Q. Can you give the contents of the letter, or the substance of it?
A. Only partially. It was on note paper. He went on to state--the
writer did--to speak of the grievances of the men, how they had
suffered short wages and short time, and the additional reductions,
&c., and he said that the men could not live. He said, that W. W.
Scranton had said, that he would have the men work for fifty cents a
day--I don't remember how soon, but for fifty cents a day--or he would
bury himself in a culm pile. He went on to state he was sorry he could
not be present to-day as he had business elsewhere, but he hoped the
men would do their duty, and signed himself "Working Man."
Q. After that letter was read what was done?
A. After that letter was read, there was four, five or six of us--I
don't just remember how many--we held a little caucus near the
stack--near one end of the silk factory, and we divided; I was to go
one side, and another man was to go another side, and try to speak to
allay the excitement, but the crowd was so dense we could not get up
there. While we were trying to get in, there was a motion made at that
time again that the body adjourn to the shops, and ask the men to leave
the shops. Even then there was no threats of violence at all, but of
course there was some epithets used against W. W. Scranton, but no
threats against him at all, nor no threats against any person, or
property, or anything.
By Senator Reyburn:
Q. What do you mean by shops?
A. These shops where the men were working--railroad shops, furnaces,
and steel-works. I didn't hear anything said, or any motion made, and
the motion was not made to turn them out, but to ask the men to leave
the shops.
By Senator Yutzy:
Q. I want to know what you mean by shops?
A. Railroad shops, steel-works, furnaces, mills, &c.
Q. All the manufactories?
A. Yes; all down on that side. [Indicating.] Then there was some
discussion after this by the men backward and forward, and we went back
again to the silk-works, and we were talking, and we saw the crowd
dispersing. I saw no motion carried, I simply heard them offered and
seconded, and put to the meeting, and then they were discussed. I heard
the ayes and noes while I was back, but supposed they were voting on
the motion; the decision of the chairman I could not tell what it was.
Then the men began to disperse, and we stood talking there. We had no
idea that any damage was being done. And while we were standing at the
silk factory, just on the railroad we came over from the iron and coal
company's factory--we could see the men running towards Ward street, in
that direction from here.
Q. You remained down there when they started from the shops?
A. Yes; and when we saw these men going that way, we came up the L. and
S. railroad, and I was just at the arch near the L. and S. shop when
the firing occurred. I just heard it, and that was all, and then I
walked right up to the corner here.
Q. When you got to the corner, what did you do?
A. I saw the men lying there dead in the street.
Q. Had the crowd dispersed?
A. Well yes, in the main. There was a great many standing around down
the street, and up and down the avenue, walking and talking.
Q. Who notified you of the meeting at the silk-works?
A. Indeed, I could not tell you that. I had it from quite a large
number.
Q. Laboring men?
A. Yes--oh yes. A gentleman that told me, said that he understood the
D. L. and W. committee was going to make a report.
Q. Was it kept secret?
A. Oh, no, sir.
Q. How long did you know that before the assemblage?
A. I knew that was to be three or four days before that--two or three
days.
Q. Why was it called at the silk-works--to meet at the silk-works?
A. Because there was no room elsewhere, unless they would have it up in
the Round woods, back of Hyde Park, and that was about just as far over
there.
Q. What do you mean by the Round woods?
A. It is a piece of woods that lies west of Hyde Park, commonly known
as the Round woods.
Q. Grove?
A. A grove.
Q. How many were assembled there at the silk-works?
A. Well, I should judge there was between five and seven thousand?
Q. Assembled in a hall?
A. Oh, no, sir; out of doors.
Q. What class of men were they?
A. Workingmen.
Q. Railroad men any of them?
A. I do not remember particularly. I did not know a railroad man there.
Doubtless there may have been some; but I don't remember of seeing any.
Miners, laborers, carpenters, blacksmiths, machinists, teamsters, and
so forth. All classes of men--working people.
Q. And they were there hearing the report of the committee appointed by
the miners?
A. Of the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Company.
Q. To consult with the officers of the company?
A. Yes--beg pardon, sir--they were there; believe that that was the
object of the meeting.
Q. Why were the blacksmiths and carpenters and other mechanics
generally notified to meet there?
A. They were not notified; but merely heard it talked on the streets,
and I went there for one. I was very anxious to learn whether the
miners were going to work, for, if they went to work, we stood a chance
of getting work in the shops.
Q. Did your work in the blacksmith shops depend upon the work going on
in the collieries?
A. Not altogether in the collieries; no, sir.
Q. Carpenters' work would not depend on that at all?
A. Curiosity, as much as anything. A great many of them went there out
of curiosity.
Q. Were the men asked there from the shops--the crowd to stop the
work--that is, you said the crowd went up to the steel-works, and the
factory and machine shops here. Were any of that class of men at the
meeting?
A. I only presume they were. I could not say that any one individual
was there, but I presume there were, and had good reason to think so.
They were Delaware, Lackawanna and Western railroad men were there.
That is, miners, not railroad men, but miners. The coal and iron
company's men were there--some of them--and some were there from
Munica, a village below here, and some from Taylorville, and some from
Old Forge, and they were anxious to know what the report would be of
the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western committee, and they came here,
anticipating to hear that report, because the success or the failure of
the strike, in the main, was dependent upon the Delaware, Lackawanna
and Western men, and if the report of this committee would be of such a
nature as would advise the men to work, then the strike would end
immediately, while if they held out, I suppose the rest would.
Q. Did you get any report of the committee?
A. No, sir.
Q. Nothing of the kind?
A. Nothing of the kind.
Q. Did you learn what action had been taken by the committee and the
officers of that committee?
A. No, sir; not at that time. I do not know whether they had taken any
action at all--whether they were prepared to make a report.
Q. Was any motion made to adjourn?
A. Down at that meeting?
Q. Yes?
A. Yes.
Q. That was voted down?
A. No, sir; it was carried, at least I presume it was carried, for this
reason. I heard the motion made to adjourn where I was in the crowd. I
could not get any further up towards the stand, but I came up, and then
I heard a vote taken, and I could hear the "ayes," and they
predominated, and I presumed it was on that question, for immediately
afterwards the crowd dispersed.
Q. The crowd dispersed in the direction of the machine shops?
A. Up this way. Some went up across the river, waded the river, and
went to Hyde Park, and some walked the road, and some came up this way
and some up the other road.
Q. How many came towards the steel-works on the flat?
A. I could not tell you how many.
Q. Can you judge?
A. There was probably--may be--fifteen hundred or two thousand walking
up the street and walking over that way. They didn't all go to the
shops that came up.
Q. Did you know that they started to the shops when they started to
persuade the men to quit work?
A. No, sir; there was a motion made to adjourn to the shops to request
the men to stop work for the present, until the difficulty was settled
between them and the company; that was the motion.
Q. Was that motion carried?
A. I presume it was, but when it was carried we were out of the crowd.
Q. And they all went to the shops, a large number?
A. A large number went up this way, and towards the shops.
Q. Was there any organization--any secret organization here known as
the Trainmen's Union, to your knowledge, of the railroad employés.
A. I do not know. I presume there was.
Q. Do you know of such an organization called the Trainmen's Union?
A. No, sir; not as the Trainmen's Union.
Q. Do you know of any organization among the railroad employés?
A. I have understood that there is what is known as an Engineers'
Brotherhood.
Q. Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers?
A. Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers; but we had nothing to do with
this meeting.
Q. This Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, was that the only
organization that you knew of among the railroad men?
A. Oh, I had heard and understood, and it was generally understood,
that there was what was called a Firemen's Brotherhood.
Q. And brakemen?
A. And Brakesmen's Brotherhood. Nearly all trades have some sort of
union--Machinists', Blacksmiths' Union, Coopers' Union, and so forth.
By Senator Reyburn:
Q. Beside the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, then, there was an
organization of brakemen and firemen?
A. All, sir, independent of each other.
By Mr. Engelbert:
Q. Do you know that of your own knowledge, or only by hearsay?
A. Hearsay.
By Senator Yutzy:
Q. Was there any public call for this meeting in the papers or
otherwise?
A. No, sir; I didn't see any call; didn't hear of any published call.
Q. How did the idea that there would be a meeting there get abroad?
A. I do not know.
Q. Do you know of any one that advised the meeting?
A. I do not.
By Senator Reyburn:
Q. Is it the custom of workingmen to congregate in meetings and crowds,
that way, and hear the report, for instance, if there is a committee
been known as having waited on the officials of a railroad or coal
companies?
A. Yes sir; if there was a committee pending between the men and the
company, possibly the committee could not afford to issue a call
through the papers, and nine, ten, or fifteen of the committee would go
around and tell some one, and they would tell others that the meeting
would be held at such a place.
Q. Do you suppose that was the way this meeting was called?
A. No, sir; I have no idea how it was called. I have no idea how it was
called, not the slightest.
By Mr. Larrabee:
Q. Except you heard it talked among several of the laboring men, that
there was to be such a meeting?
A. Yes; or rather asked me if I was going to be at the meeting.
By Senator Reyburn:
Q. When the motion to adjourn was carried, and the meeting broke up,
did the men that went off to the flats, and come towards the city, go
in a body, or with an organization, or was it merely that portion that
lived in this end of town, coming home?
A. I should judge, that out of curiosity, some was along with them from
different places, but there was no organization. They didn't come in an
organized body. They took in the ground between two roads, between the
street and the railroad, on the street and on the railroad, and on the
ground between, and on the other side of the road. They were scattered
along there. I should judge that it is nearly or quite three quarters
of a mile from the silk-factory up to the shops and the head of the
body--some of them went on; lived at the steel-works, fifty yards or
one hundred yards this side of the steel-works. And we looked towards
the hill, and we could see the men on the side of the hill; and we
could see them, some of them going towards Ward street. There was
nothing in the form of a government at all.
Q. You considered the meeting broken up at the time that motion to
adjourn was carried?
A. Yes, sir.
By Mr. Larrabee:
Q. This man who read this letter, did he make any remarks in regard to
it after he had read it?
A. I do not think that he did.
Q. Don't think he made any comments or advised the crowd what to do?
A. No, sir; he made no comments whatever.
Q. Did any one, after the reading of the letter, make any comments upon
it, or advise the crowd what to do?
A. Not upon the letter.
By Mr. Reyburn:
Q. Did he call upon any of the crowd to follow him?
A. No, sir; there was no one that I heard call upon the crowd to follow
him. No one. When the motion was made to adjourn, that side of the
crowd or of the meeting that was this way, the northern side of it--the
north-east of it, came first, some of them, and some stayed back.
Q. Did the greater part of the crowd come down through the shops?
A. Well, I don't know about that. I would not like to say, because I
took no particular notice.
By Mr. Means:
Q. Did the crowd appear to have a head or a leader?
A. No, sir.
Q. Every fellow for himself, was it?
A. So it seemed to be; yes, sir. There was no leader at all.
By Mr. Larrabee:
Q. They all seemed to have an idea of coming the same way?
A. Not all.
Q. That is, they got headed this way?
A. Well, there was a great many that come up this way; lived that--live
over this way. They live back on this side--a great many that came
up--and they came down the avenue.
By Mr. Means:
Q. From the commencement to the end, in your opinion, you suppose there
was no regular organization?
A. No, sir; there was no regular organization.
By Mr. Lindsey:
Q. You are pretty well acquainted with the laboring men in this
vicinity, are you not?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Were those six or seven thousand that assembled there composed of
laboring men of this section--Scranton and surroundings--here
principally?
A. Oh, yes, sir; principally.
Q. Were there any strangers, tramps or strangers--outside men
entirely--outside of this region?
A. I could not answer that, because I do not know as there was.
Q. Did you see any?
A. No, sir; I took no notice of any.
Q. The faces of this crowd was familiar to you, were they, as men that
you had seen in the vicinity?
A. Yes; a large majority of them were.
Q. You didn't see the conflict that occurred on the street?
A. No, sir.
At this point, the committee adjourned till to-morrow morning, at nine
o'clock.
SCRANTON, _March 30, 1878_.
The committee met pursuant to adjournment, at nine o'clock in the
morning, Mr. Lindsey in the chair. All members present except Mr.
Dewees.
* * * * *
W. W. Mannis, _sworn_:
By Mr. Lindsey:
Q. Where do you reside, Mr. Mannis?
A. Scranton.
Q. What is your business?
A. Superintendent Lackawanna Iron and Coal Company, building and lumber
department.
Q. I wish you would just state the facts that came under your
observation in reference to the troubles--the strike of July last?
A. On the date of the riot, the 1st of August, in the morning, about
eight o'clock, I heard there was a meeting called at the silk-works.
Q. Go on, Mr. Mannis?
A. I heard that there was a meeting called down at the silk-works, and
they were going to clean us all out. I made my way around among my men,
and went down to the foundry, supposing that would be about the first
place they would strike. I stayed there. There had a man gone from our
shops to attend the meeting. I asked of the different foremen what was
best to do, and we decided that we would continue on. We would not
close up our shops--that we would see what their intentions were. May
be it was false. Pretty soon this man came back, and said, "You had
better shut up. They are coming in a body to clean you out. You had
better get out of the way." We had another consultation, and decided we
would stand our ground and protect our property. Pretty soon we saw
them coming up Washington avenue, across the track. There they halted
for a few minutes. Then they filed off, a part of them towards our
shops, and the other part came on directly up the street. I should
judge there were from fifteen hundred to two thousand that turned
towards our shop; and as they came to the shops they scattered into all
the shops; some of the men run out. Some started to run out, and they
struck and chased them. They went into our boiler shop, where we have a
shaft driven by water wheel and a large belt. Five or six caught hold
of that to stop it. Says I, "Boys, don't destroy property now. You are
only injuring yourselves. Don't come around here and destroy property."
They paid no attention to me. I got the attention of one that seemed a
leader, and says I, "If you have any control over these men, for God's
sake take them back. You are only injuring yourselves." "Damn you,"
said he, "we have got the power." Says I, "If you were worth anything I
would knock your brains out." They says, "Where's Bill Scranton, that
is going to make us work for three shillings a day." Says I, "Listen to
me. Go back and attend to your work." No; they had the power and they
were going to use it. "You have got plenty," they said, "and we ain't.
We are going to have our rights." They went into our shop and ordered
the man to draw the fire. He started to do it, and then some one struck
him with a chunk of iron, and he got up and went through the shop, they
pelting him as he went. His shirt was torn off him, and his back was
bloody. Another one started to run behind the foundry, and they were
after him, and throwing stones and chunks of iron and cinder and
anything they could get. They got the shops all cleaned out, and they
started for the blast furnace. I heard one man sing out. Says he, "I
know the way; follow me." With that I started on ahead of them. Before
that, while they were standing in front of the machine shop, there was
some one got up on a piece of casting. "Now," says he, "fetch on your
Bill Scranton. Where is he? We'll gut him. We'll have his heart's
blood." Says I, "Don't talk so loud. You are crazy. You do not know
what you are talking about." He turned to me with some abuse; "that
they had the power now, and they were going to use it--that they were
going to gut Scranton." Says I, "You had better keep off Lackawanna
avenue or some of you won't get home." They started to the furnace, but
I got ahead of them, and went on ahead to notify the men to take off
the blast and fix the furnace, and met the foreman and told him they
were coming. He ran to the furnace and took the blast off. The most of
the men scattered, I don't think they got hold of any of them. I passed
through the casting-house, up the steps to the engine-house. There was
a lot of them behind me following me up. They came in contact with our
boiler tender, an old man sixty or seventy years old. They knocked him
down. I went to the engine-house. The engineer was coming out of the
engine room--they had brought him out. He had walked across the street.
Says I, "Come back, the boiler will blow up in twenty minutes with the
steam you have got, if you stop the pumps." The leader of that gang
came up and they surrounded me, and swore if they would put that man
back in there again they would blow my brains out. Says I, "Gentlemen,
you had better go back home; turn right around and go, or you will miss
it." Says I, "Don't come around here and destroy property." They soon
passed off, and came down toward the shops. I had nothing at all with
me to protect myself. I had a pistol at home. I ran up home and got
that and put it in my pocket, and went back to the engine-house again.
Found the engine-house was afire in two places. The engineer had gone
back and put it out, and drew the fire from the boilers. Then I started
up to the railroad, toward the company's store again, and as I came
right in front of the company's store the men had just filed out of the
store--this posse--and came down the street, and as they crossed
Washington avenue, the street was literally filled up with men, but
they seemed to open and let this posse through, and as they went
through the gap closed up again. Then I heard two or three pistol
shots, and pretty soon I heard the rifle cracks--more than two minutes,
maybe less--heard the rifles crack, and pretty soon they began to
scatter. In a very few minutes I saw the posse come back, and the
streets were pretty well cleared. I started down this way to where the
shooting was; and I got part of the way down and I met them coming, one
man on a litter--that was near Mr. Phillips'--his father was behind. I
met them walking back towards the company's store.
Q. Was this one of the posse?
A. No, sir; he was one that was with the rioters. He is a Welshman, a
very bad character; had but one leg. He was with them, and he was shot
through the arm. The ball passed through the fleshy part of the arm. I
thought he was dead, but he recovered again and is now at work.
Previous to the 1st of August, they had driven our men and sent our men
out of the shops. My shops are on the other side, the car smith shop is
on the other side of the engine-house--part of them went over and took
them out. Before the day of the strike they had notified them several
times that they should stop work. In fact, they had stopped pretty near
all my men. There was not more than half a dozen to work at that time.
Ordered them to stop work.
Q. Had you had any difficulty with your men previous to the 1st of
August.
A. No, sir; I had not.
Q. Did they all continue to work?
A. No, sir. Our men came out--I forget the date. Our puddlers were the
first men to strike in the city.
Q. What day did they strike?
A. They struck at noon. I think it was Tuesday night the engineers and
railroads all stopped. That was on Tuesday night. I do not remember the
date, but the engineers and firemen stopped. Our puddlers all came out
that day at noon.
Q. What day do you think that was?
A. That was the day that the engineers stopped at night--at noon.
Q. On the railroads?
A. Yes. Our railroad stopped here at night.
Q. Was it the Tuesday after the fire at Pittsburg--the burning at
Pittsburgh?
A. Really, I could not say, sir. It seems to me it was before that, but
I won't be positive of that. I forget what day our railroad stopped.
Q. Tuesday, after the trouble at Pittsburgh, your railroad stopped?
A. Then it was that Tuesday noon our puddlers stopped. The puddlers
stopped at noon as the men came out at night.
Q. How many of them?
A. I should judge there were near a hundred.
Q. What did they complain of?
A. They made no complaints. It was like a perfect panic among them.
They said the first thing they knew, the whistle blew at the mill, and
"now come on," and they all came down to the steel mills, took the men
with them there, and went down to the machine shops and foundries and
stopped the men there. They did not succeed in stopping the foundry.
They stopped the men at the machine shops. They had not asked for
anything prior to that time. Had not asked for any advance. Mr.
Scranton went down as soon as he heard of it, and asked them what they
wanted, or had some talk with them. Maybe he could tell more about it
than I could.
Q. Had they complained of low wages prior to that time?
A. It has been a complaint all through about low wages. I had not heard
anything from our men. I suppose I have probably one hundred or one
hundred and fifty men under my employ.
Q. You had heard nothing from them?
A. They had made no complaints to me.
Q. In any way?
A. No, sir.
Q. What were you paying these men?
A. The puddlers?
Q. Yes?
A. I could not tell you. They work by the ton, do not know what it was.
It is not in my department.
Q. Was this W. W. Scranton employed in the works in which you were
superintendent?
A. Yes; he is general manager.
Q. Were any of those puddlers in the crowd that came up from the
silk-works?
A. I do not know, sir. There was not a single face I knew. All the
crowd that I saw, that I came in contact with, were strangers to me,
and looked to me more like miners than laborers.
Q. What proportion of the number of men that you had employed, was at
work on that day--the 1st day of August?
A. I should suppose, probably not more than--you mean in my
department--probably one fourth.
Q. Take it in the whole shops--what proportion were at work?
A. Probably one fourth. The others had been intimidated by threats and
some had been assaulted before that, because they had continued to
work. They had been notified that they should not work.
Q. Had you heard of any discontent among the men, or had there been any
discontent or any strike contemplated, so far as you learned, prior to
the news of the strike at Pittsburgh reaching here?
A. There had not anything positive. I knew there was a very bad feeling
among the men, I knew the men felt sore and uneasy, didn't seem
contented or happy. I had not heard any threats of any strike.
Q. What about?
A. About low wages. The companies had been oppressive, and they ought
to have more, and there seemed to be a general dissatisfaction and bad
feeling.
Q. Had the wages been reduced any last year, during the summer?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. When were they reduced?
A. I think our reduction took effect the 1st of July--a general
reduction among the mechanics, I think.
Q. How much did you reduce the wages?
A. I think it was ten per cent.
Q. Was that reduction general among the companies in Scranton?
A. I think it was, I would not be positive about that, I think it was.
Q. Did it extend to the miners--had there been any reduction in miners'
wages?
A. No, sir; I think not. I think there had not been any since the 15th
of last March.
Q. Simply applied to mechanics?
A. There had been a reduction in March of miners' wages--I think it was
March there was a general reduction.
Q. How much of a reduction was made then?
A. I could not tell. That was something I had not anything to do with
at all.
Q. Can you tell what the class of men were getting in the shops you had
charge of?
A. How much they were getting?
By Senator Reyburn:
Q. About?
A. From $1 50 to $2 25.
By Mr. Lindsey:
Q. What class of men were getting $1 50?
A. Ordinary carpenters and car-makers.
Q. What class getting $2 50?
A. Our best blacksmiths and some of our best carpenters.
Q. Some of the best carpenters getting $2 50?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. What would the wages average? Take it on an average?
A. Among mechanics?
Q. Yes.
A. I think it would average, probably, $1 75.
By Senator Yutzy':
Q. This man that was wounded, is still here in the city working?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Was he actively engaged in the riot?
A. I do not know.
Q. Never was arrested?
A. No, sir; his father is a very good mill hand, and through the
influence of his father, and the sympathy with his family----
By Mr. Means:
Q. Had he been in your employ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Is he in your employ now?
A. Yes, sir; he was a short time ago, and I think he is. His father is
a boss heater. It was his father's influence--we had a good deal of
sympathy for the family. They are poor.
By Senator Yutzy:
Q. Can you give us an estimate--an approximate estimate of the amount
of loss sustained, by reason of the riot, in the works of the company?
A. I could not swear. The principal loss was the furnace. We had two
furnaces in blast. They were filled up full. That was a complete loss.
It is very expensive to cut them out.
Q. Chilled, were they?
A. Both chilled.
Q. Who can give us the probable loss?
A. W. W. Scranton.
Q. You said you were notified that there would be a meeting at the
silk-works, and they were going to clean your shops out. How did you
get your notice?
A. The superintendent of the blast furnace told me.
Q. Do you know where he got his information?
A. I do not. I presume he got it from some of his men there.
Q. Got it from some of the hands that heard it talked?
A. Yes; how he got it I do not know. We were doing some work at the old
mine, and I came through the blast furnace; says he, "There is a big
meeting this morning." Says I, "Where is it? I guess we had better go
down." Says he, "They have a rousing meeting, and they are going to
clean us all out to-day, and you had better be on the lookout." Says I,
"I will keep my eye open." That is Carl McKinney, he is superintendent
of the blast furnace.
Q. You do not know whether it was some of the men that wanted to notify
him so that he would be on his guard or not who gave this information?
A. I do not. I rather mistrust so, though, thought it was some man he
had put for that purpose. I imagine so, he seemed to know pretty well
how it was going to be conducted.
By Senator Yutzy:
Q. Is he still here, this man, superintendent of the furnace?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. What is his name?
A. Carl McKinney.
By Mr. Lindsey:
Q. How long was it before your men resumed their work after the strike?
A. When our mechanics went to work after the strike?
Q. Yes?
A. There was not any general resumption of work until after the miners
commenced working again. I do not recollect how long they were out,
now.
Q. Was it a month?
A. Yes; it was more than a month, I think.
By Mr. Reyburn:
Q. Some time in September or October?
A. I think it was near the 1st of October.
By Mr. Lindsey:
Q. Before your works started up again?
A. Yes; but I wouldn't be positive about that. I am a poor hand to
remember dates.
Q. Where were the men during the time the works were standing?
A. They were around home scattered. They were some of them that wanted
to work, who would go out in the country and get work. Some of them
laid around--loafed around.
Q. Unemployed?
A. Unemployed principally. Our men--I could have worked a good many
more men if they would have worked, but they were afraid; men were
actually afraid, my men told me. I could not get enough hardly to do
what work I had to do. Tried to prevail on them to work. They said they
would like to work but were afraid. I had a few at work, and several of
them as they were going home they were stoned. They said if they didn't
stop work they would burn every building down.
Q. What class of men were those that made these threats?
A. They were German and Irish.
Q. Were any of them arrested?
A. I don't know that any of them were arrested. The men were actually
afraid to work. There was a great many glad to work, but they didn't
dare. I know it was the case with my men.
Q. Was any effort made by the civil authorities here to arrest the men
that were threatening others and intimidating them?
A. All that I could hear of were arrested--that any one would complain
of. These men that they had made the threats to daresn't report them,
or it would not have been safe for them. They would have lost their
property and their lives, undoubtedly. I had one man working that lived
over in the Twelfth ward. He daresn't go to his dinner. He would have
his dinner brought to him in the shop. He would go out early in the
morning. Daresn't carry a dinner can. I never saw such a state of
things among the men in my life. Never saw such a wild set of men as
the men were that morning.
Q. Those men that threatened to stone those that wanted to work, were
they men that had formerly been in your employ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Did your company take any means--adopt any plan--to bring those men
to justice?
A. They did all they could, but they couldn't get the evidence without
bringing these men they had made the threats to prosecute. The mayor
told me once himself that any man that he could find out that had made
any threats of that kind, that could be proved, to bring them right
before him. I could get no man willing to go and swear to it.
By Senator Yutzy:
Q. Did your company reëmploy any of those men that made threats?
A. Not if they knew it. I don't think they did. They would send squads
around, half dozen in a squad, and wherever they found a company man at
work, they would want to know who they were at work for. If they were
at work for the company, they must quit--if they work individually,
they could go on. I had some men at work about five miles out, and
there were a party of men went out, and wanted to know if they were
working for the company. They told them a lie, and said they were
working for men that lived out there. They said, "If you are working
for the company you have got to stop."
By Mr. Reyburn:
Q. I would like to ask the gentleman whether those were men or boys, or
what aged men they were?
A. I think it run from fifteen to forty.
Q. They were men most of them, were they?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Men of mature years?
A. Yes; they were men. I should judge the majority of them were between
twenty and thirty, by their looks.
Q. Do you know the men composing the mayor's posse? Were you acquainted
with them?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. What character of men were they?
A. They were some of our best men--most of them. They were of good
standing.
Q. And character?
A. Yes, sir. I would say nearly all. There might have been one or two
that wouldn't bear sifting; but they were composed of our best men.
They were headed by W. W. Scranton, and Chittenden up here, and that
class of men. They were all young men of good standing.
* * * * *
James E. Brown, _sworn_:
By Mr. Lindsey:
Q. State where you reside.
A. Ninth ward, city of Scranton.
Q. What is your business?
A. Hardware.
Q. Hardware merchant?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. If you will just give us a statement of the facts that came under
your observation of the riots here?
A. How far back do you want I should go? I was one of the officers of
the posse before the riot, and was with the mayor all through the crowd
down there.
Q. Commence with the origin of it?
A. There was a great deal of excitement among all the laboring classes
here, and a great many threats and rumors were current that property
was going to be destroyed. After they had been current several days, a
large number of young men here in the city, in talking over matters,
made up our minds that something ought to be done to protect property,
and it resulted in a meeting being called, and a paper circulated and
largely signed, and the meeting was held at the club room of the Forest
and Stream Club, to organize and decide what course we would take. We
met and decided that we would organize in a sort of a military style,
with the express intention of protecting property; but not interfering
in any way between the laboring men and their employers. We had nothing
to do with their quarrels, but we must protect our own property and the
property of the citizens.
Q. When was that meeting called?
A. I cannot tell you the date. I could get it. It was near about the
time, I think--immediately after the Pittsburgh riots.
Q. Had these rumors of difficulty and of attack upon property and
destruction of property existed here before the Pittsburgh riots?
A. I cannot say just the dates. I didn't pay much attention to it. I
thought, like a good many others, it was doubtful that there would be
any trouble. We organized as fully as we could, and were careful who we
allowed to belong to the party, and after the organization, who we
elected went down to the mayor. Of course, we proposed to act through
him and under his authority, and in no other way. He welcomed us and
took proper steps to give us a legal standing. It was understood that
we were to turn out only at the call of one of the officers, and a
proper signal was agreed upon to be given, and that signal was only to
be given by one of the other officers, and by no other persons; and as
I happened to live nearer to the bell than any one else, it was
understood that I was the only one to go out at night. A person was on
duty all the time at the mayor's office to give me notice if that
signal was to be rung if there had been any trouble. Things went on
that way--rumors were constantly flying about--until, I think it was,
the first Monday in August, when we met as usual at night. There was
reports they were going to make an attack that night on the company's
store I think, and we met, when I had a long talk with the mayor, as
well as a great many others of the posse, and he told us of this
meeting to be held at the silk factory on Wednesday. That he was
perfectly certain there was going to be no more trouble; that
everything was in a very satisfactory condition, and the same story
again on Tuesday. That night word came to us they were going to throw a
train off the track above the iron company's store, and they wished us
to be on hand and see that if that was done there would be a force
there to preserve order. We stayed there until a little after twelve,
and in view of what the mayor told us of the train coming in all right,
peaceable, and quiet, we made up our minds we had fooled with this
thing long enough, and I saw Captain Ripple in the morning, and we
agreed it was time to stop all that performance, and we would have
nothing to do with it unless news came somewhat different from what we
had. I went to the store as usual, and was around there. Knew of the
meeting at the silk factory. Saw a crowd coming down there--from the
upper stories I could see the crowd coming down there. I came down the
street, and was talking with several members of the posse. The streets
were very crowded. A great many strangers here--strange faces. Along
towards eleven o'clock--between ten and eleven--members of the posse
commenced to come to me and say they didn't like the looks of the
meeting down here, and they wanted me to act--to do something. Captain
Riddle was at his works, and was not expected to be here all day, and I
was the only one that was here that had any authority to give the
signal.
Q. You were one of the three officers?
A. Yes, sir; I laughed at the notion of there being any trouble, and
was so confident that the meeting with the railroad men had been so
satisfactory, that I thought there was no danger whatever. Along just
about eleven o'clock, near that, a man came to me and was very excited,
and told me that the meeting had broken up and were coming up this way,
and it was time to act. I told him, well, if you are afraid, go into
the company's store--tell everybody you see to go to the company's
store--I shall stay here until something more occurs. I went back to
the store, saw that the crowd was getting more excited, and I commenced
telling every man I saw to go to the company's store. I stayed in front
of the store two or three minutes--the store is on the corner where the
riot took place, and one of the Logan boys came over and said they
wanted the signal given from the company's store. I told him we must
have the mayor's order first, and to go down and tell the mayor I was
there at the store, and if he wanted the signal given I would give it
immediately. He went down and reported to the mayor, and his brother,
at the time, standing there over the bell that nobody should ring it,
and he had not been gone long before the messenger came then at the
company's store who had been sent down to ring the bell, and I could
not do it. I sent back word I would get the mayor's order and ring it
immediately. I met the chief of police, and said they had sent down to
have the signal rung, and they were driving the men out of the blast
furnaces, and he said, don't give the signal. He said, send every man
you see to the company's store. We went down Washington avenue, and
went under the arch. There was a great many saw him going into the
crowd where the disturbance was. They were then driving the men out of
the car shops--cheering, and others hissing. He made a remark something
like this: "Boys you better go home; you better get away from here;"
and went on through the crowd. Some spoke and looked, and some started
as if they were going to leave. There was no perceptible difference. We
went as closely as we could, until we got to Mr. McKinney's office. He
went up about to the door. Just as he got to the door the crowds were
coming out of the shops. The crowds seemed to strike there--the
lookers-on and the rioters. Some that came out of the shops were very
much excited, brandishing their sticks around. The mayor started to
come back. Just as he turned around and got a little back, I saw him
struck over the head with a club. He turned around and went to see who
struck him, and started off again. There was a movement made in the
crowd as if to protect him, and I was separate from him, I believe,
five or six feet. I kept as close to him as I could. Neither of us were
armed. Both of us were perfectly helpless, that is, we had not even a
stick, and he was struck again. Meanwhile, the crowd as they came out
of the shops, didn't seem to recognize him, and they said, "Who is he?"
and I guess a dozen voices answered, "The mayor. Protect him." Some
said--a great many said, "God damn him, kill him. What is he doing
there?" Just then a pistol was fired. I saw the smoke of it. He
evidently had it in his hand, and in getting it up the crowd was so
thick it went off. Two or three rushed to strike him, and two or three
rushed to protect him. The crowd was very thick just then. Father Dunn
came along, and took hold of the mayor's arm, and marched him off.
Another effort was made by the crowd to protect Father Dunn and the
mayor, but especially Father Dunn. A great many more tried to protect
him. When I speak of the crowd, I mean the men who had been driving the
men out of the car shops. They says, "Who is he--Father Dunn--God damn
him, kill him. What is he doing here?" That cry was repeated. After I
got out of the crowd, I would have sworn that I saw Father Dunn struck,
although he denies it, but I still believe, in my mind, that he was
struck. After we got a little further, a man jumped from my side and
struck the mayor on the cheek, with either a billy or a slung shot.
That was the blow that broke his jaw. That man I wouldn't recognize
again. I never saw him before, but from the view I had of the men who
were killed, I think he was one of the men who were killed. As we got
further along towards the arch--after we got out under the
arch--towards Lackawanna avenue on to Railroad alley, the police took
hold of the mayor, and helped him on to the street. I saw the rear of
our store was open, and I knew what threats had been made, and I jumped
into the store and told them to close the front up. I thought that
might be a very good place to start a fire. At the same time, I went to
get a pistol. I tried to lock the front door, and as I looked over my
shoulder, I saw the posse coming down the street. I jumped for the head
of the posse. Stones were thrown, pistols were fired, and I heard one
shot, I think it was, and I immediately turned around and yelled,
"Don't fire!" My impression was they were not in any position, and they
wanted to avoid a conflict with the crowd, if possible; but immediately
after that, stones came from the other track parties by us, and there
was another pistol shot or two--I couldn't say how many--and I saw a
crowd throwing stones, and I turned around and I said, "Give it to them
boys." Then the volley was fired, and immediately from that side
between Colson's store and the next--the crowd over there--and I told
them to give it to them, and they turned the guns that way; and by that
time the crowd had got so thoroughly panic stricken that the riot was
over.
Q. How many were there in your posse that were firing?
A. There was just fifty-one men with myself. As they came down the
street they counted thirty-eight. I had the names of the whole posse,
and from evidence I know--positive evidence--I know there was just
fifty-one men.
Q. They were all present at that time?
A. Our whole posse was over a hundred.
Q. Was the signal given?
A. No, sir; I would not give it without the mayor's order. He was
completely bewildered after this blow breaking his jaw. He was struck
three or four other times, and just as soon as he could, got out of the
crowd. I ran to give the signal, but I wanted my pistols first. I
thought we were going to fight, and I wanted to be armed. Before I
could get near the church to give the signal, the firing took place,
and the whole thing was over. They ordered the men to fall in on
Washington avenue, and they all fell right in without any excitement,
just like old veterans, and we went straight to the company's store,
and by the time we got to the company's store, a great many citizens
were there to support us. I had no idea they were whipped. I supposed
they would merely go around through the yard and attack us again. We
went to the company's store to prepare to meet them.
By Senator Yutzy:
Q. Who was given command of this posse?
A. There was no officer in command. W. W. Scranton had brought them
out. They had gone there and got their guns, and W. W. Scranton had as
much command as any one. I had command as soon as I got with them.
Q. Were your men sworn in as special policemen?
A. These also had written authority from the mayor.
Q. You said that the intention of your posse was to protect the
property of private citizens. Did you intend to leave the property of
corporations at the mercy of the mob?
A. No, sir; that is, we intended to protect common property which would
damage the city if it were destroyed. We did not want to be sworn in.
We would be sworn in, but we wished to be placed in such a position
that we would not be forced to go over to breakers or outlying property
in any direction to protect it, but property here in the city, for
instance, the company's store we would protect. We did not wish to be
mixed in any such way that we would have to take sides as between
strikers and the man that wanted to work. It was not our business, we
were not serving for pay, we were only serving for our own protection.
Q. I understood that was the case, but the language might be construed
otherwise?
A. We could not draw the line between private property and corporation
property.
By Senator Reyburn:
Q. You better explain more fully the object of the organization?
A. The object of the organization--we understood the cry had been
raised all through in all directions among--I can't say whether there
were miners or laborers, but among the worthless set of men who were in
one thing or another, and hardly ever did a stroke of honest work, that
they were going to gut Lackawanna avenue, that was the cry, and we
organized to prevent any such thing as that taking place. We wished
distinctly, and had it understood as distinctly, that the quarrels of
men with their employers were nothing to us. We did not wish to side
with the companies or men.
Q. The question of wages between the men and the company?
A. That was not for us to decide.
Q. You organized for protection?
A. Merely for protection of the property of the city. We had up to the
time of the riot the best wishes of a large portion of the laboring
class.
Q. How was it after the riot?
A. Then came a question of order. Three men were killed--whether in
killing these three men we were justifiable, and under the excitement,
a great many would privately tell us they thought we were justifiable,
at the same time to hear them talk in a crowd, you would think they
were not.
By Mr. Lindsey:
Q. You were tried, and the court sustained you?
A. Sustained us.
Q. How many were arrested of the posse and tried?
A. We were all tried--no we were not all tried. There were two
indictments brought, one was for murder, and one was for manslaughter.
Those they supposed had done the shooting were tried for murder and
acquitted, and those that were under indictment for manslaughter--the
whole thing was _nolle prossed_. The same evidence that failed to
convict the men of murder would have to be used on the trial for
manslaughter.
By Senator Yutzy:
Q. Where were you tried?
A. Wilkes-Barre.
Q. Before what judge?
A. Harding. I was not tried; I was indicted for manslaughter only,
because at the time the firing took place I had no weapons about me.
Q. All that were tried were acquitted?
A. Yes, sir.
By Mr. Lindsey:
Q. Was the case ever submitted to a jury?
A. Yes; the murder case was submitted to a jury.
Q. Under the instruction of the court?
A. Yes. It was so plain a case, we had so many men hurt, and we could
prove so many stones thrown and pistol shots fired at us. We had four
men altogether, wounded--one man shot in the leg, one man a pistol ball
took him right across the fingers--it made no wound to speak of, still
the intention was to hit him, and that same ball struck a gun and left
its mark in the wood, and on the iron. Another ball that was fired
whistled by my head and broke a plate-glass window.
By Mr. Larrabee:
Q. Did this all occur before your men fired?
A. The shooting of this pistol--the man who fired that pistol was
killed. Two men were struck, and badly hurt with stones, and the men
that threw these stones were killed. All this took place before a
single shot was fired from our side.
By Senator Yutzy:
Q. Were there any other stores broken into and robbed?
A. No, sir; not robbed. Our store was broken into, but it was by the
mob, in their efforts to get away from the guns.
Q. After you were arrested, tell what took place in regard to your
being arraigned before a magistrate.
A. We were not arrested; there were no arrests, virtually no arrests
made. We voluntarily gave ourselves up, after this coroner's inquest
had taken place, which was a coroner's inquest held by an alderman, an
illegal inquest, as decided by Judge Harding. An inquest was held, and
myself, as well as a number of others, were found guilty of murder, and
warrants issued for the arrest.
Q. Were you charged with murder?
A. Found guilty by the coroner's inquest of murder, so far as a
coroner's inquest could do that. Among the number found guilty, were
men, who--or accused of it--were men who were not in the posse, and had
no connection with it, and it was known to every one, who were blocks
away from Lackawanna avenue. One of them was three blocks away from
Lackawanna avenue, at the time the firing took place; another one was
in his barn, one block away from Lackawanna avenue; and another one, I
doubt whether he was in the city; another one was inside the store--of
our store. Both the Messrs. Hunt who were found guilty--were brought in
by the coroner's jury, charged with murder, had no connection in any
way, shape or manner with the posse, and were not present at it, the
elder Mr. Hunt, being inside of the store, and the younger one, being
over two blocks away. Warrants were issued for the arrest of the elder
Mr. Hunt, and some others, and Mr. Hunt was arrested. This was done at
night. It was understood that we would be arrested at night, and taken
in carriages to Wilkes-Barre, and not allowed a chance to consult
counsel, and taken down through Taylorville, where a large number of
this crowd had come from, and where two of this crowd that were killed
lived, and then probably lynched. As soon as any notice was given of
these arrests, word was carried immediately to General Huidekoper's
head-quarters, who was then stationed at the company's store, to come
along on the track, and scattered where they would do the most good. He
immediately ordered a company down, and took the prisoners from the
constable, holding himself personally responsible for their delivery to
the proper authorities. That was done, because no one had any idea that
the coroner's inquest was a legal affair, and that the lives of the men
arrested were not worth that, if they were taken off at night, because
any one of them could be arrested in the day time. Any one of us could
be arrested at any hour of the day, if they had seen fit to do so, and
it was merely an action of revenge on the part of the crowd. The next
day, all that were in any danger of arrest, voluntarily went to
Wilkes-Barre, and entered bail.
Q. How many were arrested by that constable?
A. Two.
Q. And they were taken from the custody of the constable by this
company of Huidekoper's?
A. Yes, sir. Undoubtedly other arrests would have been made, but they
did not care to go under his guns to do it. We put ourselves under his
guns, and spent the night there.
Q. Had they warrants against all the posse?
A. They were not able to find out. We were not allowed any access to
what they were doing. It was all secret.
Q. Coroner's jury?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Warrants issued by the coroner?
A. By an alderman, acting as coroner.
Q. And placed in the hands of this constable?
A. To arrest. The constable told me that he had a warrant for my arrest
that night, but refused to serve it.
By Senator Yutzy:
Q. Did you ascertain what force accompanied the constable to make these
arrests?
A. No, sir. There was quite a crowd apparently hanging on, but the
constable made the arrest alone. The idea was to hurry the men off
quietly, without letting us know anything about it, and get them out of
the reach of assistance.
Q. Who were the two men that were arrested?
A. T. T. Hunt and C. B. Chittenden.
Q. Were they part of your posse?
A. Hunt had nothing whatever to do with it.
Q. What was Hunt's business?
A. Hardware merchant.
Q. Was Chittenden a member of the posse?
A. He was a member of the posse.
Q. Did he participate in the conflict?
A. I am not certain whether he did or not.
Q. In endeavoring to suppress the riot?
A. I am not certain whether he was in the squad or not. I know he
belonged to the general committee--the general posse. If he was not
there, he probably would have been if he had had an opportunity.
Q. What class and character of men was that posse composed of?
A. The best men of the town. Merchants and lawyers, business men
generally.
* * * * *
J. H. Powell, _sworn_:
By Mr. Lindsey:
Q. Where do you reside?
A. I reside in Hyde Park, this city.
Q. What is your business?
A. At present I am not doing anything. My last business was editor of
the _Industrial Advocate_.
Q. In July last what were you?
A. At that time my occupation was a miner.
Q. And in August?
A. At that time my occupation was a miner.
Q. In whose employ were you?
A. D. L. and W. Co.
Q. Delaware, Lackawanna and Western?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. In what capacity were you employed?
A. Miner.