Part 99

Q. Was the crowd about the mayor trying to protect him?

A. Yes; some of them were.

Q. You did not see anything of this crowd that came out with clubs--out of the shops?

A. No, sir; I did not.

Q. You say you heard somebody asking who it was?

A. Yes, sir; that passed through the crowd.

Q. Where did the reply, "the mayor," come from?

A. From the crowd. About the center of the crowd.

Q. Did you not hear some expression from these men that came out of the shops?

A. No, sir; I did not.

Q. Such as, "go for him," or "kill him," or something of that kind. Did you hear any expression of that kind in the crowd?

A. No, sir; I did not stand there at all. I passed right through.

Q. After the crowd got to Lackawanna avenue, where did you go?

A. I stood right there.

Q. On the corner?

A. Yes; about a couple of yards back. I stood about four or five feet away from where one of the men was struck.

Q. Where were the vigilant placed?

A. The last one stood about the corner of Mr. Hunt's store.

Q. Were they drawn up in line across the street?

A. No, sir; they were in twos, going down the street.

Q. Not this way?

A. Yes, sir.

Q. Did they halt or march off down the street?

A. They halted right there.

Q. And faced about and faced the crowd?

A. They turned towards--facing the crowd; yes, sir.

By Senator Yutzy:

Q. When the firing took place, were they facing?

A. Facing towards the crowd.

Q. Facing down this way?

A. No, sir; facing that way.

By Senator Yutzy:

Q. Were they drawn across the street in a line, or how were they placed?

A. As near as I can recollect it, they turned, and faced around. Suppose they were going down this way, [illustrating,] and they faced that way. [Illustrating.]

Q. Were they faced in a straight line across this avenue?

A. Not that I saw.

Q. Were they up and down the street--I mean, for instance, facing that side--lengthwise?

A. Yes; that is about the position they stood.

Q. Lengthwise, down this street?

A. Yes; and then they turned right around, as near as I can recollect it. When I saw them facing, each man stood right behind the other, and they turned right around and faced.

Q. In what direction?

A. Towards Washington avenue, where the crowd was coming up.

By Mr. Larrabee:

Q. Faced towards you?

A. Yes, sir.

Q. They fired pretty close to you?

A. Yes, sir. I did not know what was going on, for about a minute, until I heard one buzz pass my ear, and I thought it was time for me to get out. I ran back into Mr. Hunt's building after the fire was over, and they began to form a line across Washington--right on Washington avenue--began to form in line; then I came out.

By Senator Yutzy:

Q. The position you describe is, that they formed across Washington avenue, facing towards the shop?

A. After the firing was done, they formed to go towards the company's store.

Q. When the firing was done, where were they formed?

A. Right about the center of the street, on the street car track, coming down this way.

Q. Did not reach Washington avenue?

A. Yes; it was past it.

By Senator Reyburn:

Q. You say there was a man shot within four or five feet of you. What was he doing?

A. I could not say what he was doing. I saw him fall.

Q. You did not see what he was doing, before the shot was fired?

A. No, sir; I turned round just as he was falling, and one buzzed alongside of me, and I got.

Q. Was there any demonstration made by the crowd at all, before this firing?

A. No, sir; not that I heard.

Q. Did not see any stones thrown?

A. No, sir; the majority of the crowd was up past me, when the shots began to fire. There was one man came up, and he was talking with me, and he says, "What is this coming down the street?" and I looked around, and saw what was called the vigilants.

Q. Were you in position to see the stones when they were thrown?

A. Yes; I think I would, if there were any thrown. I stood right on a level with Lackawanna avenue.

Q. Had the crowd got across Lackawanna avenue?

A. There were some; I could not say exactly whether they crossed to the other side of the street or not.

Q. How many men were killed there?

A. Three.

Q. Whereabouts were they standing when they were killed?

A. One of them stood right at Hunt's corner, where I was standing, and as to where the others were, I could not say where they were, but after the firing was over one of them lay right in front of Monie & Pugh's bakery, and the other one lay right across from Hunt's.

Q. On this side of the street?

A. No, sir; on the other side. One of them lay on the street and one lay on the sidewalk on Washington avenue.

Q. Were they both on the right hand side of the street going up from here to Lackawanna avenue?

A. One of them was, and the other one was just outside of the side-walk.

Q. On the left hand side as you go up?

A. Yes, sir.

Q. If the firing was done in the other direction how could this man be shot upon that? You say they were facing down Washington avenue or in that direction--facing to the right up Lackawanna avenue?

A. Yes, sir; when the shots began to fire.

Q. You do not know whether this other man on the left or rear was shot at the same time or not?

A. He was shot with that volley.

Q. Did you hear any command given to fire?

A. Yes; as near as I can recollect, there was some one gave a command to fire, but who it was, I could not say.

Q. Give us the exact words if you can?

A. They said, "fire."

Q. They were all facing in the one direction when that command was given?

A. The men that were back, I could not say which way they were facing. The front were facing towards Washington avenue.

Q. And in one line?

A. Yes; all but Mr. Bolser. He was behind the crowd. I do not know whether he got as far as the crowd when the shots were fired. He stood somewhere about two or three yards back of the crowd.

Q. Was the volley fired by the whole command?

A. There were three or four shots fired, then there was a couple of seconds between, and then there was, "crack, crack, crack," right along.

Q. Was there any firing after that?

A. No, sir; not that I know of.

By Mr. Means:

Q. You said, awhile ago, that you were a member of that committee that waited upon Mr. Scranton?

A. Yes, sir.

Q. Were you chairman of the committee?

A. No, sir; I was secretary of that committee.

Q. How did Mr. Scranton treat you. Gentlemanly?

A. Yes; he did.

Q. Treated you gentlemanly and kindly?

A. Yes, sir.

Q. Just merely stated that he could not advance that twenty-five per cent.

A. Said he could not afford to advance a cent the way they were getting paid for what they sold.

* * * * *

F. L. Hitchcock, _sworn_:

By Mr. Lindsey:

Q. State your residence and business?

A. Residence Scranton; practicing law.

Q. Please give us a statement of the difficulty as it occurred in the city--as it came under your observation--in July last and the 1st day of August?

A. You want the transaction of the 1st of August?

Q. We would like to have the origin of it--as much as you can give us--the origin and causes that produced it?

A. You have had that all in detail in regard to the causes. I have nothing in addition to that. The only thing I can give you additional would be what I know of the organization of this posse and its work. While this strike was in progress and trouble became apprehended, the mayor called together an advisory committee, of which I was a member. This committee were devising ways and means for protection, and it was deemed best to organize this posse. I suggested, among other things--and we immediately proceeded to organize--this force comprising a good many of the old soldiers of the town, and got together a force of some one hundred and twenty or one hundred and thirty men, I think. We gathered together what arms we could find, and we commenced to drill. In the meantime we were sworn in as special policemen by the mayor, and we held ourselves in readiness constantly to protect the city and preserve the peace. Our head-quarters were established at the iron company's store, and for several evenings prior to the 1st of August we had been there--most of us--during the evening until twelve o'clock, and a large force all night, apprehending trouble. On the evening before the 1st of August we had resolved not to stay up there any longer, considering it unnecessary. I was sitting in my office, about ten o'clock, when the superintendent came down and told me he apprehended further trouble that night, and he wished us to get our posse together and go there that night. I immediately went up to Doud's store, where Captain Ripple said he would be, to communicate with him.

Q. Where is Doud's store?

A. Just above the corner of Washington avenue.

Q. State where the iron-works store is.

A. Still further up--at the corner--clear up. The iron company's store is at the corner of Jefferson avenue and Lackawanna. On my way up there, crossing Washington avenue, I noticed a number of persons looking down the avenue, and I stopped to see what they were looking at, and then for the first time saw this crowd approaching. I knew nothing of the meeting at the silk-works, and I was very apprehensive at the appearance of things. I went to the mayor's office and asked him if he could explain the meaning of that vast crowd coming towards the city. He said he did not know. He thought a moment, and said it was the meeting at the silk-works breaking up, and I said it does not look like breaking up; it is coming to town. "Very well," he says, "you get the posse together at the head-quarters, and await my orders." I immediately gathered together as many of the men as I could, and there we remained until we saw them driving the men out of the shops, clubbing and stoning people. They drove the men out of the furnaces, and they came out on to the track, frightened like a flock of sheep, fleeing for their lives. Mr. Scranton came up and said "What will we do?" I suggested we go down and protect them; we had a right to protect people in their work. "Very well," he said, "I would do that;" and he immediately communicated to Superintendent McKinney, and he said, the men had gone home, and were afraid to work; there was no use. I said our duty was to wait until we were called upon by the mayor. Very soon afterwards we received a summons that there was trouble below. We immediately formed in line and marched down the avenue two and two. We had, I suppose--we counted off before we started--thirty-eight men; but our force received some additions, so we must have had in the neighborhood of fifty.

Q. When you got to Washington avenue?

A. When we got to Lackawanna avenue, coming down. I was unable to find any one of the officers of the posse, when I notified the men, and acting First Sergeant Bartholomew was in command. He came to me and said I must act as second lieutenant. I was acting then as second lieutenant near the rear of the column. As we approached Washington avenue, we noticed there was a large crowd there, whooping and yelling. There was some stones thrown as we approached, and quite a number of those missiles came in behind us very thick. The crowd parted and let us through. We came down on the street car track. As we passed the avenue--the rear of the line passed the avenue--these missiles became thicker, and some pistol shots were fired, and a number of our guns, I noticed, were leveled. I turned around, and two or three of the men had their guns down to shoot. I yelled to them not to shoot, and they raised their guns again. This attack became much more furious, and we appeared to be in danger of being swallowed up, destroyed, and the whole line fired. I supposed three or four shots fired first, and then the whole line fired. A number of the guns--two of the guns, I think--were seized by the rioters and attempted to be wrested from the men before any firing took place--tried to be taken from the men. Several of the men were hit--several pistol shots were fired. This was all done before our men fired a gun. Then, I suppose, there were about fifty or sixty shots fired. Immediately the whole field was clear, and everything was stopped. We marched back to head-quarters, and after we marched back there, our force was gathered in until we had about two hundred men on duty--two hundred men altogether. We formed a line across the avenue, picketed the streets at the head-quarters, and remained in that position all day and all night. Three men were killed by the volleys. Two of the men fell near that corner on the right side, and one on the left.

By Senator Yutzy:

Q. In the first place, where did the stones appear to come from and the pistol shots, before your men fired?

A. Came from the crowd. Came from both sides.

Q. From Washington street?

A. Yes, sir; and some from the other side also.

Q. Both sides of Lackawanna?

A. They were at the junction of Washington avenue and Lackawanna. These men came up Washington avenue, and they divided and let us through, so that there was a large force back of us on Washington avenue. As we came down we went right through them, and they attacked us on both sides.

Q. What position were the men in when the firing took place?

A. They were faced this way, in column of twos--facing this way, and they simply faced about and fired both ways in the crowd.

Q. Faced outwards, both ranks?

A. Yes, sir.

Q. What position did you take next?

A. After the fire?

Q. Yes?

A. After the firing--after a few moments--we marched back to head-quarters, and formed a line right across Lackawanna avenue, at the company's store.

Q. Had you, at any time, formed across Lackawanna avenue during the time you were at Washington avenue?

A. No; we just remained along the line of the street car track.

Q. Parallel with Lackawanna?

A. Yes, sir. We were on our way down to the mayor's office, and the attack stopped us, and compelled us to fire.

Q. About how many pistol shots did you hear before your men fired?

A. There was a great deal of noise and disturbance, and I could not tell how--exactly how many. There was one or two reports heard. How many I could not tell. There was a great deal of stones thrown, and a very excited time.

Q. Was the mob very demonstrative?

A. Yes; fearfully so--most terrible sight I ever saw. They seemed to be perfectly infuriated. I never saw men more like devils in my life.

Q. Hear any expressions from any of them?

A. Oh, yes; all kinds of expressions. "Kill the sons of bitches," "Take their guns," and all that kind of thing.

Q. Did you see the mayor in the vicinity of the firing?

A. No, sir; I did not see the mayor until after the firing was over. Just as the firing ceased the mayor came to us on the pavement.

Q. The man that was killed on the south side of Lackawanna avenue, was he near the corner?

A. I think there was one right near the corner.

Q. Did you see him shot?

A. I recollect seeing the two men fall--yes, I saw them as they fell, drop on to the ground.

Q. Was he making any demonstration towards the posse?

A. I do not know as to any individual, nor I could not pick out any individual. A large man there swung a club and was very demonstrative. Whether he was shot or not, I do not know. The man I did not know at all personally.

Q. On what day was this posse organized?

A. That I am not able to give you--the exact date from memory. We have got a record.

Q. Was it before or after the Pittsburgh riots?

A. I am unable to say. I judge it was--perhaps it was a little after that--what was the date of that?

By Mr. Lindsey:

Q. It commenced the 19th, but the destruction of property was on the 22d?

A. This was after that, I think. I think it was one of the reasons why we were supposed to take care of ourselves if we could. I think that was one of the reasons that actuated the advisory board. The idea was that we were isolated from all, and that we either had to take care of ourselves or take the chances of being stamped out.

Q. And this vigilance committee was organized for the purpose of protecting property?

A. Nothing else, sir. Preserving peace and protecting property, and for no special property. Protecting the public peace. I might say the reason why we had our head-quarters at the company's store, was simply because we were unable to get any other place. We were unable to get the Second National Bank and other halls--the board of directors refused us admission. Said that would bring the fury of the mob down upon them. Mr. Scranton came forward and said we could occupy their store. We offered to pay for these other places. We were some three days trying to get a place.

By Senator Yutzy:

Q. Could you see the men being driven out of the shops or any of the works from this store?

A. Yes. We could see them. I saw them before I got to the store. I saw them driving them out of the railroad shop and the furnaces before I went into the store.

Q. The mob following the men?

A. I saw men following them. Stones thrown at them. Following them with clubs, and the men fleeing for their lives. I saw them at all these places.

Q. The mob following these men. What was it composed of--boys?

A. I suppose boys sixteen to eighteen years old. Some of them were men. I noticed quite a number of those were young fellows--eighteen, twenty, to twenty-five years old.

Q. Was information made against you, as one of the posse, for murder?

A. Yes, sir.

Q. For manslaughter?

A. I think the indictment was murder.

Q. Were you arrested?

A. Yes, sir.

Q. By whom?

A. We went down and gave ourselves up. I was not one of those arrested by the constable.

Q. Not formally?

A. I went down before the court, and entered bail before the court--the whole of our posse--some fifty altogether.

Q. How many of your posse were tried?

A. The whole number, I think. Of those, there were some three or four that were proven not to have been present; that were arraigned as part of our posse.

Q. At the preliminary hearing were dismissed?

A. Yes, sir. Dismissed by the court.

Q. Had you a preliminary hearing before the court?

A. We gave bail, and on the trial a number of those persons were proven not to have been present. They were all tried. The judge directed a verdict of acquittal before it went to the jury.

Q. Then you had no preliminary hearing at all?

A. No, sir.

By Mr. Lindsey:

Q. How many were indicted for murder?

A. Some fifty.

Q. Some for murder, and some for manslaughter?

A. I think they were all on the same indictment of murder--all in one indictment, sir.

Q. And all tried?

A. Yes; all tried. There were three cases, but we were all on them. There were three different indictments. One case was made a test case for them all, and the other two the verdict was taken without any evidence at all, following the first one.

Q. One case was made a test case?

A. There were indictments in each of the three cases of Mr. Langon, Lane, and Dunledin. I think the case that was tried was for the murder of Langon. That was the one that was actually contested.

Q. The case that was contested--was that submitted to a jury?

A. Oh, yes; with the exception of those parties who were proved not present.

* * * * *

Carlos W. McKinney, _sworn_:

By Mr. Lindsey:

Q. State where you reside?

A. The corner of Adams avenue and Spruce street, Ninth ward.

Q. What is your business?

A. Superintendent blast furnace, Lackawanna Iron Company.

Q. On the 1st day of August, state where you were?

A. The morning of the first day of August, I went to the furnaces as usual. The furnaces had been idle for sometime before; that they had banked them up, and I got the men to go out and commence operations again. After working two or three days, on the 1st day of August there was a party assembled at the silk-works, while my men were at work at the furnaces. I was notified that there was a party down there, and there would probably be trouble. I went up about nine o'clock in the morning, at the top of the iron company's store, took a field glass and saw a large crowd at the silk-works. I saw the party start up Washington avenue from the silk-works, and I then went down near the steel-works, on an embankment, so that I could have a good view. I didn't know but that they were just going to make a parade through the streets, but when they arrived up as far as the iron company's machine shops--boiler shops--a large party of them left the main line, and passed off into the machine shops and drove the machine shop hands out. I saw them stoning them, and throwing clubs at them, from where I stood. After that a large number of them came up towards the blast furnaces. A small track led in down to the machine shops. I then went down to the blast furnaces, and made arrangements to cast. I told the men it looked like trouble, and I thought we better get out what iron there was in the furnace, and in case the men came upon us we would throw the blast out. I looked around, and saw the crowd coming up, right at the foot of the furnace, probably a thousand of them; we were just then about done casting. I saw the men could not stop long enough to stop the furnace, and told them to run, and I threw the blast off myself. I passed then, off to the engine-house, told the engineer to stop the engine and take the blast off, which he did. By this time the crowd had followed me, and I went up to the iron company's store, and met the general manager there, Mr. Scranton, and told him what had occurred at the furnace, and asked him what should be done. He said, we would wait and see. At that time nearly all the superintendents and foremen had come to the office, and reported that they had been stopped, and their men had been driven off. Then we had collected citizens and people working for the iron company, some forty-four men, that were up in the store. Mr. Scranton, after waiting awhile, said we had better fall in and go down and offer our services to the mayor, as we had already been appointed special policemen for the protection of iron property, and the property in general. And he headed the line--got them in column of two, and made the remark that we might as well die as any other time, and told them to follow. We marched out of the company's store, came down Lackawanna avenue to the corner of Washington here, and we met the crowd which had left the blast furnace, and passed to the shops of the D., L. and W. Quite a number were already on Lackawanna avenue, probably half a block up. We passed them, and they said nothing particular until we got past Washington avenue. I was on the rear end of the line with Bartry, and Mr. Scranton was at the head. After passing Washington avenue, the main body of the mob that came from below, came around rushing into Lackawanna avenue, and there was one man, I don't know who he was--they said his name was Langon--who came up to the line on the side where I was, and he had a stick about that long, [indicating,] and as I came by he shook his fist. I made no reply or anything. Then he turned to the crowd and says, "Fall in, boys, fall in, boys." They were rushing up. Then somebody hollered out, Take the guns away from them, they have blank cartridges. They were probably twenty-five feet from us, and Bartry and myself motioned them to stay back. At that time somebody fired a gun down the line, and when the first gun was fired a general fire commenced. After the crowd dispersed, we formed up in column of twos again, faced the other way, and marched back to the store.

Q. How many persons were killed?

A. There were three killed.

Q. How many wounded?

A. I don't know, sir; we have never been able to find out.

Q. Were any of the posse wounded?

A. Yes; I was wounded. A pistol ball in my knee, shot by a man who was on the corner, next to Jack Slagle.

Q. On the left hand side going up Lackawanna?