A. Yes, sir; just for instance, as you would stand by, and see a large
crowd passing, and you would wonder where they were going, and you
would keep looking to see that they were all directing themselves to
one point, and you would then say, well, they are going there. Then I
think that there is a Captain McAllister, who is living in Rockville, a
few miles over here on the Susquehanna, he can tell you some very
amusing things, and I don't know but a little humiliating, too. I could
not distinctly recollect all it was that he said, because it was rather
a humorous description he gave of their fright, &c.
Q. Is he a member of the National Guard?
A. No.
By Mr. Engelbert:
Q. The old gentleman?
A. No; it is the old squire, Jim--that is it, Captain James McAllister.
Q. Rockville, did you say?
A. In that neighborhood.
By Senator Yutzy:
Q. Do you know anything about the movements of the troops about the
arsenal or anywheres about this town?
A. No; I can't say. There was so much said. I think that Sheriff
Jennings and Mayor Patterson could give you a good deal of information
about the movement--the incipient movements of the troops here. Both of
those gentlemen could give you a good deal of information.
Q. Was the mayor in the city during all the time of the riots?
A. I think the mayor was, but the sheriff was not. The sheriff happened
to be away. I think, if my recollection serves me, he was either at
Atlantic City or Philadelphia at the commencement of the matter. The
mayor, though, I understand, was all the time here, but the sheriff
came, I think, just as soon as he was telegraphed for--as soon as he
could get here.
Q. Do you know what action the mayor or civil authorities took to
suppress or disperse the mob or crowd that was about the depot?
A. I was given to understand, and I think it is the truth, that he and
the sheriff, after the sheriff came here, in effect, said to a large
crowd that were round about the Lochiel hotel, that all those citizens
who were in favor of peace and order should follow; and so the mayor, I
understand, and the sheriff--at least one, if not both--led off, and
quite a number of the citizens followed them with the purpose of
protecting any property that might be threatened at the depot, and
suppress any riot that might be threatened. Then I was told further
that the mayor and the sheriff--either both or one--addressed the
crowd; but what was said exactly I don't know; but the purpose was to
preserve the peace, and that I think was the beginning of what was
called the law and order party here. Then, the law and order party was
composed of citizens of the different wards that were organized into
companies, with their captains and their lieutenants, and met at
certain points regularly, and were drilled, and patrolled the city from
early evening until late at night, and in that way order was preserved
here. If there had been any attempt to break the peace in a violent
way, outside of simple murmurings and mutterings on the part of the
crowd, these citizens were fully determined to suppress it, and they
had the means to--I mean as far as arms are concerned.
Q. What was the spirit of that mob?
A. I did not see it.
Q. When they stood before the court-house?
A. You mean when it passed there? As a matter of course, there was a
good deal of talk, and now and then you would hear a shot and a yell,
and so on; and I remember this, that I looked into the faces of some of
the men as they passed, and unless it was the effect of imagination
altogether in my mind, I would say that these men had a settled, cold,
determined look in their faces, and I apprehended trouble.
By Senator Yutzy:
Q. Were they railroad men, in their appearance?
A. No; I could not say that. My recollection is, that this man whose
countenance I looked at particularly, as he was coming towards me, was
a railroad man, but that was the only one I could see, that I believed
to be a railroad man, although the probability is that there were more
in it; but that fact I do not know.
By Mr. Dewees:
Q. Were there any strangers?
A. No; I don't think there were any strangers, although I can't say
that I recognized any of them. If they were brought before me now, I
could not say you were there or you were not there, because the fact of
the matter is, I felt a little indignation, and so expressed myself to
some police officers, that were standing, who happened to be near me. A
police officer made a remark that excited me, and I turned upon him and
berated him for what I supposed was his neglect of duty, and in that
way my attention, possibly, was a little distracted from what was just
passing at the time before me. If I understand you, you would like to
get the name of this gate-*keeper at the bridge.
Q. Can you get any other gentlemen that could relate the same fact that
Major Mumma can?
A. I cannot just now.
Q. About that squad of officers?
A. The major can. There was some people with him. McAllister's statement
refers to a different transaction from what Mumma's does. Mumma's will
be confined, if I remember rightly, to what he saw at Progress.
* * * * *
John D. Patterson, being duly _sworn_, testified as follows:
By Mr. Lindsey:
Q. You were mayor of the city of Harrisburg, I believe, in July last?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. At what day did the first disturbance appear here?
A. On Saturday evening, July 23, I think; I do not just remember the
correct date.
Q. The 21st?
A. The 21st; you are right.
Q. You may state now the character of it and where it first broke out?
A. Do you wish me just to--my attention was first called to the
disturbance on Saturday night, probably at ten o'clock. I was at the
office, and had sent out the police force or their regular duty, and a
report came to the office that there was a large gathering at the
Pennsylvania railroad depot. There was a prospect of some trouble
there. The mob interfered with the shipping of some ammunition. I
immediately sent a special officer to Independence island, where there
was a pic-nic and dance going on--and we had anticipated considerable
trouble there--to call in the chief of police, and on his way down he
should bring in the police officers before he returned. The lieutenant
of police I had sent him to the depot. He, in company with special
officer Roat, arrested a party for threatening to interfere with the
engineer of a train, and had started to bring him to the mayor's
office, and were stoned up Chestnut street and up Third to the office.
They succeeded in getting the man into the office, and a large crowd
gathered there, and I went out front and requested them to disperse.
Quite a number of them left; probably three or four hundred remained
there. Did not seem to be malicious or disposed to do much damage. Then
I sent this man that had been arrested to the door to state that he had
been arrested for drunk and disorderly. The crowd then dispersed. On
Sunday was the first intimation we had of the strike among the employés
of the Pennsylvania railroad. I was told there was a very large crowd
at the Asylum crossing, and I took a carriage and went up there during
Sunday, but found no person there. On Sunday afternoon I was informed
that there was a large meeting out on the commons. I went out, and
there was a man named Torbett making a speech to the crowd there. After
he left the top of the car, there was an insane man got on the top of
the car and talked about organizing to go and take this arsenal. About
this time there was a passenger train passed down through the yard to
the depot, and the crowd dispersed in the direction of the depot. I
walked to the depot and found they had stopped the train--interfering
with it. A great gathering there, nearly all of our own citizens--good,
bad, and indifferent were there. Passed down the depot to the coupling
between the engine and the first car--the baggage car--and found a
great many there pulling the coupling. Among them were a great many
boys, ranging from fourteen to twenty years of age. I seized two or
three of the boys, took them off the platform, and ordered them away,
and got up on the steps of the car and made some few remarks to the
crowd, calling on the citizens, if they were ready to assist the
police, to step forward and we would disperse this crowd. At that time
the people did not seem disposed to take much part, as there was no
violence done as yet. I motioned to the engineer to pull out--we then
had succeeded in coupling up the train. He declined to pull out.
Afterwards stated he was informed there were obstructions on the track
below the city. I came away and the crowd dispersed during the evening.
Probably two hours afterwards they sent the train out. On Monday the
parties became threatening; great crowds gathering through the city,
stopping trains. I then called on some of the citizens, told them the
status, and whatever was to be done must be done for Monday night. We
must get ready, for that night we would probably have violence. After
consulting with many of the prominent citizens, I went to the office,
sent out a police force and notified the better class of citizens that
their services would likely be required on Monday night, at least they
should hold themselves in readiness to respond and report at the
mayor's office in case of two taps of the court-house bell, at any
time, day or night.
Q. Was it verbal notice?
A. Yes; it was given verbally to the citizens by the police officers.
Q. In the form of a demand by you, or request?
A. It was a request. I had instructed the police force from the
beginning to exercise great care and discretion so as not to
precipitate or provoke an outbreak; that as long as the strikers or mob
failed to do violence, that we should wait until the sentiment of the
people would change. I would say that when the strike first came upon
us, I presume that the great majority of the people were in sympathy
with the strikers--looked upon it as a strike or dispute between the
employés and officers of the road--and their sympathies were with the
employés; but afterwards the sentiment changed when they found that
violence and destruction was perpetrated at Pittsburgh. Then the
sentiment changed, and they were ready to take part to put down the
outbreak on Monday evening. I came from my house probably at six
o'clock--I had been to tea--and coming downtown I was informed that
there was a squad of Philadelphia soldiers had gone to Market street in
custody of the mob. I then passed down Market street, and found that
they had gone up the railroad. I followed up the railroad to Broad
street, and there I found probably three thousand people gathered--men,
women, and children. The squad of soldiers were there, in addition to
the squad that had been brought in from Rockville. I found out who the
soldiers were, and I requested--ordered them to send the guns to the
mayor's office. Then they had forty-nine breech-loaders.
Q. The leaders of the rioters?
A. The mob, yes sir. After talking to the rioters they were entirely
satisfied to send the guns to the office, but said a portion of the
crowd would object, and requested me to make a few remarks to them. I
then mounted a shed that was there and talked to them a few moments,
and they very cheerfully then sent the guns to the mayor's office. The
guns were afterwards turned over to the State, by order of Governor
Hartranft. During that night an order came to the office--a report came
to the office that they were breaking into a gun store on South Second
street. I took a portion of the police force, hurried to South Second
street, and we found the mob in possession of a store belonging to a
man by the name of Altmeyer. We found that he had opened the door. They
had gone there in force and demanded the opening of the door, and he
had opened the door, and struck the gas for them, and they were all in
possession of guns, and pistols, and knives. I formed the police force
on the front and went in to them and talked to them, and after some
little parley they all returned their guns--took nothing out with them.
We came back to the office, and there Mr. Bergner, editor of the
_Telegraph_, reported to me that they were forming on Market street,
preparatory to destroying his building. I then struck the signal for
the citizens to turn out.
Q. What time was that?
A. That was probably eleven o'clock.
Q. Monday night?
A. Yes, sir. The moment we struck the court-house bell the citizens
came to our assistance. The sheriff, in the meantime, had returned
home. He had got home about seven o'clock in the evening. I reported to
him what we had done, and if it met his approval he should carry it
out, with our assistance. He approved of our course, and he took charge
of the citizens. They formed them into what he called a law and order
posse, into companies and into a regiment. We then, after, formed at
the corner of Third and Market. The sheriff and one officer and myself
went down street to the mob, and attempted to speak to them from the
steps of Mr. Muench, but they would not listen to us at all. They had
broken into a store or two on Market street in the meantime. We then
came back and came down Market street with the police force and the
citizens, and the mob dispersed.
Q. How large a police force do you have?
A. We had seventeen. We had fifteen officers in line and two at the
office.
Q. How many citizens?
A. I presume we had over--I can scarcely give an estimate, as they were
formed in the rear of the regular police force--probably three hundred.
From three hundred to five hundred.
Q. Were the citizens armed?
A. Most of them were armed.
Q. With what?
A. Revolvers and clubs.
Q. How large was the crowd at that time?
A. I presume there were--it being night we could scarcely tell--the
street was crowded with them. There may have been from six hundred to
one thousand men in the street in front of us. When we went down Market
street the mob dispersed, with the exception of probably two hundred,
with whom we had a little collision at the foot of Market street. Then
they dispersed and we had no further trouble.
Q. Was there any firing?
A. No, sir; not a shot fired.
Q. The police were ahead?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. And they dispersed that mob?
A. The police would have been unable to disperse the mob without the
assistance of the citizens.
Q. Were there any of the mob arrested?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. How many?
A. Probably eight or ten arrested during that night. Altogether, there
were within the week, a few days following the riot, forty-five or
forty-seven arrested.
Q. Were the police officers obliged to use their maces in order to
disperse the mob that night at the foot of Market street?
A. No, sir.
Q. Those who were arrested, what class of men were they?
A. Most of them followed no occupation. Probably one third of them were
employés of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, and I would say that the
employés of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company were only arrested for
interfering with the business of the railroad--they were not arrested
for breaking into the stores.
Q. Those that were arrested among the mob at the foot of Market street
that night, were there any railroad men among them?
A. Yes; one of the leaders of the mob was a railroad man.
By Senator Reyburn:
Q. Did the leaders seem to be railroad men--that is, that you came in
contact with?
A. The fact is, they did not seem to have any leaders, except on Monday
night, a man by the name of Finfrock seemed to be the leader. They
looked upon him as their leader, and they looked upon him as their
leader on Monday night. That was the only time they seemed to have any
designated leader.
Q. What was done with the parties arrested?
A. Some of them were tried and convicted and sentenced to from three to
eight months, with fines ranging from $20 to $500, I think. Others were
held over for several terms, then their cases were disposed of. Most of
them had families, and the greatest trouble we had here, was with them
that followed no occupation--thieves and professional men--crooked men
of all classes.
By Senator Yutzy:
Q. Tramps?
A. A great many tramps. The only man that was wounded by a shot during
the excitement, was a tramp. He was turning a switch, and one of the
police officers approached him, and he started to run, and he ordered
him to halt, and the fellow would not halt, and he shot him in the leg.
He was about the only man that was shot, and he was a tramp. Quite a
number of those that were arrested and convicted of breaking into the
stores and taking the most active part were tramps. We know them as
professional tramps.
Q. Did you ascertain what the purpose of the mob was on Monday night,
in case you had not succeeded in dispersing them?
A. I think there was a very small portion of the mob that were disposed
to interfere with the loading of ammunition to be sent to Pittsburgh.
In order to draw the crowd away from the depot, it appears that the
officers had arranged that this man should make a little forward
movement, and they would arrest him. That drew the crowd up, and while
they were drawn away, they loaded the ammunition and sent it off.
Q. To Pittsburgh?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. How long did you continue up this organization of citizens?
A. I think we continued the organization until the early part of
August. It was not fully disbanded until the 10th of August.
Q. Did you have any trouble in raising it or getting the citizens to
aid you?
A. No, sir; not at all. I presume we had from a thousand to twelve
hundred men enrolled as members of the law and order posse.
Q. At the depot on Sunday night, when you called for the citizens to
assist the police in protecting that train, did they respond?
A. No, sir.
Q. Was it from lack of--was it because they feared the result?
A. I think it was simply owing to the fact that they did not realize
the situation at all. They were backward--I merely put the invitation
to them, did not urge them at all, and I am satisfied, that if I had
made a strong appeal to them, they would have responded.
Q. How large a police force have you?
A. Seventeen.
Q. In all?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Were they kept on duty both day and night?
A. Yes; they were on duty for eight days, day and night.
Q. Usually, how many were kept on duty?
A. At night?
Q. Night?
A. Twelve.
Q. How many during the day?
A. Five.
Q. This squad of soldiers that was taken down Market street--did you
find where the crowd left them?
A. The soldiers were with the mob at Broad street and Pennsylvania
avenue. When I got there they were feeding them, and giving them their
supper.
Q. Where did they get the food?
A. At the houses right there--one of the hotels.
Q. Private houses?
A. Yes; some of the private houses.
Q. Fed by their captors?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. What finally became of them?
A. They were put on the train here and sent to Philadelphia.
Q. How many were there?
A. in this squad that was brought from the bridge, I think there were
about fifteen. Probably sixteen or eighteen.
Q. Any officers among them?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. What rank?
A. Lieutenant.
Q. And the other squad that was brought from Rockville, how many were
there of them?
A. I can scarcely tell you. We received forty-nine guns altogether,
that had been captured.
Q. Do you know whose command they belonged to or what regiment?
A. The knapsacks were mostly marked State Fencibles, and some few
Weccacoe Legion. I would just say. Mr. Chairman, that on Sunday we had
requested the editors to publish no extras, it would only inflame the
public mind still further, and with one exception they had complied
with the request. On Sunday morning I had directed all the gun-stores
and hardware stores, that were dealing in arms and ammunition, to put
away their arms and ammunition during the day or early in the evening,
quietly, so it would not be noticed, and we would have had no trouble
and the mob got no guns at all except that a party on Market street
failed to comply with that request--or on south Second street--they had
removed their guns and brought them back on Monday evening to their
store. On Sunday evening we had issued a proclamation calling upon
citizens to remain at their homes, not to gather in crowds or about the
street corners, and these proclamations were put in the hands of the
public on Sunday evening. It was late, probably six o'clock or after,
when it was printed. The citizens very generally complied with the
proclamation. There was no trouble. Our citizens here showed a very
willing disposition to do anything that was required of them, and
offered their services after they fully realized the situation.
Q. On Sunday, were the saloons open?
A. No, sir; we closed the saloons in the proclamation of Sunday
evening.
Q. How long were they kept closed?
A. We kept them closed until Thursday, I think--Wednesday or Thursday
following--when we allowed them to open during the day and close at six
o'clock in the evening.
Q. You controlled that yourself, as mayor of the city?
A. Yes. The great trouble with us here was as to the question of the
authority of the mayor. Whether the mayor under the charter of
1874--while it provides for the mayor to have the same powers as the
sheriff in case of an outbreak or riot, it was a question with some of
our attorneys here, whether it was an outbreak in the sense of the act
until there was some violence committed, and the sheriff unfortunately
was absent until Monday. When he returned Monday evening there was no
further trouble. We, however, had made arrangements to take the
responsibility notwithstanding the doubt about it.
Q. If I understand you, there was no act of violence really committed
by the railroad employés?
A. No, sir.
Q. It was done by outsiders and strangers?
A. The parties pulling the coupling of the passenger train on Sunday
evening, I do not think there was a railroad employé amongst them at
all. Not so far as my knowledge goes.
By Senator Reyburn:
Q. They were half-grown boys?
A. Yes; the great trouble was, they were boys fourteen to twenty-one
years of age--boot-blacks and all classes. On Sunday night, when they
talked about taking the arsenal, this man that had made these remarks
was formerly an engineer of the Pennsylvania railroad, but, through
religious zeal, he lost his reason, and was an inmate of an asylum. Of
course, the remarks had very little weight. Did not carry the crowd
with him at all. On Saturday night, Captain Maloney, after consulting
with some of us, had taken his company to the arsenal with his guns. I
called there on Sunday night about eleven o'clock, and he assured me he
was fully able to hold the arsenal against the mob. After requesting
him to telegraph us in case there was any appearance of an attack, I
then came in, and requested Mr. Jenkins to unload Gobin's regiment
below what was called the cut, as there was a great number of what was
called the mob out between here and the track. We were afraid they
would place obstructions on the track. Really they had placed
obstructions on the track. I requested Gobin's regiment to be
disembarked above the stock-yards, then they would have almost a direct
route to the arsenal.
At this point the committee adjourned, until four o'clock this
afternoon.
HARRISBURG, _March 12, 1878_.
Committee met, pursuant to adjournment, at four o'clock, P.M., in
Senate committee room No. 6. Mr. Lindsey in the chair. All members
present.
* * * * *
W. W. Jennings:
By Mr. Lindsey:
Q. You were sheriff of Dauphin county in July last?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Still sheriff?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Were you at home at the time of the first disturbance that broke out
in Harrisburg.
A. I arrived home--I was at Atlantic City--I arrived home Monday
evening, July 23, about half-past six or seven o'clock.
Q. Just state how you found the city as to order and quietness when you
arrived home?
A. I found the city under a great deal of excitement. The trains, I was
informed, had been stopped from running, and I immediately went to my
counsel, Mr. Wise, for instructions in regard to my powers and duties,
and met a number of the prominent citizens, and went to work at once
under advice of my counsel to prepare a proclamation, and I was
informed by the mayor and other citizens, that the citizens had been
notified to assemble at two strokes of the court-house bell. I went
around town and endeavored to get parties together, until about ten or
eleven o'clock, as near as I can recollect, and spent sometime
preparing a proclamation and advising with the prominent citizens, and
one came to me at the Lochiel Hotel and said that the rioters were
breaking into the stores on Market street. I called upon the good
citizens for the preservation of law and order to go with me and
suppress the riot. I suppose about one hundred or one hundred and fifty
went with me, and went down Market street, and we dispersed the mob. We
arrested a couple of the rioters there. Afterwards came back, and I
sent squads out. I then organized the party into companies, and I sent
squads out to arrest and take these men out of bed who had been
prominent and active as rioters, who I was informed had been prominent
and active as rioters, and we put those in jail. The next morning I had
my proclamation out, and also orders organizing companies. The citizens
responded promptly. We organized some ten or eleven companies, and we
ran the town on military principles for about one week. We had an
officer of the day detailed to patrol the town at night, and we had the
fire department under command, and everything in readiness if there
would be any further trouble.
Q. What was the nature of your proclamation, was it calling for
citizens to join?
A. The substance of my proclamation was, commanding the rioters to
disperse, warning them of the penalties of the law, and summoning all
good and law-abiding citizens to assist me in putting down the riot.
Q. As a posse?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Did you have any difficulty in raising a posse of citizens?
A. No, sir; I cannot say that I had any great difficulty.
Q. They joined cheerfully.
A. They responded to my call. I arrived here at seven o'clock on Monday
evening, and on Tuesday evening I paraded in the streets about nine or
ten hundred men, organized as a regiment. My proclamation in the
morning--that was issued on Tuesday morning. I had it printed during
the night, and I had it posted all around town by daylight almost, and
one of my proclamations called for them to assemble at the court-house,
at two o'clock in the afternoon, and I supposed there were six or eight
hundred men at two o'clock that afternoon there organized into
companies.
Q. In the evening, at the Lochiel hotel, what was the nature of that
call? Was it commanding the citizens to join you as a posse, or was it
a request?
A. It was more of the nature of a request. Of course, the feeling in
town was a matter I suppose would have to be handled very delicately,
and I got up on the railing at the Lochiel hotel and said, "Gentlemen,
I am informed the rioters are breaking into the stores down on Market
street. For the preservation of law and order, how many of you will go
with me to suppress it?" and there were a number of voices responded,
"We will all go with you."
Q. And then you led off and they followed?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. When you reached the crowd, how large a crowd did you find
assembled?
A. Well, I could not estimate the numbers. The line was drawn at the
foot of Market street by the railroad. There was a line of men across
the railroad there--standing there. I remember one man who was in front
had a gun in his hand. I went up to him and took the gun from him, and
he gave me some impudence and I took him by the neck and tossed him
into the crowd.
Q. Was his gun loaded?
A. Yes; it was loaded.
Q. Who was that man?
A. A man by the name of Davis. He is now here in our jail.
Q. Was he a railroad man?
A. No, sir.
Q. What class of people were these rioters composed of?
A. Well, we afterwards arrested a number of railroaders, though we
arrested a number who were not railroaders, and they who were not
railroaders, I must say, were the worst characters. The railroaders did
not want the trains to run, that was about the extent that they wanted
or demanded. The other party, of course, that broke in stores, behaved
in a riotous manner.
Q. What did your posse--or what did you find it necessary to do to
disperse the crowd?
A. I think our appearance commanded respect. I could hardly put it in
any other way. I think they thought we meant business when we went down
there, and I gave them to understand that in as plain a way as I could.
Q. Did you disperse them?
A. Yes; we did.
Q. Was it necessary to use any violence in doing that, any more than to
make the arrests you have told us?
A. Well, we arrested other parties there. In other words, when we came
down there I told them what we proposed to do. We cowed them, and the
parties who replied and gave us impudence, we arrested them at once.
Q. Did you have any soldiers, any of the militia at your disposal
during any of them?
A. No, sir; we did not call for the militia at all.
Q. Did not find it necessary?
A. Did not find it necessary.
Q. About how large was the crowd at that time? How many would it number
in your opinion?
A. It is a hard matter to give you an estimate. The crowd broke and ran
across the bridge, and parties who lived on the other side of the canal
have estimated them from two to five hundred people. I judge there were
two or three hundred people there anyhow.
Q. Did they re-assemble at any time after being dispersed that night?
A. No, sir. Right after we had dispersed them, we organized at once
into companies and patrolled the whole town, and of course it was known
that we would arrest any assemblies or any crowds at any place. On
Tuesday evening there were a number of parties who were looked upon
with a good deal of suspicion at the depot--at the railroad; but they
made no demonstration, and dispersed on our approach.
Q. What was done with the parties that you arrested?
A. Tried and convicted at court.
Q. Do you know how many were tried and convicted?
A. No, sir; I could not tell you. We had forty under indictment, I
believe. Some of them are in jail now.
Q. Were they tried by the county courts or police courts?
A. They were arrested and had a hearing before the mayor, and were
tried by the county courts--committed by the mayor, and tried by the
county court.
Q. Were any of the militia brought in at any time?
A. No, sir.
Q. Coming under your own knowledge.
A. No, sir; not under my own knowledge.
By Mr. Engelbert:
Q. I would like to ask you a question. I have understood that there was
considerable grumbling and growling about the expense for that
thing--how much was that?
A. The county paid in the neighborhood of $2,000. They paid me $1,965.
We heard of a case in North street where a man had some two or three
hundred guns in his house, and on Tuesday we took the guns from him,
and he brought in a small bill and the items were made up. There were
fifty men that were detailed as specials. They were on duty, in
connection with the mayor's police, as policemen, and we paid those two
dollars a night--or two dollars a day--and it amounted to something
upwards of $1,200--between $1,200 and $1,300--and the balance of the
expense was for providing rations for our men at night. We were
organized as a regiment, and we had regiment and company
quartermasters, and we were provided with rations at night. They had
quarters and all that kind of thing. That caused the expense, which was
paid by the county commissioners.
Q. Not charged to the State?
A. No, sir; charged to the county. As it was all done under my orders,
the county was liable for the expense--that part of it. The mayor had
charge of these fifty men, to a great extent, that acted with his
policemen--the mayor's policemen acted with me from the very start.
By Mr. Engelbert:
Q. Both acted in conjunction harmoniously?
A. Yes; the mayor and his police were the first to tender their
services.
Q. Not afraid of one superseding the other?
A. We had no trouble at all. We procured fifty revolvers from the State
for the use of those fifty men we had. The other men armed themselves.
By Senator Yutzy:
Q. Armed with muskets, and rifles, and shot guns?
A. No, sir; I wanted them only to have clubs, but nearly every one of
them had pistols.
By Mr. Lindsey:
Q. I understood you to say the mayor and police tendered their services
to you?
A. As soon as I arrived in town, it was supposed by the people that the
sheriff would take charge of it. The mayor came to me, and tendered the
services of himself and the policemen, and the policemen and the mayor
were in front in anything done where the danger was supposed to be.
By Senator Yutzy:
Q. Held the post of honor?
A. Yes, sir. We used the policemen as skirmishers--you understand that.
By Mr. Engelbert:
Q. Of course, that expense has been paid by the county, and considered
finally settled?
A. Yes; the expense consisting of pay for these fifty men, and there
were some twenty--to distinguish them from them the rioters, we had
badges printed and labeled, and all that kind of thing--did not think
it necessary to get uniforms--and that cost something. The members of
the posse got no pay at all.
By Senator Yutzy:
Q. In your official duties, did you inquire into the causes and origin
of the riots, to ascertain what were the causes and grievances
complained of?
A. The principal one was they did not receive enough to pay for the
labor.
Q. These railroad men?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. What did the others complain of?
A. The others talked about being in want, and sympathizing with them on
general appearance. I heard "bread or blood" in quite a number of
places.
Q. Were the mill men and furnace men and the employés of the
manufactories in and about the cities engaged in this riot as a general
thing?
A. No, sir; I would say no. Not the men that worked. The fact of the
matter was, my idea was, that the parties who were most active and
violent were those who did not work at any time.
By Mr. Reyburn:
Q. Never worked?
A. No, sir.
Q. Did they belong to the city, mostly?
A. Oh a good many of them did; yes, sir. It brought our worst
characters to the surface, of course.
By Mr. Engelbert:
Q. When you found a man who was boisterous, and rather of an ugly
disposition, you did not wait until the next day to arrest him?
A. We went for him at once.
Q. Right then and there?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Did you not propose to do it in a quiet way?
A. We did not want to bark up a fight in any way. Of course, our whole
course was to suppress disorder; but when a man was violent, we would
not hesitate, and we did not run around with a chip on our shoulders,
and ask some one to knock it off, or anything of that kind.
Q. The posse had pluck enough to arrest them at once?
A. We arrested them after we went to work--after we got the posse
organized--wherever they could be found. The mayor's police made the
largest number of arrests.
By Mr. Lindsey:
Q. Did you have any conversation with the railroad men to ascertain
what their grievances were?
A. No, sir; not to any extent.
Q. Did you, with any of the parties that you arrested?
A. Oh, I talked with them after they were in jail; yes, sir.
Q. Did you find out from the railroad strikers, or from any reliable
source, whether there was any pre-arranged plan for a strike or not
among the railroad men?
A. From what they told me, they would give me that impression--that
there was a pre-arranged plan for a strike. They complained. My
understanding of what they told me was that they had been got into this
thing by the engineers, and then the engineers had stood back and let
them stand the trouble. Their words were, "Stand the racket."
Q. What day did they first strike here in Harrisburg?
A. That I cannot tell. I was not here.
Q. Was there any organization here known as the Trainmen's Union?
A. I understand that they have an organization here--Locomotive
Engineers' and Trainmen's Union.
Q. Did you learn it from any of the men themselves?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Did you learn the objects of the Trainmen's Union?
A. Well, all objects--the idea that they gave me was, it was for
beneficial and mutual protection. The parties that were arrested--the
larger part of them that were arrested by the mayor's police, they
blamed it more on the locomotive engineers than any other society. That
they had got them to strike, and showed their hand, and got them into
trouble, and they had stood back and done nothing. We often find, when
persons are in trouble and they are in jail, they always have some
other parties to blame it on.
Q. Did they say to you what they proposed to do?
A. No, sir; other than they wanted their wages increased. They did not
speak of the organization as one of the objects being for the purpose
of getting up strikes. They said it was more as a beneficial and mutual
protection society; but I inferred from what they said that they
regarded the society would act together in a strike.
By Mr. Larrabee:
Q. Was it a complaint they made of the reduction of the wages--that the
wages had been reduced?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Did you learn when that reduction had taken place?
A. I did not.
Q. Whether it was immediately preceding this strike or not?
A. That I do not know, sir.
Q. Did not learn from them how long their complaint had been
standing--how long it had been running--whether recent?
A. No, sir; they did not go into the particulars at all in their
complaint. It was on general principles about the workingmen being
oppressed, and the road oppressing them.
Q. The rich oppressing the poor?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Did these men that you talked with claim the right to interfere with
other men who were willing to work; did you have any talk with them on
that subject?
A. Well, I cannot say that I could answer that direct. They said, in
substance, that those men who did not assist them, that were working
men, that did not go into the strike with them, were blacklegs, and all
that kind of thing; appeared to have a good deal of feeling against
those that wanted to work, and did not go in with them to the strike.
Q. Complaining against those who would not join them?
A. Yes, sir.
* * * * *
Thomas Reckord, _sworn_:
By Mr. Lindsey:
Q. Where do you reside?
A. I resided, at that time, at the bridge--the toll bridge.
Q. In July last.
A. Yes, sir.
Q. What was your business then?
A. Toll-gate keeper.
Q. At what bridge?
A. Harrisburg bridge--toll bridge.
Q. The bridge across the Susquehanna?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. On Monday, the 23d day of July, state whether there was any crowd
coming there to cross the bridge from the city?
A. Yes; I was sitting in the office, reading a paper. All at once I
heard a great noise, and I looked out the window of the house, and I
saw a large crowd coming up, I suppose two or three hundred.
Q. What time of the day was it?
A. I can hardly tell you what time of the day it was. I think it was
towards noon, or some place about that time.
Q. Go on and tell us all the facts about?
A. Well. I jumped off my seat and ran out of the door. I saw they were
making for the bridge. I run and shut the gate. There was a great part
of them got over before I got that accomplished. I shut the gates and
kept a great many this side. Those that got in passed over the bridge
while I was there. There was another crowd came and insisted upon going
over, and I wouldn't unlock the gates. They told me they would break
the gates. Very well, said I, you can do so. There was one man--a young
man--he was half grown--a great part of them were young men--he went
and took hold of the picket-gate to break it open. I caught him by the
collar of the neck and threw him back. I said I would throw him in the
river if he didn't stop. He wanted to know what I had to do about it. I
told him I would show him. I kept him at bay there for a long time.
Finally there was a man came there--I cannot recollect his name
now--and told me the mayor had sent him up there to tell me to open the
gate. I used the remark that the mayor had nothing to do with that--I
wouldn't open the gate--this was individual property, and it had
nothing to do with the matter at all. I wouldn't open the gates. Some
of them jumped over--some of them jumped over the gates, and finally
this man insisted that the mayor had sent him. I wouldn't believe him
at first. Finally he said it was so, and there was two or three men
stood at the gate there and begged me to leave them over. Says I, if I
open the gates they will crowd in. They said they wanted to go over,
and would help me to shut the gates. These men were standing there
waiting to get over, and they promised to help. I unlocked the gate,
and after I unlocked it these men came in and tried to help me shut it,
but the crowd pressed so hard, by the time I got the latch in they
sprung the gate and threw it off its hinges--it is just set on
hinges--and the gate fell over, then they all rushed in. I had no more
command over them at all. They all rushed right through.
Q. How large a crowd went through?
A. I suppose there was a couple of hundred went over. I may say so by
the looks of them.
Q. Did they say what they were going for?
A. Yes; some of them.
Q. What did they give as their object?
A. Their object was to go over there for some soldiers--over there to
bring them over in safety. These soldiers over at Fairview--they wanted
to come over, and they sent a man over to get some one to protect them.
Q. Did you see the man the soldiers sent over?
A. No; I didn't. He might have paid his toll, and went over.
Q. Do you know of your own knowledge that they sent a man over?
A. No, sir: I don't.
Q. You only get that from the crowd?
A. Hearsay.
Q. Did they come back?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. State the facts?
A. When they came back they had soldiers in the center, they flanked
all around, and came in a kind of square across the bridge.
Q. How many soldiers were there?
A. There might have been twenty or thirty. I really don't recollect. I
knew at the time. It has passed my memory. Something near that. They
were in the center of these--fetched them over with music.
Q. What kind of music did they have?
A. Drum and fife, I think it was.
Q. How large a crowd was surrounding the soldiers?
A. There was not so many surrounding them as they came over. There was
a kind of square formed, and the balance was running loose around.
Q. What class of men?
A. Most of them were half grown boys and negroes.
Q. Who carried the arms?
A. Some few boys carried some of the soldier's arms, and the rest the
soldiers carried themselves.
Q. Did you try to prevent them going through the gates when they came
back?
A. Oh! no.
Q. You allowed them to pass?
A. Yes, sir.
By Mr. Larrabee:
Q. No one seemed to be commanding this crowd or to lead the mob--no one
seemed to be leading the mob or controlling it?
A. No one, individually. There was some men there that used very hard
expressions toward me, sitting on the bench, and they threatened to
mash my head, and everything else.
Q. Was there any one giving commands to the mob?
A. No; I didn't see any individual giving commands. They all seemed to
take part in it--no one individual that I took notice.
Q. No one directed their movements?
A. No; they came up in a crowd.
Q. Did there seem to be any officers among the soldiers?
A. That is more than I can answer.
Q. You didn't see any one that from their uniform or any other emblem
seemed to be officers?
A. Not that I can recollect. I don't know as there was any officers
among them. I cannot recollect whether there was or not.
Q. The soldiers and the crowd were on good terms?