(Copy.)
PITTSBURGH, _July 28, 1877_.
Hon. R. H. FIFE, _Sheriff Allegheny county, Pennsylvania_:
SIR: Yours of date 25th instant came to hand July 26, at 7.20,
P.M., in which you request the aid of the National Guard of
Pennsylvania to protect the property of the several railroad
companies centering in the city of Pittsburgh, now threatened by
mobs. You will, wherever there may be any riotous proceedings,
bring all the powers with which you are clothed to disperse the
rioters. After you have made such effort and are overpowered, your
_posse comitatus_ completely driven from the ground, then I am
ready and fully able to assist you, and am now ready to assist you,
when assured your power is exhausted.
Very respectfully,
_Joseph Brown_,
_Brigadier General commanding Sixth Division N.G.P._
Received July 28, 1877, at 9.30, A.M.
I sent a verbal message to ask General Brown whether he thought it was
his duty to wait until the _posse comitatus_ was completely driven
from the ground. If his duty was merely to bury the dead, we could get
somebody to do that as well as him.
Q. This is dated the 28th?
A. It was after any actual destruction of property, and this railroad
property was still held by the rioters, and they wouldn't allow trains
to move.
By Mr. Larrabee:
Q. It was a week after the Saturday?
A. It was just a week. The Governor hadn't arrived with his troops, and
didn't arrive until some days afterwards--the next week.
Q. What troops did General Brown have under his control?
A. General Brown had under his control the Fourteenth regiment and the
Eighteenth regiment and the Nineteenth regiment, Pennsylvania National
Guards, all raised in and about this place.
Q. Do you know how many of them were on duty at that time?
A. I cannot say how many were on duty, except from what I have heard,
but I have heard the number estimated, and I think I have heard
military men say some three or four hundred altogether. General Brown's
head-quarters was less than one square from the court-house, and we
could get no answer from him at all until two days afterwards. He says
in his reply he received the communication, twenty minutes past seven,
P.M., on the 26th. After waiting two days he replied, and replied in
the manner set forth.
Q. I wish you to state where Sheriff Fife was on Sunday, during the
riot, so far as you know?
A. Sheriff Fife was in the city, at home, as I have learned.
Q. During the day, Sunday?
A. The whole day Sunday. I have never heard he was out of the city at
all.
Q. Did you see him any time during Sunday in the city?
A. I didn't see him any time during the day, but I saw him on Monday,
the next day. It was reported that the sheriff had been killed--it was
telegraphed all over the country. I saw the sheriff on Monday, was in
his company, and in his office. As to the sheriff himself, I may say
this about it, that I personally advised the sheriff, when he went up
on Saturday, to constitute a deputy to take charge of this force. The
sheriff had, three times during the year preceding, been at the point
of death with heart disease, and I don't think he was in a fit
condition to go at all, but he insisted on going, and did go, both on
Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. I know nothing more, gentlemen, that I
can tell you about this.
At this point the committee adjourned until three o'clock, this
afternoon.