the hands of the enemy. AT
4:30 o'clock a. III. 800 Pinkerton detec-
tives landed from bargcs ri the Home
stead Steel works of the Carnegie COM
pany. Immediately the army Of 5000
strikers which had gathered expecting
their landing. broke over the fences and
charged nl~n the Invaders. The men
were heavily armed and firing began at
once. iii" Pinkertons stood their
ground as we'll as they could before the
host. but We're forced to retreat to their
boats. At the first fire five detectives
We're killed and two strikers wounded.
The Pink, ton me:l We're secured by
the tirm :l.%,er the deputy shcriifs had
been run away i'll the evening. They
were loaded into two model barges
which We're fitted up with berths for tie
occupancy of the detectives. The
bargcs We're towed by the steamer Tide
and were started for Homestead at 3
o'clock. Their approach had been her
aided and tlle steamer had only rounded
the corner below the town when gen
eral alarm was sounded and all of the
strikers We're called out. The men
armed Themselves quickly and congre-
gated at the river front and about the
stockale surrounding and inclosing the
wur.ts.
The steamer first made as if to pass
but suddenly swung in and reached the
bank The watchers saw the lines
made fast and then the planks We're run
out and the pinkertons began to land
The men had been expecting this and
were ready to act. There was no or
ganization, but suddenly the cry rose,
Charge Oh tlem!'
Instantly there was a rush for the
fence. III la second it was srrmomteil,
and the scaling party made access more
easy by prying open the gates. One
rush. and til, army of 5000 met the
Pinkertons at the top of the bank.
"Fire"
No one knows who gave the word. but
at it d volley rang out and was returned.
Five Pinkerton mon fell dead, while
two Of the strikers We're wounded by it.
The strikers had the advantage of po-
| |,
into the guards, who did their best to
return it with their Wilchesters, but
could do little execution, and had to re.
turn to the boats
The men soon after withdrew with
their wounded, and at once organized 4
battalion OF 1000 men. and armed them.
selves with, Wmchesters. They say they
will again attack the works and drive
the Pinkcrtnns, who have come ashore
into the river.
When the boats approached the land
'. ing the first man who came forward to
Gisembnrk advanced with Il Winchester
rifle ready to fire on the crowd. AS he
+ went to step off he discharged hi:
8 weapon. This was the signal for Il gen
$ eral fight. There was Il rapid eXchang'
Of shots from both sides. The boat
pulled up at the pump house of til,
j, works. There they We're greeted by til,
t coowd, ready at all hazards to preven
i their landing. 1t was seen at Il glanc,
that the nien on the boats were thor
> oughly armed, rs the Winchestcrs wer,
: in plain view. Five thousand men
+ women and children stood upon til
Il river bank watching the fight and cheer
: ing on the worlilnen in their efforts t.
9 prevent Il landing by the Pinkertons.
Il Not Pinllerton was allowed to com
Z ashore. and the men at 6 o'clock IL. III
~ declared none would be allowed to entc
l. the works. There is a very dangero,l
Ii feeling in the community and anothe
d n':; .l'ral; ut any moment would not u
Is surprising.
N The -. shot Of the engagement am
p from Tie barge. 1t was aimed ut il bi
Hungarian who stood at the water
edge. The ball Went wide of the hunl;.
,d target but it was the signal to the Pinl
O. erton men to began, and for full t.
r. minutes they continued to fire I'll
10 first man to fall was Martin Merry,
of heater in one of the mills. He was she
or in the left side and fell face downwal
ny on pile of ashes. Close beside Me1'1
T.. H. stood Hungarian. He stopped ov,
M of Merry's prostrate body, and us he was
ne the act of raising him, he staggered al
er fell by the side of lis comrnde. Th
a. bloody spectacle roused the droopi1
spirits Of the crowd, and with hoar
cheer half dozen men rush,
SO to the place where Merry a,
Sy Wy the Hungarian laid They pickt
i up the bodies and carried the
IN behind tho trestle. One of the rescuer
IL a Welsh,nan. who refused to give Il
IN name, was shot i'll the left leg just as
OF raised Merry's head from the groun
Merry and the Hungarian were carri,
to DR.. Purman's office, and after Il has
lg examination he announced that bo
on men would probably die.
n5 George Retter, a prominent citize
'' had his thigh shattered.
Ia The names of those killed are Hen
"a Stringer, John Wallace, and Foy.
Mt 1t is stated that the captain of t
er detectives and five Of his men arc dea
e, Eleven men have been carried from t
~ river bank badly wounded. \ cam
~ has been placed on the river bank a
nd ii! ija brought to bear on tho Piai,
nd ":,'. The burgess has issued a l,ior
NV .;a'n calliNg OH all citizens 70 ,e.l;
rs: .n;orrs, a,,dV ordering all saloons clos,
eli Al 10 o'clock the barges were sire,
MS: %itl dead and dying and the river vi
ou stained with blood. The detective, w,
in desperate, but unable to escape. Abe
to 10 o'clock raft of logs and barrels
9Th oil was set on fire half mile above t
er. barg4s and started down the strca
This meant that the barses and III