Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-04-09

when they have acted with great nerve and
GOODNESS will be found upon investigation to
Tar outnumber those obscure cases when the
militiaman has been found unworthy OF the
trust reposed i'll him.
reporter of The STAR having in mind the
great labor riot of 1877 at Pittspurg. Pa, and
knowing the trying times it was hunted up an
ex-militiaman who had figured in it and from
MIN obtained an opinion as to the fighting
qualities Of the state soldierg. The ex-militia-
man was found in the Post Office Department
and halls from the city Of Phiadelphia. He
back by overwhelming numbers into the Pitts
burg round house and told quite u graphic tale
OF his experiences.
THOUGHT IT WAS FUN.
He said: "It was about l:30 in the after
noon on the Goth of July. 1877. when our
train pulled out OF the depot at Phila-
and good-byes were called out, accom-
panied by laughter and jests. As we
sped over the country at a rate that made US
all wonder, VIC exchanged adieus with the rail-
road men along the line, but noticed sui
lenness in the latters looks that seemed to
forecast the nature Of our reception at our
destination.
Everything went well with our train until
Harrisburg WAS reached. At this place the
depot was crowded with strikers, and jeers and
Kisses and taunts were hurled at us in volumes
thick enough to cut with an AK. But taunts
and misses don't 'fazs' a militiaman in times of
trouble, and l was cong rasGlating myself on
this fact, when crack bang! came half brick
through one OF tine car windows not two seats
In front of me. Instantly all was confusion in
the car and an involuntary reaching for
shooters was INDUCED in. Steady, boys, came
from the captain, and at that moment our
train pulled out Of the depot and that little
trouble was left behind.
''But that was the skirmsh of the great bat
arf Thn oil afo
tons between Harrisburg and Altoona offered
no obstacles to our progress, as the number of
men congregated about them were unorganizod
and minus a leader. 1t was nearly dark when
our train pulled into the depot at Altoona, but
hght or heat had no charms for the working
men and strike sympathizers of the mountain
city. All along the track at the depot, but be-
hind the high iron fence, thousands Of them
were assembled, and the shout they gave us as
we swept into the CITY was enough to scare
thoroughbred Indian fighter.
PLAN OF THE STRIKERS
"Their plan, as developed, was to hold our
attention in front while few Of their number
got in their fine work upon our train and en-
gines from the rear. believe it took us about
three hours to get clear of that depot. First
one coupling pin would be pulled out from be-
tween our cars and thrown away by daring
striker and then another, and then after we
though: everything was all right our engine
would break down. By the time the engine
was repaired the coupling pin performance
would be repeated, with slight variations While
all this was going on the mob outside the fence
was bowling like Comanches and apparently
was thlrsting for our blood. At last the COM
handing officer ordered us out of the cars in
manner that the strikers understood too we'll
They gradually fell back from the cars and
Few minutes later our train was climbing the
eastern slope Of the Alleghenies and Altoona
had disappeared in the darkness in the rear
Il think 1t was little after midnight when
we arrived IN Pittsburg, aud We Immediately
took up positions in tho now historic East End
OF that classic city. With the break of day we
spread out through the yards of the railroad.
the strikers swarmed about us like bees. and
the fun began One by one we were pushed
back until our entire command had been con-
solidated White faces? Well, l should say So
A tougher crowd never faced soldiers than that
mob on the 21st of July, 1877.
. AS to what brought on the. bloodshed and
whether it was Gen. Pearson that gave the
order to fire is a question that is open to
argument and will never be settled.
THE FIRST SHOT AT PIrrsBuRa
II happened to be in the front row. and
directly In my front were two strapping big
miners with pick handles in their hands, which
were swung above their heads in a way that
suggested to me the ACCESSIBILITY OF keeping
them at a distance if l valued my life Up the
wrest a gun from the hands of one of our boys.
and my fingers twitched nervously around the
stock ofdny gun. The boy was plucky; refused
to give up the gun, and rs one of the mob aimed
vicious blow at his head he pulled the trigger
OF his gun and blood began to flow. The first
shot was fired none too soon to suit my taste
as the men in my front were getting danger
ously close and my shot could NOT have been
fired FIVE seconds after the first.
Then followed a scene fit for the pen of
only master OF the art Of description. The
poor wretches had no idea we would fire upon
them; that is, the body of the mob did not. lint
the reckless hot-headcd leaders in the rear
knew what they were about, and subsequent de-
ve.opments confirmed this conjecture. Up
over and under the cars. the mob fed in dis
may and terror, uttering wild yelIs Of pain and
fright, and soon we were left in comparative
qulet. But 1t was only for q few short mo-
ments. Back came the mob. this time armed
with guns instead Of clubs. and advancing with
the stealth or savage on the war trail in his
native forest. One by one / saw our poor fell.
lows drop as ping. ping and bang came
the crack Of rifles and shotCuus from under
between and on top of the cars that surrounded
US
RETREAT TO THE RoUyp HOUSE.
''Then the welcome order came to retreat to
the round house. We shouldered several of onr
comrades, but my blood was up to the fighting
point and was one Of the boys that helped to
cover the retreat 1 knew the men In front of
us were not strikers. but OF class that iumn
at an opportunity to kill fellow-being when
the responsibility for the act is reduced to o
minimum. Place a man In my position on that
day, and if he be minus the blood Of coward
the instinct Of savage will be quickly devel-
oped. / believe that after seeing several OF my
companions in arms fall with CHASTITY wounds 1
was transformed ana handled my rifle with q
GOODNESS and keen, savage delight that makes
me wonder to this day how did ii.
AT last we were safely inside the round
house. The mob fell back with yells Of batfied
rage and we made hurried preparations to DO
fend ourselves. Our surrounding, we're curl
ously picturesque. Back Of US stood the
empty engines, lowering high toward the CELL
ing, dingy with smoke and SCOT, like wicrd
sentinels, and in front, looking through the
window could be seen the lurid blaze Of the
hundreds Of cars the mob had set on fire.
AT frequent intervals the sharp crack Of the
rifle or the more noisy gun were heard and
then q bullet would come crashing into the
round house. strike one Of the engines, glance
of, and lucky indeed were We II one Of these
bullets Was thrown away.
TERRIBLE MIGHT.
"Of all nights imaginable that to me, was
supreme. The excitement, want Of food and
water was telling on Nc and . reckless, don't
care spirit pervsded the entire command. We
we're working away at the barbados and help
ing the wounded in Q half-hearted way when
cry Of alarm called " all 10 the loop-holes at
the windows
Zone glance was enough to chill M 10 the
bone. Our hoDo All nlon0 hsA h>>v, xh.x