WILLIAM R. STOORS,
_General Coal Agent_.
It was after receiving this from Mr. Stoors that I sent for this
committee.
By Senator Yutzy:
Q. Did you know that that committee was in existence at that time?
A. By the papers, sir. The meeting was a public meeting, and the names
of this committee were published in the papers, sir. Nothing secret
about it so far as to the gentlemen who were going upon the committee.
This committee had also called upon Mr. Stoors, making a request for
more wages, which my scrap book that I have, if I had it here, would
give you still fuller than that.
By Mr. Lindsey:
Q. What did you advise them in the interview, Mr. McKune?
A. I advised them--they disclaimed of having any knowledge of these
parties who were sending letters or attempting to intimidate these men
who were at work at the pumps. They disclaimed any knowledge of that,
and at this interview stated clearly and distinctly that it was against
their wish and desire, and as I said about the proclamation which I
issued in regard to this very matter--the proclamation was framed by us
there, jointly. The language, if you will read it, you would see that
it is very careful--that it is very guarded--there is no implication of
anybody being in the wrong--there is a difference of opinion. The whole
thing was carefully gone over. Our interview lasted from one until
between four and five o'clock. The whole of our interview was extremely
pleasant, and they seemed just about as anxious as I was for the
protection of property, and in the first draft of the proclamation that
I made, there might have been an inference drawn that they were at
fault, and we worked until the proclamation which was issued met their
views.
Q. I understood you to say that you put persons at the pumps before
that interview?
A. No, sir; I had nothing to do with putting them at the pumps. I
notified Mr. Stoors, the general agent, in regard to the interview that
I had. This was on Sunday, sir, and on Monday the men went to work.
Q. To work at the pumps?
A. Yes; there was more or less intimidation in different parts, even
after this. I might state that, sir, and Mr. Stoors probably will be
able to give you a better account of the reports that he received.
Q. I understand the pumps were working at the time of the assemblage of
this crowd, on the 1st of August?
A. Yes; the pumps were working more or less.
Q. And trains had been started?
A. Yes. The pumps were not being worked by the regular engineers or
regular pumpmen.
Q. By whom were they worked?
A. Mostly by men--foremen and other men that understood how to work the
pumps, but were not the regular men--were not the men who had
previously operated these pumps, in no single instance.
Q. By whom were they sent there?
A. By the company.
Q. The trains were run on that day also?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Were the freight trains run?
A. Oh, yes, sir.
Q. All trains?
A. Oh, there was no coal going out, because there was no coal mined.
What freight there was through freight, and passenger trains were
running on schedule time.
Q. In the crowd of men that were assembled there when you went down to
the Lackawanna office--Delaware and Lackawanna was it?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Did you see any men that you knew--railroad men or mechanics--about
the city--the men you were accustomed to see?
A. Oh, yes; saw quite a number standing about. A large number even upon
the railway, and a large number of our business men and prominent
citizens drawn there to look upon the crowd.
Q. Were any of those engaged in riotous conduct that you knew?
A. No, sir.
Q. Railroad men?
A. No, sir.
Q. Miners?
A. No, sir. The first of the parties who had swept through the shops
and who came out from under the shops, there was not a man of them that
I recognized as a man I had ever seen before.
By Mr. Lindsey:
Q. These men that you knew were simply standing about?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Were they the men that undertook to protect you?
A. Some of them probably did, sir.
Q. Did any of your mechanics in the city engage in the riots when it
was once precipitated?
A. Well, sir, they were among the crowd that passed me as I was coming
up Lackawanna avenue. There were quite a number of those that I had
passed in going down, and while the cry was being made, "Now for
Lackawanna avenue; now for the company's store."
By Senator Yutzy:
Q. They joined with the rioters after you returned?
A. Yes, sir.
By Mr. Lindsey:
Q. I wish you would state whether the action of the council in refusing
to pay extra police was justifiable. Whether at that time the condition
of affairs here was in a condition to warrant them in taking that
action?
A. No, sir; it was not, because I had, as I said, but eight special
policemen, whom I had sent out to the different parts and to the
different properties upon which I received notification, I placed these
special men. You, gentlemen, can judge whether a city of thirty-five
thousand inhabitants, the larger portion, or a larger per centage of
that of the laboring element--whether a force of twenty men is any too
great a force as a police and protective force. I leave that for you,
gentlemen, to judge.
By Senator Yutzy:
Q. Do I understand you to say that you called your council together
with a view of then taking some action on this subject?
A. On Wednesday I consulted with a number of the council in regard to
whether we had not better call a meeting, and what was best to be done
in the matter; but this meeting where these resolutions were passed, I
think, was a regular meeting. I am not clear in regard to that.
Q. They declined to meet. Is that what I understand you?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. What reasons did they give?
A. They thought it was not necessary--the one or two I talked to.
Q. Did they say why they thought it was not necessary?
A. No. Everything was quiet and peaceful.
By Senator Yutzy:
Q. Then, at this regular meeting, what action did they take in regard
to disturbances?
A. There had been none at that time.
Q. But afterwards you said there was a regular meeting?
A. No, sir.
By Senator Reyburn:
Q. This crowd that swept through the shops was headed by a man who was
a stranger?
A. They all were strangers.
Q. Was that the same crowd that was fired on in the street?
A. I should judge that some of them were the same.
Q. Were those men that were killed strangers?
A. Two of them were not residents of the city. I believe one of them
was.
Q. Were any of your posse killed?
A. No, sir; but two of them were wounded, sir, with pistol shots.
Q. With pistol shots?
A. With pistol shots and with clubs. Two were wounded with pistol
shots, and one with clubs.
Q. Did you ever ascertain where those two strangers that were killed
came from?
A. Yes; I think one of the killed was from the Sixth ward, and two from
the adjoining township--Lackawanna township.
Q. Were they railroaders?
A. Men employed in the mines--around the mines.
By Mr. Lindsey:
Q. Were any more of the rioters wounded?
A. There was one man--a young man--was wounded. A one legged Welsh boy
that had formerly worked for the Lackawanna Coal Company, and he
recovered.
Q. Did you, in your first correspondence with the Governor, did you
think that you were able to control matters here in the city, and did
you so indicate to him, without the aid of the militia of the State?
A. The following is a copy; I am not clear whether the date is right:
"Governor Hartranft, in consulting with my advisory committee, they do
not deem troops necessary, and advise against home troops," and
further, on the 28th I telegraphed to the Governor again, as follows:
"All quiet. I expect to get the pumps in the mines going to-morrow." I
telegraphed to the Governor, "The employés of the railroad company have
just informed me that their difficulties have been adjusted, or have
been settled," and again, on the 29th, I telegraphed to the Governor,
"Pumps will start to-morrow. Send no troops until you hear further from
me Am in hopes of a peaceful settlement."
By Senator Reyburn:
Q. That was at the time of this agreement.
A. Yes, sir.
By Mr. Larrabee:
Q. What date was that dispatch?
A. The 29th, sir.
By Mr. Lindsey:
Q. What date did you call upon the Governor to send you troops?
A. The 1st day of August, sir.
Q. After the conflict?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. As part of our duties is to find out about the conduct of the
militia, I wish the mayor would just state what was the conduct of the
militia during their presence here?
A. I can say, in regard to the militia--I don't know much about them,
for I have very little knowledge of General Brinton's command that was
here, for I was quite severely unwell, and was not out much, any
further than going down in my carriage, and calling on General Lyle. In
reference to those that remained, you are aware some of them remained
here for three months, the Nineteenth, under Hartley Howard, and the
First Pennsylvania. Their conduct was most excellent, so much so as to
receive the encomiums, upon all sides, of every person.
By Mr. Larrabee:
Q. You say that you were at Ocean Grove at the time you heard of the
Pittsburgh riots?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. How long had you been there?
A. I had been down a week previous.
Q. Had there been any rumors of any difficulty here, prior to the
commencement of the Pittsburgh riots?
A. I telegraphed, on Saturday, to Mr. Halsted, superintendent, like
this: "Do you apprehend any difficulty; if so I will return home." He
telegraphed me, on Saturday: "I apprehend none; if I do so I will wire
you." I have not got a copy of that telegram here.
Q. Did you, from any source, receive any intimation that there was
liability to be any strike here, prior to the outbreak at Pittsburgh?
A. No, sir; not in the least.
Q. In your judgment, was this trouble here precipitated by the news of
the rioting at other places?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. You think it grew out of that? That, the news of what was going on
at other places, stirred up the workingmen, and incited them to do as
they did?
A. Yes; permit me to say that I do not believe the miners would ever
have come out of the mines, had the railroad men not suspended, and if
the coal had been taken away from them as they mined it, the men would
not, in my opinion, have come out of the mines.
Q. You think, then, it was a sort of a fellow-feeling that animated the
workingmen here?
A. You might call it an epidemic.
Q. Will you state whether there were any symptoms of any difficulty or
uneasiness among the men here prior to the news having been received of
trouble?
A. There was none. Everything was the most perfect quiet when I left
home.
By Senator Yutzy:
Q. The fact that the railroad was not carrying away the coal, was not
that the cause of the miners coming out of the mines?
A. That is what I say, sir. I wish that to be on record.
Q. Did you ascertain who these men were that were interfering with the
pumps at the mines?
A. No, sir; I do not know as I did.
Q. Were they miners on a strike?
A. No, sir; there were no arrests made of those. There were arrests
made, afterwards, for an attempt of riot somewhere along about the 20th
August, I should think, sir, by one of the companies of Colonel
Howard's command--I think some five or six--my record book would tell
the date, and soon--who were tried, and afterwards convicted at our
county court.
Q. Men engaged in interfering with the pumps?
A. I don't know whether it was that, or an attempt. I think that was an
attempt at riot about that date.
Q. Were any of the rioters arrested that were engaged in this riot
here, on the streets, afterwards?
A. I think there has been some, sir.
Q. Were any of your posse arrested?
A. Yes; thirty-eight were.
Q. Arrested on information of some of the rioters?
A. The finding of the coroner's jury, sir. A coroner's inquest was
held.
Q. Were they tried?
A. They were.
Q. By whom--the court?
A. The court, Judge Harding presiding.
Q. On what charge?
A. Upon a charge of murder--manslaughter.
Q. Were they acquitted?
A. They were.
Q. Were any of the rioters tried, that were arrested?
A. I think there has been, sir. There are other gentlemen here, who had
charge of that matter, that will be able to testify better in regard to
that than myself.
Q. At the office where you found the young lady, state whether any
assault was made upon that by the crowd or mob?
A. None, that I know of.
Q. Was there any made after that time, or where did the crowd go, and
what became of the inmates of the office?
A. The attention of the crowd was drawn away from that part over
towards me, and the party who came out from the shops.
Q. Had you been informed they were in danger?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. And that is the reason you went down there?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. And after you got there, and found the young lady in a fainting
condition, you did not consider it advisable to take them away from
there, and didn't do so?
A. I didn't? consider it advisable to take them away, and made no
effort so to do.
Q. You did not consider it advisable?
A. No, sir.
Q. Did they afterwards escape from the office, and reach their homes?
A. Without any difficulty.
Q. Why didn't you consider it advisable to take them away, if they were
in danger?
A. I did not consider they were in danger.
By Mr. Means:
Q. I suppose you considered them more safe, than taking them away in
the street?
A. Yes, sir.
* * * * *
Joshua Thomas, _sworn_:
By Mr. Lindsey:
Q. State where you reside, if you please?
A. I am residing at Hyde Park.
Q. What is your occupation?
A. I am a blacksmith.
Q. Were you here in July last, when the difficulty occurred?
A. I was.
Q. On what day was it that the disturbance took place in the streets
here?
A. On the 1st of August.
Q. Will you please state whether you had any previous knowledge of the
intention or existence of any disturbance, prior to that date?
A. No, sir; I had none.
Q. And what was the first thing that you noticed or discovered?
A. At the silk-factory meeting?
Q. Yes. State whether you were at the silk factory meeting?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. For what purpose was that meeting called?
A. As near as I could learn on the streets, the men anticipated hearing
the reports of the standing committee of the Delaware and Hudson Canal
Company, and they all went down there expecting to hear the committee
report as to the result of the intercourse with the company.