The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1892-07-29
pINKERToNs' STATEMENT.


The Brothers Before the House Investi-
eating Committee.
WASHINGTON, July 23.-The Pinler-
ton brothers were given an opportunity
this morning to explain and defend the
working of their system by the special
committee of the house committee on
the judiciary, which has been engaged
in an investigation OF the labor troubles
at Homestead and of the operations OF
the Pinlerton system 81 w r 81 "a, .
Robert Pinkerton first took the stand
and laid before the committee state
ment that had been prepared This re-
counted the founding of the Pinkerton
agency in 1850, and went through its
history. When first requested to send
watchmen TO protect the Homestead
plant of the Carnegie company, the
Pinkertons refused to do so unless the
men should be sworn in as deputy sher-
ifs before going to Homestead.
I'VE were then assured" runs the
statement, that the sheriff of Allie
gheny county knew our men were go
ing to Homestead to guard the property
of the company and protect its work
men; that the sheriff had promised i'm
mediately upon any outbreak to
deputize all our watchmen IS
sheriff deputies if it became ne
cessary for the protection of life
and property. On that condition only
did we consent to furnish about 500
watchmen. 4 large number of these
men were our regular EN- pLoyes who
could be thoroughly trusted for integ-
ritv. pruduce and sObriety. The re-
mainder were men whom we employed
from time to time or who We're known
and recommended to us
The beating of the surrendered Pink
erton watchmen is dwelt upon and rob-
berry is charged upon the strikers. The
clubbing Of Connors and the killing OF
Edwards are referred to and the state
ment continues: The acts OF the
strikers after our men surrendered
would be a disgrace to savages.
Yet, because done in the name
of organized American labor. sym
pathy if not encouragement is
shown for such deeds by part of the
press and by political demagogues- We
do not shirk responsibility for any OF
our acts in this or any other strike. The
coming murder trials ought TO bring
out the trEth. Our actions will then be
shown to have been legal"
The Mollie Maguires, the Chicago
Stove Co s strike, the Chicago, Burling'
ton & Quincy strike and others were re
ferred TO in detail as bases for the state
ment that every large strike has shown
that these labor organizations will
murder and destroy property out o.
sheer wantonness and revenge 1t was
morally certain from the threats of mer
themselves. that the strikers at Home
stead would resort to similar violence
and attempt to destroy the property OF
the Carnegie company if any attempt
were made to supply their places by
non-union men,"
In closing, the statement holds that
the Pinkertons had a right to employ
and send men to Homestead Il
act as watchmen: that if they
were attacked they had the right
to kill if absolutely necessary
for self defense: that they had the
right to bear arms on the premises
of the Carnegie company in order to
protect life and property whether or
not they were deputized by the sheriff
of Allegheny county: that they had the
right to ship arms from Chicago to the
Carnegie yards at Homestead for the
purpose of arming the men if and after
they were deputized bv the sheriff.