Part 10
A. The first difficulties, which were brought on by the employés of the company taking possession of the engines and trains, were, so far as I could judge, or saw, exclusively by those who had been railroad employés up to that point. The action which Mr. Pitcairn took with reference to that when they took that possession I cannot state. Things went on, with a great crowd accumulating from that Thursday morning, and while I say, as a lawyer, that there was a riot and mob there from Thursday morning down until the firing began, with a crowd constantly accumulating, as it would on account of any disturbance that had occurred, yet there seemed to be a feeling that it was not that kind of a riot or mob that called for the interposition of a very vigorous public sentiment to put it down; but, when the military were brought for the purpose of regaining possession of the property, and the collision was actually brought on, I can say that the mob was made up of a great many other people than railroad employés. I did not see them, nor was actually among them so I could identify any of the railroad employés, or any persons outside, but from my knowledge of the immense crowd which was assembled at Twenty-eight street as I went in and out, there were undoubtedly a great many other than railroad employés about the scene of violence, and I have no doubt participating in it.
By Mr. Larrabee:
Q. You say that while the employés were in possession of the cars of the company, there seemed to be no such riot as required the intervention of public sentiment to put it down?
A. I did not intend to say that, but that while it was confined to railroad employés public sentiment did not seem to manifest itself as requiring any decided interposition to put that down. In other words, I am bound in candor to say, when asked for it, that public sentiment here very clearly distinguished between the act of breaking the law on the part of the employés in taking possession of the railroad property, and stopping commerce at this point, and the act of rioting and incendiarism which followed in consequence of that initial breaking of the law.
Q. That is, that public sentiment did not assert itself vigorously against the employés taking possession of the cars and engines prior to the actual outbreak and destruction of property?
A. That is what I mean.
Q. In other words, public sentiment sympathized with the rioters?
A. I am a citizen of Pittsburgh, and here along with the rest of them, am bound to say that the newspapers pretty fairly reflected the public sentiment in what they said. If you wish to see what it was, instead of asking my opinion, owing to my relation with the railroad company, if you will take the editorials of the various morning and evening newspapers from the 19th of July, from the day on which this thing occurred, down until some days after the actual firing occurred, I think you will find that the editors evidently tried to reflect the public sentiment, and I think they succeeded pretty well in doing it. If you wish to get that you had better ask the sheriff what responses the people made to him when he asked them to become part of his _posse_. I did not hear what was said, but the sheriff knows.
By Mr. Lindsey:
Q. Did the sheriff succeed in raising a _posse comitatus?_
A. He said to us in the Union depot he could not, and reported to me the next morning that he could not do it.
By Mr. Engelbert:
Q. Have you any knowledge whether the mayor tried to subdue the riot or assist the sheriff in trying to subdue the riot?
A. I have not any personal knowledge of the mayor's action.
Q. Was he in the city during the time, or not?
A. Not to my personal knowledge, again. I did make one effort to have accomplished what I thought would have conduced somewhat to the public peace that afternoon, Saturday afternoon. That is the only fact within my own knowledge. About one o'clock, Saturday, seeing a large number of people attracted to the depot, and knowing that a large number of operatives were free from work that afternoon, I thought it a measure of precaution for the mayor to close the drinking saloons in the city. I drew up a paper, stating this fact, as politely as I could, and that paper was signed by Mr. Thaw and Mr. McCullough, officers of the company, and I took it over and had Secretary Quay and Adjutant General Latta sign it also, and then sent it up to the mayor, and the messenger reported to me that he had left it at the mayor's office in the hands of his chief clerk, I think he said; I never heard any more of it.
By Mr. Lindsey:
Q. Who was that messenger?
A. His name I cannot give you, but I placed it in the hands of D. H. Rudy; he can give you the name of the messenger who sent it up. That is the answer that I got, that he left it in the mayor's office. What was done with it I do not know.
By Mr. Engelbert:
Q. Do you know whether he complied with it or not?
A. I can only say that the drinking saloons were not closed, and I did not see any proclamation closing them.
Q. So if you were not a citizen of Pittsburgh, do you suppose you would think that the mayor had done his duty, as an officer ought to, at that particular time?
A. Being a citizen of Pittsburgh, I cannot put myself in the position of not being one. I will have to leave you to judge.
By Mr. Lindsey:
Q. At the time you first spoke of meeting the crowd of employés, and their taking possession of the engines on Thursday--the first outbreak you spoke of what was done on the part of the railroad company to ascertain the cause of that commotion?
A. I did not understand that there was any secret about the causes of it all. I am giving now the public understanding. My understanding was simply this: That an order had been made--Mr. Pitcairn can tell you more fully about that--an order requiring the running of, what are called double header trains--two engines to one train, and some of the employés alleged that that imposed on them additional work without additional pay. I believe that is the short of it, and rather than comply with it, they struck. I understood that was made the cause of beginning the disturbances here.
Q. Did you or any one, on behalf of the railroad company, communicate with those men?
A. I did not. I understood the operating officers did, but I cannot tell what occurred between them.
* * * * *
Robert Pitcairn, _sworn with uplifted hand_:
By Mr. Lindsey:
Q. What is your residence?
A. Shady Side.
Q. What is your official connection with the Pennsylvania Railroad Company?
A. General agent or superintendent of the Pittsburgh division.
Q. How long have you held that position?
A. I came here the last time in the spring of 1865. I have been here three times. Since that spring I have been superintendent of the division.
Q. Now give us your statement about the riots. Tell us whether there were any differences of opinion or disagreements between the Pennsylvania Railroad Company and the employés prior to the 20th of July last.
A. There were no more differences than there have been since the road has been opened. There have always been differences.
Q. Was there any difference existing at that time?
A. No more than heretofore. The company reduced the wages of all officers and employés ten per cent. in June.
Q. Of 1877?
A. Yes. There was a good deal of friction and complaint. Committees called upon me, and committees from the different divisions of the road visited Mr. Scott, the president, and had conferences with him on the subject. They complained because of the reduction. He explained that the cause of it was the condition of the country, and that as soon as business would become brighter, that then the company would entertain their petitions and would act fairly with them, when the committee, as they informed me, as Colonel Scott and others informed me, professed their satisfaction, and said there would be no trouble, but that they would work harmoniously.
Q. That was on what date?
A. I cannot remember the date; it was after the ten per cent. reduction.
Q. What was the date of that?
A. I think it was in June--May or June.
Q. Was there any further reduction after that time, and prior to the riot?
A. There was no reduction in wages.
Q. Was there an increase of duty or work placed upon the employés?
A. That is a question of opinion altogether. The company for many years back--the officers have been trying all in their power to economically manage the road, loading the engines to their full capacity and making them up differently. There is hardly a year passes, but that some of the officers finds some way of more economically running the road. There was an order given to make up what we call double-headers between Pittsburgh and Derry. Since the road has been opened we have always run double-headed, and sometimes three engines ahead and one behind, between Altoona and Conemaugh. The object in running the double-headers to Derry was for the purpose of making the trains go through to Philadelphia without being divided; that is, it takes two engines to haul a train from Pittsburgh to Derry, whether two engines ahead or behind, or two separate trains; and to avoid the delay of running two separate trains to Derry, one ahead waiting for the other, we put two engines in front of the trains, when one engine cuts the train going to Conemaugh, and the one put behind goes down to Altoona, and goes through from there.
Q. What was the date of that order?
A. The order of running double-headers on all through trains was the morning of Thursday, but we had always run double-headers between Pittsburgh and Derry, perhaps from one half to two thirds. The order was to take effect on that Thursday, and was to make them all double-headers.
Q. Did the men make any complaint about that order?
A. They made no complaint.
Q. To you or to any other officer of the road?
A. Not that I am aware of. Up to that time we always considered the double-headers a question of economy.
Q. Did that order require the discharge of any number of men, or did it not?
A. It did.
Q. By that order you could run your trains with a less number of men?
A. We could run them with a less number of conductors and brakemen, but not of engineers and firemen. As many double-headers as we had would take off one single crew of conductors and brakemen each.
Q. You heard no complaint about that order?
A. Not that I am aware of; but the men were always complaining about something.
Q. That was on Thursday. What was the first riotous occurrence showing that the men were dissatisfied after the issuing of that order?
A. I had leave of absence on Thursday morning to go to Philadelphia. For a few days previous I had asked the men--asked the subordinate officers--as I always do when I see them, if there is any trouble. I was assured then that our men were more satisfied and loyal than they had been, and I was perfectly free in my mind in going away on Thursday morning. I left in the day express on the Thursday morning when the trouble began.
Q. How far did you go before receiving intelligence of the trouble?
A. When I reached Altoona I got a telegram from Mr. Watt, who represented me here, saying that a few of the men, after the train I was on had left, had refused to go out on the double-headers, and that they were trying to create a disturbance, and saying what action he had taken, and that his idea was that it would be all right, and for me not to stop off but to go on, that the matter would be all right.
Q. What hour did you receive that?
A. About twelve twenty, when I reached Altoona. I had no train to return on and I thought I would go on the day express and think over the subject, and when I reached Lewistown I made up my mind that I would return. So I arranged for my family, who were accompanying me, to go on, and I returned on the fast line from Lewistown, reaching here at eleven thirty.
Q. In the evening?
A. Yes; eleven twenty-five. On my way west I telegraphed to my subordinate officers to meet me in Pittsburgh. I intended to get off at the outer depot, Twenty-eighth street, but there was a large crowd there, and I came to Union depot, and walked up to where my office then was, at Twenty-sixth street, and on my way I met a carriage with the Honorable John Scott and Mr. Watt and the sheriff. I got in the carriage and went to my office, at Twenty-sixth street, and there found my subordinate officers, and General Pearson was there.
Q. Who were your subordinate officers?
A. Joseph Fox, road foreman; John Major, road foreman; David Garrett, assistant trainmaster; Edward Pitcairn, trainmaster; Joseph McCabe, general dispatcher. Mr. Scott, the sheriff, and all the parties there were consulting and talking together, when the sheriff made up his mind to go up to Twenty-eighth street, where the crowd was interfering and preventing trains from running. I wanted to go up and talk to the men, when my subordinates prevented me, and said there was no use of my going up, because none of our men were there. Few, if any, of our own men were there. It was a crowd. They persuaded me to remain, while the sheriff and General Pearson went up to Twenty-eighth street. They came back and reported the result of their attempt to disperse the crowd, when the communications, as stated by Mr. Scott----
Q. What did the sheriff and General Pearson report to you?
A. They said they went up and went to the crowd and called to the crowd to disperse and go to their homes, and they made no impression, and received nothing but vulgar abuse.
Q. Did they go alone?
A. Unless one or two of my men went with them. One or two went with them.
Q. At what hour was that?
A. About twelve o'clock, Thursday night.
Q. What then occurred?
A. Then came the communications to the different parties. The Governor, and Mr. Quay, and Lieutenant Governor Latta, and Adjutant General Latta, and then came the replies, and the message to General Pearson to order out one of the regiments, I think, which he did.
By Senator Yutzy:
Q. From whom did this order come?
A. Adjutant General Latta.
By Mr. Lindsey:
Q. What time did he receive that dispatch from General Latta?
A. Between twelve and half past four in the morning. I think the order calling out the troops came after the Governor's message. All left the office about half past four. General Pearson, who had written his orders about the regiment before, and I parted at the Union depot. General Pearson went down town, and Mr. Scott, Mr. Watt, and myself went to the Union depot hotel for the purpose of retiring.
Q. When you came in from Altoona did you notice the disturbance at Twenty-eighth street?
A. Yes.
Q. To what extent?
A. It was dark, and I could not see any of the crowd. I do not know how many were there.
Q. What was the crowd doing then?
A. Yelling--talking loud.
Q. Were they stopping trains?
A. I do not know; they did not stop our train. I went to bed; but it was not five minutes until I received another telegram, and another, pertaining to the business of the road. So I got up. There were a number of messages from President Scott and the general superintendent. They had an idea we could move the trains in the morning, and were giving different orders about stock and different things.
Q. Did you make any effort to move a train on Friday morning?
A. We were continually making efforts; we never ceased.
Q. What effort did you make to move the trains on Friday morning?
A. The efforts to move the trains on Friday morning were, securing the crews and firing up the engines, and having everything ready to move when we could get through the crowd.
Q. Did you succeed in securing the crews?
A. Yes.
Q. Were they new men, or old employés?
A. Old employés. I want you to bear in mind, that in starting the trains, the crews were always there, professing their readiness to go out, and at no time had we not sufficient crews to take the whole number of cars out.
By Senator Reyburn:
Q. Who stopped you from running the trains?
A. The crowd.
By Mr. Larrabee:
Q. What was the crowd?
A. I did not know them.
By Senator Reyburn:
Q. Any of your own men?
A. I was about continually, and I do not think I ever saw over three or four of my own men in any crowd, if you leave out the sub-officers.
By Mr. Lindsey:
Q. On Friday morning you had crews enough to start all the trains; did you give orders to start?
A. To be ready to start.
Q. But you did not give any order to start?
A. No.
Q. For what reasons?
A. To get assistance to keep the crowd off our property.
Q. Did you think at that time that the crowd was so large that the trains could not run through it?
A. Not without killing them. They had charge of the switches there.
By Senator Yutzy:
Q. The crowd had?
A. Yes.
By Mr. Lindsey:
Q. Do you think if a train had started you could have run it through the crowd, and gone on--in your opinion?
A. If the crowd had not turned the switches. The switchmen were there, but under the management of the crowd.
Q. Did you go up there where that crowd was Friday morning, to see, of your own knowledge, whether the trains could run through or not?
A. On Friday morning we had a crowd at two points, Twenty-eighth street and at Torrens station. To both places I went.
Q. How large a crowd was at Twenty-eighth street that morning--Friday morning?
A. On Friday morning, to connect my story, I went up with General Pearson at Twenty-eighth street, and he talked to the crowd. I think the sheriff was along.
Q. How large a crowd did you find there?
A. I never was at Twenty-eighth street that evening.
Q. On Friday morning?
A. I have very little idea about the numbers of a crowd--it was a very large crowd.
By Senator Reyburn:
Q. Was your road-way blocked up?
A. Yes.
By Mr. Lindsey:
Q. Were any of your men among that crowd--your employés?
A. As I said before, I never recognized, I would be safe in saying half a dozen of our men that I knew.
Q. From Twenty-eighth street did you go out to Torrens?
A. Yes.
Q. How large a crowd was there?
A. I would say six hundred or a thousand. There was a crowd. I have no idea what number a crowd is.
Q. Did you find any of the railroad employés among that crowd?
A. I found one man that I knew as an employé, but I cannot name him. He talked to me, that is the reason I remember him.
Q. Were any of the switches turned, at that time, at Torrens?
A. None, to my knowledge.
Q. The track was clear at that time, so that the trains could have run through if they had allowed it?
A. Not to my personal knowledge.
By Senator Reyburn:
Q. Who seemed to be directing the crowd. That is, the mob?
A. There seemed to be an understanding, from the remarks made by the crowd, that they had sufficient force to prevent the trains going out. As for example: At Torrens a party told me it was bread or blood, and they could get any number of men to come up and prevent the running through of any train until the matter was arranged with them.
Q. Was that man an employé of the road?
A. He was, but I do not remember his name.
Q. What position did he hold on the road?
A. A train man. He may have been a flag man. I thought I knew his name, and came down to see a party arrested, but it was not the man. I have not seen him since.
By Senator Yutzy:
Q. Were those threats made by the crowd or by this one man?
A. By a single man.
Q. Were the threats made about preventing the running of the trains by employés or others?
A. By outsiders. They could not get enough employés to stop the trains.
By Mr. Dewees:
Q. When you doubled up the trains, how many men did you relieve. That is, on the morning of the Thursday that this outbreak occurred?
A. If there were ten single trains and I doubled up, I saved five conductors and five flagmen and ten brakemen.
Q. What became of those men?
A. They were suspended.
Q. Was anything said to them, that they were suspended for a certain time, or were they just dropped?
A. Those crews were not suspended, but that many men, and a great many more, because the business had gone down, were suspended, and we were choosing the married men and the old men. The old men and the married men were chosen, in preference to the single men.
By Mr. Larrabee:
Q. But by suspension do you mean discharge, or do you mean suspension temporarily?
A. They were given to understand that there was no more work.
By Mr. Dewees:
Q. This was one of the causes, this doubling up, as I understood you to say, that created the dissatisfaction here at this point?
A. That is what they say.
By Senator Yutzy:
Q. Did you not only reduce your crews, so far as the conductors and brakemen and flagmen were concerned, one half of a train, if it was sent out as a double-header?
A. One half of the trains we were running single between Pittsburgh and Derry.
By Mr. Lindsey:
Q. Were any of the discharged men among the crowd at Twenty-eighth street or at Torren's station that morning?
A. Yes; I saw quite a number of men who had been discharged for cause as well as suspended on account of the reduction.
Q. You deemed it unsafe from that time on to start your trains, from the time you visited Twenty-eighth street and Torren's station that morning?
A. The sheriff and General Pearson--the sheriff ordered the crowd to disperse and General Pearson, in fact, made a calm and warning speech, and told them what his orders were, that the military had been ordered out and what the consequences would be, and coaxed and pleaded with them to disperse before the military came up that had been ordered out.
Q. What time did the military come up?
A. In regard to the time of any of those occurrences, from Thursday until it was all over I was not in bed, and it is kind of cloudy in my mind as to the different hours; but as to the hour, I should say that this was about twelve or one o'clock, Friday.
By Senator Yutzy:
Q. When the military came at the crowd?
A. Yes.
By Mr. Lindsey:
Q. How many companies came on the ground at that time?
A. First one company--they were very straggling.
Q. Who commanded the first company that came?
A. I do not know.
Q. It was under the general direction of General Pearson?
A. Yes.
Q. At what point were they stationed?
A. That I cannot tell. On Friday--I cannot tell. I do not remember if there were any soldiers at Twenty-eighth street. I cannot tell. Friday night the Pittsburgh troops were brought out.
Q. What time did the first burning or destruction of property by fire commence?
A. Friday night the troops were stationed at Torrens.
Q. What time did the first burning commence?
A. I do not know that--I cannot say.
Q. Do you know where it commenced?
A. Only from hearsay. A great deal occurred between Friday night and Saturday night.
By Mr. Engelbert:
Q. When the sheriff and General Pearson went to the mob, was the mayor of the city, at that time, acting in conjunction with them?
A. I never saw the mayor.
Q. You do not know whether he issued a proclamation or assisted in any way whatever?
A. No.
Q. You do not know whether he took an active part in the matter of suppressing the riot?
A. No.
Q. Was he called on?
A. Only Mr. Watt informed me on Thursday morning, and then the sheriff was called Thursday evening.
By Senator Yutzy:
Q. Who was called first?
A. The mayor, according to my information.
By Mr. Engelbert:
Q. He did not respond?
A. Mr. Watt will tell you that.
Q. You have no personal knowledge about that?
A. No; it was before I arrived on Thursday night.
By Mr. Lindsey:
Q. Do you know when the first call was made on the sheriff, of your own knowledge?
A. Thursday night.
By Senator Yutzy:
Q. Did he respond?
A. Yes--in my office.
Q. With a force?
A. He had one man.
By Mr. Lindsey:
Q. Who was the man with him?
A. I did not know him.
Q. Do you know what effort he made to secure a force?
A. Only what he told me.