The Washington herald., 1909-08-29
Commercial and Industrial.

The first serious armed encounter be-
tween the Pressed Steel Car Company
strikers at McKees Rocks, Pa, and the
officers and troopers stationed there 70
protect the plant of the company ACQUIRED
last Sunday night. August p. when a
large crowd Of strikers assembled near
the gates Of the stockade about the mills.
Many of the wives Of the strikers were
there. urging the men to do something,
and when hated deputy sheriff named
Exler was spied on an approaching street
car he was attacked. He emptied his re-
volver into the crowd and his fire was re-
turned with interest. Exler was shot and
beaten into insensibllity before the
mounted Constables arrived on the scene.
Then the battle became general and
scores OF people were wounded while at
least five were killed outright two OF
whom were troopers, Later the deaths
reported increased TO a dozen This bat
tie had come about as the climax TO sew
eral days filed with minor clashes. show
Ing the Intense feeling which five weeks
Of idleness and the eviction OF families
from the company houses had accunu-
lated. More troopers were rushed to the
scene Of trouble on Monday and new
deputies sworn in, so that the vicinity of
the mills was patroled night and day.
and all cars were stopped at the village
Of Schoenville, martial law being virtually
invoked
These violent scenes close 10 the stock
ade had caused many Of the strike break
ers housed within to throw up their Jobs.
and others were reported sick from food
poisoning The company was further at
tackled at law on the charge OF peonage
preferred by several Of the strike break
u
there under false representations and then
held by force and against their will. A
complaint OF the same character was also
filed by the Austro-Hungarlan vice con-
sui, Protchneck. Informations were sworn
against President Honstot, OF the car
company, and his labor agent charging
them with forcibly OBTAINING sixty Aus
TRANS within the stockade One OF the
nformants said he was beaten when he
asked to be freed
The number Of men at this time on
strike is cOnservatively estimated at 6 600.
and they have been living on charity or
loot during the last week. About 90 per
cent OF them are foreigners. and they are
not regularly unionized. but thev have
perfected a special strike organization in
the hands OF a committee composed Of
American workmen. OF this committee
I. A. wise is the president
The charges OF peonage made against
the Pressed Steel Car Company by sew
eral strike-breakers brought from New
York were investigated by the Federal
authorities and Lawner Gulentz. counsel
for the Austrian consulate in Pittsbure
who appeared with witnesses. The lat
ter swore that they were threatened with
guns and actual blows and kicks when
they objected 10 the work or the food. and
that when they decided 20 quit they were
ordered 90 90 to work. The inquiry was
conducted by Special Agent HoagIard
of the Department OF Justice. While #
was in progress more Of the strike-break-
ers left the car plant.
The fact that r. II. Hartman the
fnancier and builder of gigantic railroad
systems, had returned from Europe a
palpably sick and feeble man was in IL
self the big news Of the week in the
world Of high finance and stock specula-
ton. Accompanied by his family, Mr..
Hartman arrived at New York on the
Kaiser Wilhelm II Tuesday, and went
direct by private car TO his new and
magnificent mansion on a mountain at
Arden. ~ Y. Prior to the ships arrival
a wireless from Hartman had been pub
lished. in which he insisted that HIS con-
dition was good, and that the condition
Of crops made the business outlook
bright. 1t was explained that while the
ship was anchored at quarantine Mr..
Hartman had been attacked with sea-
sickness. But. though pale and weak. he
faced the reporters and photographers
without reserve, and walked down the
gangplank alone and unaided. Later. on
his car, he insisted on talking freely
with the reporters while he reclined on
a couch. He parried the first question.
about his supposed control of the New
York Central by saying he would not
tell II he had control He was most will
inE=to talk about how hiss reat-rajlroad