Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1892-08-05

The names of the Critchlow brothers
Sylvester, Stephen and Albert, have been
associated with rioting and violence eve
since the first labor troubles at Homestead
in 1882. During that year and after thu
settlement of the strike Albert Critchlov
and crowd of strikers met John Foley, I
workman employed in the steel-works, OF
the road almost in front of Foley's home
The latter was located in the company
grounds near where the Carnegie hotel now
stands.
1t was Sunday evening and Foley wa
just returning from milking his cow.
Critchlow and his companions began sbus
ing Foley, calling him vile names, and
were preparing to make united attach
upon the lone individual when Foley drew
revolver and ordered them to stand aside
and let him pass. Albert Critchlow, who
held heavy stone in his hand, raised 1t fol
the purpose Of crushing Foley's skull, when
when the latter fred, the ball taking effect
in his .assailants abdomen. Foley ther
went and surrendered himself to Special
Officer: Mike Hanlon, of the mill police,
and the latter had great difficulty in get
ting his prisoner out of Homestead alive. as
a.mob surrounded the house to which Han
lon had taken his prisoner temporarily,
and demanded that Foley be surrendered
to their vengeance. Finally the prisoner
was sneaked through rear door and thence
to skif lying ct the ferry landing and
taken to Brown station on the Baltimore
d Ohio Railroad. Critchlow recovered
from his wound and in the trial that fol.
lowed Foley was aquitted of the charge, as
it was proven that he had acted in self de
fence. Albert Critchlow was subsequently
killed by train on the Pittsburg d West
ern railroad near Butler.
During the Homestead strike Of 1882 the
deputy sherifs and others were more in
dread Of Sylvester and Stephen Critchlow
than any of the other leaders of the strike
They were both known far aud wide as ex-
cellent marksmen with either shotgun or
rifle.
In 1885 Stephen Critchlow was convicted
of pointing firearms at and threatening to
take the life of Constable William Brown
Of Homestead, now the chief of police of
the Carnegie Steel Works. In 1886 Syl-
vester Critchlow shifted his warlike opera
tions to the Duquesne Steel Works. On
April 10th Of that year the Allegheny Bes-
semmer Steel Company, owner of that
plant. filed bill in equity against Sylv es-
ter Critchlow, William Dunn, John Nc
Crory and others in common pleas court
No. 2 asking that they be enjoined from
interfering with, menacing the lives and
otherwise intimidating the workman of the
company. 1t was further alleged that the
defendants had stationed themselves on
the roads leading to the steel-works and
endeavored by force and otherwise to pre-
vent the free entrance and egress of the
company's employees. Judge Ewing grant
cd an INDUCTION, which was served on all
defendants and heeded by the majority.
Critchlow, Dunn and McCrory still kept up
ment for contempt of court was issued.
They were all fined heavily, and Dunn and
McCrory. Hawkins, Rothrauff and others,
who had suffered this penalty, desisted
from the outrages; but Sylvester Critchlow
still kept it up and another attachment was
issued for him, but he managed to run a.
way and escape arrest, and according Il
the court records was never punished fol-
this second offence. He was at that tim,
one of the striking workmen at the Du
quesne mills, but after the trouble was set
tied he was never permitted to again go t.
work. Since then he has been employed
in the converting mill Of the Homestead
works, and after the arrival of the troops
at Homestead was one the most officiou,
of the late selfconstituted officers ir
Homestead. Hehad special job prevent
ing any soldiers who visited Homestead
from disturbing the peace. ."-Pittsburl
Commercial Gazette.