Evening journal., 1892-10-01
THE MOVE DENOUNCED
:3ittsburg Mill Hands Indignant
Over the Officials Move. .
REFLECTS ON THEIR PATRIOTISM.

4 REFLECTS ON THEIR PATRIOTISM.
rhe Charge of Treason Against the
Strikers Calls Forth DenunciatiOn-A
Sustain It-Considered an Attempt to
End the Strike.
lBy Telegraph to the Evening Journal
PITTsBURe, Oct. When the news
that the charge of treason had been
brought against the advisory committee
q reached Homestead last evening, it
4 shocked the people. The locked-out men
& were puzzled and declared that they did
not know what it meant. They were
n unanimous in the belief that this thing
Of entering charges had gone too far,
8 saying that the charge of treason re-
hected upon their standing as American
citizens and against their patriotism.
Altogether it was roundly denounced.
& 1t was believed by the men that the
object of the arrests is to get the leaders
\ out of the way so that the others will go
to work.
w. J. Brennan, attorney for the de-
PENDANTS. was not greatly surprised at
the charge, though he had no thought
Of any charge against his clients being
made for the supreme court. Il do not
believe that the charge will ever be sus-
tanned" said Mr. Brennan, beca
there was no element of treason in the
acts of men. There must be a general
purpose to destroy and resist all rightful
and legal authority The single act of
an individual, or of a mob of men in a
case like we have had at Homestead is
described by the laws of the state as riot
and as the acts of mob.
'1t was wrong for the strikers to pre-
vent men from entering the works at
Homestead. and it was wrong for them
to enter them and nobody on earth re-
grets these acts now as much as they do.
They were committed in the heat of ex-
citement and to prevent a disorder of a
more serious nature. Probably some of
the acts alleged, if committed were
simply expedients resOrted to, that ad-
vantage might be gained in the strike,
but treason, or plot to overthrow the
government, as alleged, was farthest
from their thoughts.
'swin Never be Convicted"
II am very free to state upon the in
formation l have received about the pro
ceedings that the men will never be con
victed on that charge. They are just a.
loyal citizens as there are in Allegheny
county, but have passions like al
human beings, and under great provOca
tion will fight.
President William Weihe, of the Anal
gamated Association, was unusuallybland
when questioned about the suprem
courts action and the charge of treason
He did not have a word to say, excep
that he had not heard of it before, anC
not being lawyer, could not give al
opinion on such a subject He said h
did not know whether or not there wer
any grounds for the charge.
First Case of Treason.
'This will be the first case of treaso
ever tried in the state of Pennsylvania,
said P c. Knox, attorney for the Cal
negie Steel company. 'In fact there wa
never anything exactly similar. III
only case coming near it was the proceed
ings growing out of the French con
mune.
This case win attract as much, if NJ
more. interest than did the famous tril
OF Aaron BUTT. we are bringing Luet
proceedings to see whether the laws
PENNSYLVANIA or the edicts of the Hom
stead advisory committee are to rule I'll
commonwealth The committee took IL
law into their own hands, ignoring IL
government of the state We thin
this constitutes treason. The charge
grave one, and comes before a fu
bench of the supreme court of Pennsy
vania.
"The maximum sentence a man ca
receive for treason is twelve years in IL
penitentiary. The cases may come L
Immediately or it may be some time b
fore they are heard. If the prisone
demand a hearing they will get it
once. The crime is bailable, the amour
of bond being fixed by Chief Justi
Paxson.
'Since early in August this treasC
charge has been pending. When Il
Homesteaders were arrested for conspi
acy the attorneys wanted to. follow
with charge of treason. To this Chai
man Frick objected and the idea WI
dropped for while.
A Grand Finale.
"About month ago it was decided
proceed with the treason charge al
have il ready to spring as grand final
Every movement of the company and
attorneys in this matter has been OF {
most secret nature.
THE bill was printed in the dead
night and everything to keep 1t from
public ear was done. Until Judge Paxs
issued his warrants yesterday afternO
but few had heard of it. 1t is safe
say that this move was not even thong
of bv the Homestead strikers"
THE WARRANTS ISSUED.