REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE APPOINTED TO INVESTIGATE THE Railroad Riots IN JULY, 1877. (continued 31)
Reading edition
A. I do not know as I am a competent witness on that. I heard it second hand.
Q. Just what you know of your own personal knowledge?
A. I didn't see the order. I was informed through my brigade commander that the orders were to go east out Penn street, that was in reply to my expression of opinion that we ought to go to the Union depot and get our ammunition and supplies there. He told me General Brinton had orders to go east out of Penn street when we left. Of course, like a good soldier, I shut up. I supposed that was sufficient knowledge of the order.
Q. Any orders to General Guthrie to your knowledge?
A. I did not hear of any. All that was explained to me was that the order was to go east at Penn street when we left.
James H. Stewart, re-called:
By Mr. Means:
Q. Were you an officer in command of a regiment or brigade—a field officer or commissioned officer?
A. I was not, sir.
Q. I mean a commissioned officer at that time?
A. No, sir. I was not.
Q. What position did Colonel Norris occupy?
A. I do not know, I understood on the Governor's staff. I don't know whether he held a commission or not.
Q. Do you know whether he was commissioned or not?
A. No, sir; I did not.
Q. Do you know of any arrangement that was made through the colonel to have the troops rationed at any place or at any time?
A. Of the first division?
Q. Of Colonel Brinton's command?
A. Yes; I know something about it. I know we used every effort—do you want me to explain why?
Q. I want to know the whys and the wherefores.
A. Every effort was made to ration Brinton's command, whilst he was opposite to the round-house. We used everything in our power to do that. I myself had secured an engine from Cassatt, the vice president of the Pennsylvania railroad, and some gentlemen communicated with the Governor. Colonel Farr and Colonel Quay, and quite a number of us, carried on some tubs of sandwiches, and I having learned that the fire had taken place on Liberty street, we then telegraphed out, and found it was west of Twenty-eighth street, consequently, we could not get the rations, and we abandoned that. I afterwards went out myself to the general, carried an order, both written and verbal. I then returned to the Union Depot hotel. Every person connected with us, was very anxious to get the general's command furnished with provisions.
Q. Then the sum and substance of it was, you didn't succeed in furnishing them with rations?
A. We could not, it was utterly impossible.
Q. Were there any other arrangements made to furnish General Brinton's command with rations, after they arrived at the round-house, and after they got away from it?
A. We would have furnished him, if we had known where the general was.
Q. I ask the question, and I expect an answer plain, whether you did or didn't?
A. Whether we had sent any rations to them?
Q. Whether you did furnish them, and whether there was an arrangement made to get rations to them?
A. We had made arrangements—if he had turned his column back from where he was, beyond Sharpsburg, we had made arrangements to send rations up by the West Pennsylvania road.
Q. Where to?
A. To Sharpsburg. I supposed we might meet him there.
Q. Then you had no definite place that you expected to furnish these troops rations at?
A. No, sir.
By Mr. Lindsey:
Q. Does the West Pennsylvania road run through Sharpsburg?
A. Yes, sir.
By Mr. Means:
Q. Now. Mr. Stewart, in short, what arrangements did you make to furnish them with rations at all?
A. Where do you mean?
Q. At any place after they left the round-house.
A. After they left the round-house?
Q. Yes.
A. We made no arrangements, for the very simple reason, that as I said, we could not find out where General Brinton's command was. You will remember, the telegraph lines were cut. We learned accidentally, that the general was retreating, and we would have used every effort in our power to get the command furnished with rations, and could have done it, if he had turned the head of his column back. And in this connection, I want to just state here, that so far as the First division is concerned, they were a valorous set of troops, and did good service for the county of Allegheny, used every effort that they could. I believe, that so far as my own personal knowledge is concerned, that General Brinton did everything that he possibly could to help along the trouble that occurred. He was posted there in the round-house all night, and I do not blame him, really.
Q. Do you mean just what you said: that General Brinton did all he could to help along the trouble that occurred?
A. Oh, no.
Q. I wish you would explain this; give an explanation.
A. What I want to say is this: the general in command did everything he possibly could to protect the citizens of Allegheny county.
Q. And suppress the riot?
A. And suppress the riot.
By Mr. Means:
Q. And the railroad property?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. I would like you to be a little more explicit—a little more definite in regard to these rations. When you intended to transport the rations to these troops, and how you intended to get them there, and if you intended to get them there at all?
A. In the first place, we didn't know where the first division were retreating to. We understood that they had left the round-house, and were going north. We then could have made—did make—some arrangements to send rations to them, as I said before in my testimony.
Q. What arrangements did you make—put them on cars, or take them by wagons—how did you intend to transport them over there?
A. If he had come back south of the Allegheny, we would have sent them out the West Pennsylvania road—if he had made a junction with Guthrie, as we wanted.
Q. As who wanted?
A. General Latta.
Q. Did you say as you wanted?
A. I didn't say as I wanted.
Q. As the commander-in-chief wanted?
A. The Adjutant General; the commander-in-chief was not there.
Q. General Brinton, or who?
A. If General Brinton had come, and made a junction with Colonel Guthrie, we could have fixed the rations for him—could have done so if he had stayed in Sharpsburg.
Q. Now, in what way could General Brinton have made that connection with Colonel Guthrie?
A. How do you mean?
Q. By what road did he or could he have made it?
A. When he left the round-house, it was as easy for him to go to Guthrie's command as it was to march out to Sharpsburg.
Q. As you appear to know something about these arrangements, I would like to know what arrangement was made to get General Brinton's command any ammunition?
A. What arrangement?
Q. Yes; or if any?
A. I do not know that General Brinton's command had been exhausted of ammunition. We could have furnished him with all the ammunition that he wanted; as Colonel Norris told him, if he would turn back the head of his column, and make a junction with Guthrie, we could furnish him with both ammunition and rations.
Q. Now, do you know that Colonel Guthrie had ammunition, and plenty of it?
A. He had enough for his troops.
Q. How do you know that he had?
A. Having been out there in the morning, before daylight, furnishing Colonel Rodgers' command with some ammunition, I happened to know that Colonel Guthrie had plenty of it, and then we had more of it at the Union Depot hotel, and could have furnished the general's command with all the ammunition that he wanted.
Q. Had you any arrangements by which you would transport that ammunition to General Brinton's command—from the round-house, I mean?
A. After he left the round-house?
Q. From the Union depot?
A. O, yes; we could if we knew exactly where General Brinton was.
Q. Did you have any arrangements made to do that?
A. Well, we knew just exactly how we were handling our own stuff there.
Q. You did not know exactly what you were doing?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Did you know from the commander-in-chief that General Brinton was short of ammunition?
A. From the commander-in chief? The commander-in-chief was not there. The Adjutant General was there. I knew from what General Brinton had told us on his route north of the Allegheny that he was short of ammunition.
Q. Did General Latta know that, to your knowledge?
A. Not until we returned from seeing General Brinton.
Q. And when General Brinton had marched north, you say then you supposed him to be retreating, and you gave up all hopes of furnishing any provision or anything else—when General Brinton, you say, went north, out Penn avenue—I believe it is north?
A. North-east; yes, sir.
Q. Then, after you found he crossed the Allegheny river you gave up all hopes and quit making any efforts to furnish him with either provision or ammunition?
A. No, sir; we did not. I believe that every effort was made to furnish his men.
By Mr. Lindsey:
Q. I would like to ask Mr. Stewart in what capacity he was acting?
A. As a volunteer aid of the Adjutant General.
Q. And did what he directed you to do simply?
A. At what time?
Q. While you were acting as volunteer aid?
A. You don't want me to tell everything I know?
Q. No, sir; my question is, you did what he directed you to do?
A. Everything, of course.
Q. That was all?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. You did not assume to do anything on your own responsibility?
A. No, sir.
Q. Were you a member of the National Guard at that time?
A. I was not. I had been a major on the staff of General Pearson.
By Senator Yutzy:
Q. Of the National Guard?
A. Of the National Guard.
Q. And you went out with Colonel Norris because you were directed to go out there by the Adjutant General?
A. Directed to go by the Adjutant General.
Q. And all you know about ammunition or provisions is what you were directed to do in relation to it?
A. Of course that is all.
Q. In your testimony heretofore you stated that Brinton made a remark that he would be God damned if he would return to Pittsburgh again. Are you certain he made that remark and used that language?
A. I am under oath, am I not?
Q. Refresh your memory and see whether he made that remark?
A. The general knew Colonel Norris better than he knew me, and of course, was speaking to him.
By Mr. Lindsey:
Q. Mr. Yutzy asks you whether you are certain that he made that remark?
A. I most positively assert that General Brinton made that remark.
Major Lewis D. Baugh, re-called:
By Mr. Lindsey:
Q. State whether you were with General Brinton's command on Sunday morning on their retreat?
A. No, sir; I was not.
Q. State what knowledge you have of the dispatches sent by General Brinton to General Latta during the night of Saturday?
A. I cannot, without my memorandum. I was present when the dispatches came in, several of them, two of them brought in by a scout, I think.
Q. From whom?
A. From General Brinton.
Q. To General Latta?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. You were in General Latta's office?
A. I was in General Latta's office.
Q. When two of them were brought in?
A. I think one or two, I cannot recollect. I was there when the scout came in.
Q. When the first dispatch was brought in?
A. I think so, yes, sir. I came in the room and found him there. If I had a report here I could talk more plain.
Q. You mean the Adjutant General's report?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Can you state the nature of the dispatch?
A. If I saw the book I could state which dispatch it is.
Q. Did you see any other one than those that are published in the Adjutant General's report?
A. I don't recollect of seeing any other. I was in General Latta's head-quarters off and on during the evening, being cut off from my division, and naturally went to the next head-quarters, and I was in there during the evening, trying to get my rations out to the troops. I was commissary of the first division, acting quarter-master at the time, I had some ammunition there as well as rations, and I was in the room and out of it until pretty near midnight, and then I attempted to join General Brinton by myself, and went up street in citizen's clothes.
Q. Did you succeed?
A. No, sir; could not get to the round-house, found that I would get shot very likely by our own men as I was in citizens clothes, and looked about as much like a rioter as any of the rest of them.
Q. Did General Brinton complain of being short of ammunition in any of those dispatches?
A. I think he did, short of ammunition and short of provisions.
Q. Do you recollect what he said about it?
A. No, sir; I do not, because it is all written down, and I had the report.
Q. Are all the dispatches that you read or saw, as coming from General Brinton that night, published in the Adjutant General's report?
A. I think they are. There may be some more that I did not see. I read it over, and found it pretty near as I knew. I tried my best to get provisions to him, and I delivered ammunition—four boxes—to somebody, to take out to some other station to some other troops.
Q. Torrens station?
A. Torrens station, I think it was. I recollect going down in the cellar of the hotel and getting them out; it was pretty hard work for some one or two people, besides myself, to lift them up. The elevator was stopped.
Q. You were the commissary of General Brinton's staff?
A. Yes, sir; I am regular commissary of the First division—General Brinton's division.
Q. And as such were in consultation with the general during the night?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Do you know of any supplies being provided to General Brinton's command during the night, or at Torrens station?
A. No, sir; not that I know of. There were some supplies I sent down there, but whether they reached or not I do not know; I don't think they did. Some started out there. The supplies went out in a wagon; I did not send those out—out to the round-house. When General Brinton started, he directed me to remain there and make arrangements to ration the troops in the evening and following morning. I made the arrangements, and after getting through with that arrangement I went on the track, and found there had been a fight.
Q. You say you were not with General Brinton when Colonel Norris reached him?
A. No, sir.
Q. When did you see General Brinton after that?
A. I think about three o'clock in the afternoon, as near as I can recollect, without having any watch on me.
Q. Of Sunday?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Did General Brinton say anything about having seen Colonel Norris?
A. I do not know that he did—I do not recollect it.
Q. Did he tell you anything about Colonel Norris having been to see him?
A. I don't think he did. As soon as I found they had left the round-house, I heard they had gone to the arsenal. I heard Captain Breck say to somebody that they had gone to the arsenal. I drove there, and found they were not there, and somebody said they had gone to the right. I followed out, and crossed the railroad track, and came to the hospital, and down to the hotel again. I found they had gone to Sharpsburg. I hired another carriage, and drove out to Sharpsburg; and when I got to Sharpsburg, I was bothered which road to take, and I daresn't ask anybody. I found the mark of the shoes that the column had moved in the road, and I followed up that road some distance.
Q. General Brinton did not mention the fact of Colonel Norris having met him that day?
A. I don't recollect of it.
Q. Did he say anything about having received any orders from General Latta?
A. No, sir; he asked me for orders as soon as I got there. I told him I had none. Then I went back to General Latta for the orders.
Q. Why did you go back?
A. He wanted orders.
Q. Did General Brinton send you back for orders?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Where did you go?
A. Drove down the river road to the bridge, about opposite to the Monongahela House; crossed there, and went to the Monongahela House, and went to General Latta's room, and found him, and delivered a note to General Latta.
Q. From whom?
A. General Brinton.
Q. What did General Latta say in reply?
A. Asked where General Brinton was, and I told him back on the hills about the poor-house, as near as I could tell, being a stranger there, then he gave me written orders to give to General Brinton.
Q. When did you tell this to General Brinton?
A. When he gave me the written orders, I asked him about provisions, and he says, I was commissary and it was my business to feed them. Says I, "Yes, but it is your business to give me some stuff." They had not time, and they left me there. Major Lazarus, one of the special officers, was in the room all the time, and there was a captain of the first regiment. I took them down with me, and turned around to Lazarus, and says I, "You read these orders. In case I do not reach General Brinton, or you see him first, give him these orders." Then there was two of us, in case one got picked up then the other would deliver the orders. When I crossed the river at the West Pennsylvania depot, he drove down and delivered the orders. As soon as I got out in the morning, I overhauled General Brinton and gave him the written order.
Q. Do you know what those orders were?
A. If I had a report here, I could tell you, sir.
Q. They are published in the Adjutant General's report?
A. Yes, sir. The substance was to proceed to Altoona.
Q. What is the date of the order—can you give that?
A. Sunday night, about nine o'clock, when I received it.
Q. You may give the substance of the order, as near as you can recollect?
A. To proceed to Altoona, and Mr. Creighton would furnish transportation. When I went back General Latta gave me orders that General Brinton should have it to-night. I went out, and jumped in a wagon, and started over.
Q. While you were at the Monongahela house, did General Latta say anything about General Brinton having disobeyed his orders?
A. No, sir.
Q. Did he say anything to you about having sent orders to General Brinton?
A. Not to me. Didn't hear him say a word about it.
Q. Did he mention having sent Colonel Norris or Captain Aull with orders?
A. No, sir; didn't say a word to me about it. I took General Brinton a note in, and handed it to him, and he then dictated an order. The order was written out, and handed to me, and delivered to General Brinton.
Q. Do you know whether Colonel Norris had returned?
A. I don't know anything about him.
Doctor J. E. Mears, re-called:
By Mr. Lindsey:
Q. State whether you were at the Union depot on Saturday morning, when Colonel Norris was sent by General Latta and General Brinton.
A. I was, sir.
Q. You may state what conversation took place between General Latta and Colonel Norris?
A. I don't know that I can state positively the conversation. I came to the hotel about eight o'clock on Sunday morning, went to General Latta's room, and reported that the troops had left the round-house, having learned that fact at the hospital, where I had spent a portion of the night, and said to him that I proposed to purchase some medical stores, and join him at once, and asked him where I should go to join him, and he told me to go to the arsenal. At that time, Colonel Norris was making preparations to join General Brinton also. What their conversation was, I cannot state positively, or what the nature of the instructions given to him were. I knew that he was going to see General Brinton, and, at the time, my impression was that he was going to see him in a friendly way. I knew that he was not officially connected with the National Guard, and the impression I had arrived at, at that time, was, he was simply going out to see him in behalf of General Latta, as a friend of General Brinton, to see what had happened and what condition they were in, but I didn't understand, at the time, that he was going officially to him.
Q. Was Captain Aull there, at the time?
A. That I cannot state positively. I went into the dining-room of the hotel, and had a conversation with Captain Breck. That I remember, but I don't remember of meeting Captain Aull, at the time.
Q. Did you see the major, Saturday?
A. I didn't, sir. I may have seen him not to know him.
Q. Did you see Colonel Norris when he started in the carriage?
A. I didn't; because Colonel Norris started before I did. He took a hack, and I was going to a drug store to get some medical stores, and also going to a livery stable to get a conveyance, and Colonel Norris left the hotel before I had left Pittsburgh. As I said in my testimony before, I met once, after he had seen General Brinton.
Q. State what conversation you had with him?
A. I took with me, at the suggestion of Captain Breck, a man who had acted as scout during the night, a member of Murphy's cavalry, I believe. He went with me on account of my being a stranger in Pittsburgh, and showed me the way to the arsenal. When we reached the arsenal and found the troops were not there, and when I was denied admittance by the guard at the gate, or refused to be permitted to go near the gate or have conversation with him, I drove on, and the crowd knew nothing at all about the country beyond that point, so that the way was ascertained by asking persons, of course very cautiously, so as not to let them know what our object was. I followed the command by watching the road and seeing the foot-marks across the bridge going through Sharpsburg, and got through Sharpsburg and passed into the country, turned to the left, and I should think, not more than a quarter of a mile from the point at which I met Colonel Norris returning to the city. He was in a carriage with another person whom I did not know, and to whom I didn't pay particular attention. I got out of the buggy and halted them. They didn't seem to be very desirous to be halted, because it was not desirable that it should be known who they were in that portion of the country. I asked the colonel where the command was, and he told me it was about a quarter of a mile beyond, on the hill. That was the only conversation I had with Colonel Norris. As I said before, he wasn't desirous of stopping very long to give me any information. His words and manner was such as indicated that it was not desirable that we should be seen conversing together, or holding any communication which would indicate that they were in any way associated or connected with the troops, as there were persons along the road that had followed up the command. I joined the troops, certainly no more than a quarter of a mile beyond. I found them resting in good order.
Q. When you joined the troops and met General Brinton, did he say anything about having received any orders from Colonel Norris?
A. No, sir; he didn't.
Q. Did he say what he intended to do?
A. I asked him the question, and he replied that he was going to the poor-house to get a place to rest his command, and also to get food, and I asked him whether he knew where the poor-house was, and what his information was, and he said that a citizen or some person at Sharpsburg had directed him, and told him to go there, that he could get food there, and get an opportunity to cook his rations.
Q. Did Colonel Norris say anything to you as surgeon of the division about having the column halted at any point?
A. No, sir; he didn't.
Q. To dress any wounds?
A. No, sir; not a word. It was as much as I could do to get him to halt them enough to ask him what I regarded as a very important question, where the command was, that I should join him.
Q. Did he say anything about what his business had been to the command?
A. Not a word; no, sir.
Q. Was there anybody in the carriage with him?
A. There was a person, sir, whom I didn't know. They were sitting—both of them—back in the corner of the carriage very closely.
Q. Would you recognize the person now?
A. No, sir. I didn't see anybody in the room whom I should recognize as being with Colonel Norris. I didn't closely examine the person. My business was with Colonel Norris, because I knew him, and desired simply to get the information from him.
Q. Did you know Colonel Norris?
A. I knew him by sight, having met him with the Governor's staff on one or two occasions. I had seen him at the hotel before.
At this point the committee adjourned, to meet to-morrow morning, at Reading, Pennsylvania.
Reading, April 19, 1878.
The committee met at the Mansion house, at eleven o'clock, A.M. Mr. Lindsey in the chair. All members present except Messrs. Reyburn, Larrabee, and Yutzy.
George S. Goodhart, affirmed:
By Mr. Lindsey:
Q. State whether or not you were coroner in July last, at the time of the difficulties here among the railroad employés?
A. I was coroner; yes, sir?
Q. Still holding that position?
A. Still hold that position. I was elected at the same time that Samuel J. Tilden was elected—elected, I say, that is my opinion.
Q. Can you state what day the first difficulty among the railroad employés broke out here, or commenced?
A. No; I cannot. I cannot state the day. I presume it was within a week or somewheres about the 16th—15th or 16th of July. I would date it about a week anterior to the time these men were killed, which was on the 23d, Monday. The excitement ran very high throughout the day of Sunday.
Q. Will you please give us a history of how it first started, and then trace the extent of the difficulty and troubles along up until you come to the date of the conflict between the strikers and the militia?
A. Well, I don't know that I can answer that question with much accuracy. There had evidently been for some time before considerable contending between these engineers who were suspended and the Reading Railroad Company. It is that, I presume, that led to the difficulty.
Q. What time were the engineers suspended by the railroad company?
A. That is more than I can say.
Q. Was it some time prior to this difficulty—outbreak?
A. Yes; certainly it would be prior to this.
Q. How many of them had been suspended?
A. That I cannot say—a large majority of them, I think, that were on the road were suspended.
Q. Were there a large number of them suspended, and were without employ in and about the city of Reading?
A. It was generally so supposed.
Q. And the first dissatisfaction was among that class of men, was it?
A. Yes; and those who sympathized with them. There were differences of opinion among the citizens here. Many sympathized with the railroad company, and many, also, with these employés, and the feeling during the day of Sunday was very much against the Reading Railroad Company.
Q. That was Sunday, the 22d?
A. Yes; the 22d, and on Monday the general impression was here, with those that I had interviews with, that property and shops would be set fire to that night.
Q. The railroad shops?
A. Yes; during the day of Sunday, there was a good deal of excitement on the street here, on Penn street, and a great many people congregated out about the corner of Sixth and Penn and Seventh and Penn.
Q. What class of people generally gathered?
A. They were mostly workingmen, men thrown out of employment.
Q. Men from the manufacturing establishments?
A. Manufacturing, yes, sir; mechanics and laboring classes, principally.
Q. How large a number assembled?
A. I presume I saw as many as fifty to seventy-five, probably one hundred at times during the day on Sunday.
Q. What day was the railroad bridge across the Schuylkill burned?
A. It was burned that same night.
Q. Sunday night?
A. Yes; sometime during the night, about midnight, I think.
Q. This assembly of men on Sunday, was it composed of railroad men—were they actually engaged in running trains then—or was it men who had been discharged?
A. I am not prepared to answer that question, because I know very few of the engineers on the road. I do not know that I can point out a single man of them.
Q. Did the Reading railroad continue to run their trains?
A. They did on Sunday, I think, and a part of the day on Monday. On Monday, towards evening, some of the trains were stopped here in the city by some parties. It seems some of them were boys. Young men got on to the trains, on to the locomotive. At one time, I understood a boy—however, I don't know that I can say that, either, it was so stated by some of the witnesses, that a certain boy got on to a locomotive, and moved it back and forth, just about as he would a little wagon—made a plaything out of it.
Q. Drove the engineer from his engine?
A. Yes; they got off some way.
Q. You did not see them?
A. No; I did not see them. In fact I did not go on Seventh street at all on that day. I don't think I was on Seventh street on the Monday.
Q. Did the crowd remain together during the night of Sunday night, or did it disperse during the evening?
A. That is more than I can say, but I should suppose that it did not disperse very early—I think it highly probable that they kept up looking round for news.
Q. What street were they on on Sunday?
A. Principally, Penn street—corner Sixth and Penn streets.
Q. What was the character of the crowd, as being demonstrative?
A. Well, they were anxiously looking for news from other quarters, from Pittsburgh and Baltimore, where they had been on the strike, and, as a matter of course, they would congregate in front of the telegraph offices. Well, the news came pretty direct to the Eagle office, and they looked there to the bulletin boards for exciting news, and they came around for that purpose, and there was some of them, no doubt, were hard cases, and ready for any emergency.
Q. Were they noisy and boisterous?
A. I cannot say that they were.
Q. Did you have any conversation with any of them?
A. No; I did not.
Q. What seemed to be their troubles and grievances. Did they make them manifest in any way?
A. Well, the main grievance among them, that I could learn, was the depressed state of things, being out of employment, not able to get any-anything to do, and want generally.
Q. Who did they seem to blame for that state of things?
A. There was a good deal of censure placed upon the Reading Railroad Company, more than perhaps any other.
Q. On Monday morning was that crowd still in the streets?
A. Yes; there were some there on Monday morning.
Q. How large a crowd?
A. Probably not so many. I do not think there were so many there that morning as there were on Sunday evening and during the day on Sunday.
Q. Had the news of the burning of the bridge reached you then?
A. Well, not until during the night. I heard the fire alarm bell, but I did not get up. I did not go out at all.
Q. The fire alarm was sounded, was it?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Were there any efforts made to extinguish the fire by the fire companies or civil authorities of the city?
A. Well; yes, sir. They went out, as was stated, before the inquisition—before the inquest; the firemen went out, Chief Boyer was there and a number of others, and it appears they could not do anything towards arresting the fire in any way. Some of the cars, I think, were set on fire, some box cars they had out there. Afterwards, it appears, that the report came that the bridge was on fire—that was stated before the inquest, that the mob was so great that they threatened the engineer, the chief of police, and other parties there that intended to suppress the flames—to put down the excitement.
Q. The mob would not permit the firemen to work?
A. Would not permit them to work—to put any water on the fire at all.
Q. Did they use any violence towards the firemen?
A. Not that I could learn.
Q. Did they make any efforts?
A. Not any that I know of.
Q. Do you know whether the police of the city were there—any of them to protect the firemen?
A. The chief of police was there, and no doubt he had a number of the police with him.
Q. Did you see the crowd during the day? How large a crowd was there during the day on Monday?
A. I suppose it would vary, likely, from one hundred to one hundred and fifty.
Q. Where were they mostly during the day?
A. Between the Keystone house, and the Eagle office.
Q. They still continued to gather around the bulletin boards?
A. Yes; around the bulletin boards. Some of them would come over, occasionally, to look at the Times' office, but most of the news came through the Eagle office, and the consequence was, the most of the crowd were in front of the Eagle office, there and at the Keystone house.
Q. How was it at the railroad depot, and about the railroad offices?
A. I don't know, for I didn't go there at all.
Q. Do you know how large a crowd was there?
A. No.
Q. Do you know whether there was any efforts made by the civil authorities of the city to disperse the crowd during the day?
A. Well, there was an effort made, at least it so appeared in the inquisition, that parties went to the sheriff, with a view of getting him to render some assistance. One party, a man by the name of Miller, proffered to suppress the mob with fifty men. Said that if the sheriff would allow him to, that he thought he could procure that number of men. This was sometime during the day of Monday that this statement was made. The proffer was made to the sheriff.
Q. Made by Mr. Miller himself?
A. By Mr. Miller, in company with Mr. Wood.
Q. What reply did the sheriff make to that offer?
A. I don't know the exact words—I have all that testimony down.
Q. Give us the substance of it—of his reply?
A. He did not feel disposed to do anything. They said they would get arms and ammunition, and everything that was necessary, to put it down, if he would give his consent, which, it seems, he declined to do; and when they said they would get the arms or guns, he said the rioters have guns, too; and he also said to them that he would not go to do anything by way of suppressing it, for fear that he would be shot the same as the sheriff was at Pittsburgh.
Q. You had received news, then, that the sheriff of Allegheny county was shot, had you here?
A. Yes; at that time.
Q. Which afterwards proved incorrect. Was that the only reason that he gave for not accepting the proposition of Mr. Miller?
A. I am inclined to think that was the only plausible reason he gave. He didn't believe in going out and being a target to fire at.
Q. Did he make any effort to arrest the parties who were in the disturbance during Monday?
A. None that I can learn.
Q. Did he make any effort at any time?
A. I think not.
Q. Did he call for any posse to assist you in any way?
A. He swore in the next day quite a number of deputy sheriffs, but on Monday I don't think he called on any. He issued his proclamation and called and put it up, I think, in the evening, about five or six o'clock.
Q. On Monday?
A. On Monday.
Q. Now, can you give us the substance of the proclamation?
A. No; I cannot. I didn't see it.
Q. Didn't see it?
A. No.
Q. Was there any call made for the militia to come out, by the sheriff, to preserve the peace?
A. No.
Q. Do you know how the militia happened to come here?
A. Well, it was said afterwards that they came here by the order of General Bolton.
Q. Monday night—go on and describe the situation of affairs, if you will—where the crowd was, and what took place on Monday night?
A. The main crowd was up at the corner of Seventh and Penn, and where there are always quite a number of men congregated, particularly at that hour, shortly before dusk, and about that time. There had been large crowds there for some weeks or so, who frequently congregated there, and on that night, as a matter of course, it would be expected there would be more, in consequence of the transactions that took place during the day. People went there to see the excitement, and so on, and it was with a great deal of difficulty, as I understood from the testimony of Chief Cullen, that they could keep the pass-way clear, to allow people to pass up and down the street. I think, if I mistake not, Mr. Cullen had nearly all his force there. He was chief of police, and once or twice, I think, he stated he got the pass-way cleared. It was soon blocked up again. Just about dusk, or a little after, it appears that General Reeder arrived with some men at the outer depot. Mr. Paxton, in communication with him, told him where the rioters were, and where one of the cars were that they wished to release from the mob. That was at the commencement of the cut there. The general ordered his men right there to release that car, and I suppose, passing through the cut. He concluded to force his men right through. I don't know what acquaintance he had with the surroundings of the cut, but it strikes me very forcibly, even now, and has all along, that if he had sent a dozen men on either side of that cut, and his main body of men through the cut, that there would hardly have been a drop of blood shed. As these troops moved up the cut, they were met with volleys of stones and missiles, pistol-shooting, &c., from above either side, as they were passing along; and, indeed, I cannot see how they got through there and escaped with so little injury as they did. It looks to me almost a miracle. Have you observed the cut—have you been up there?
Q. Only in passing through it.
A. The testimony came in that they would throw stones large enough—well, too large for one man to handle—take two men—at one time two men were seen to get hold of a large stone, and push it right over, apparently on to them. They were treated in that way, until they got to the lower end of the cut, and they marched up the tracks on either side, I think, principally, on the west side. When they got about two thirds of the way through the cut, they fired forward, killing a number of men right at the corner of Penn and Seventh. One man was killed about two squares—better than two squares—below. He was on his way up town, somewhere. A man by the name of Trace, I believe.
Q. A citizen of the city?
A. Yes, sir; a citizen. Two or three men were killed on the southeast corner or near the southeast corner of the street, near the gutter. One or two of them were on the sidewalk. I think it very remarkable, indeed, that these men would come through there, and when they met with these missiles on either side of them, that they would fire forward, and being attacked as they were, it would appear as though they would fire in almost any direction for relief, and get out as speedily as possible.
Q. After they passed through the cut, did they encounter the mob at the end of the cut?
A. Some of them. Those that were throwing these missiles, on either side, I dare say, didn't organize in front of them; but there was some of the parties—some of the same mob—there.
Q. Was there any firing there, after they had passed through?
A. No; not after they had passed through.
Q. What street did they come out on, in passing through the cut?
A. Out on Penn street, and then down Penn.
Q. There was no firing, as they passed through the cut?
A. No; not after they had got on to Penn, west of Seventh.
Q. Did the troops accomplish what they were sent to—started to accomplish—gaining possession of the car?
A. Yes; they did that.
Q. How long did the troops remain in the city, then?
A. Well, during the night, I think. I think they left the next morning.
Q. Do you know where they went to from there?
A. No; I don't; but I learned that they had gone back to Allentown or Easton.
Q. Were any troops left at Reading, at all?
A. Yes; there was some left at the outer depot.
Q. To guard railroad property?
A. To guard the property of the railroad company.
Q. Was there any disturbance occurred after that Monday night?
A. None, that I could learn.
Q. Was the mob dispersed by the firing that took place?
A. Effectually.
Q. Did they ever rally, or come together again?
A. No; no rallying there.
Q. I wish you would give us the number of killed—the number that was actually killed—so far as you can?
A. There were ten killed—then another one subsequently died, about six or eight weeks, I think, afterwards—Corbett—from the wounds received at the same time.
Q. Making eleven in all?
A. Making eleven altogether.
Q. Were these all citizens, or a portion of them soldiers?
A. They were all citizens—no soldiers.
Q. Were any of them actually engaged, or were they citizens who had congregated there out of curiosity?
A. The larger part of them were there out of curiosity. Two of those that were killed were said to have had something to do with this matter, and were not innocent. The others—that is, taking it for granted that they were innocent, by being there, which the law, I believe, doesn't grant, either—may be said to have been innocent. Trace was, perhaps, the least censurable of any of them, for he was far away from the scene where this was transacted.
Q. I understand you to say this: of the killed there were only two who were actually engaged in the riots?
A. I would say, whose record was not altogether clear—free from censure.
Q. Now, how many persons were wounded, so far as you could ascertain?
A. That I cannot ascertain; but I presume there were as many as six or eight more that were wounded—probably more.
Q. Do you know how many of the soldiers were wounded?
A. No; I didn't learn, but I understand—I think that there were but two or three that were in any ways seriously hurt—none mortally.
Q. Now you may state what efforts were made by the sheriff on Tuesday—Monday night and Tuesday to preserve the peace?
A. The only effort that he made then that I know of was that he sent notice to quite a number of the citizens to call at his office and be sworn in as deputy sheriffs. What instructions they received from him I don't know.
Q. Do you know how many offered themselves or responded to his notice?
A. I don't know, but I understood there was some five or six hundred citizens that were sworn in by him or his deputy.
Q. What efforts did the mayor make, if any, to preserve the peace during the entire disturbance?
A. The mayor was not here at the time, but returned the night, I think, shortly before these troops left. He afterwards went out to the depot and was in communication with General Reeder, if I mistake not. I don't think that anything further was done to suppress the mob, for everything was quiet then.
Q. The chief of police was on the ground was he?
A. He was on the ground, and I think manfully did his duty.
Q. How many police were on duty at the time in the city?
A. I suppose there were about twenty-five or thirty, I forget the number.
Q. Do you know what authority the mayor has in case of riot and disturbances, given by the charter of the city or the laws relating to the city?
A. I have never read them. I have never read the charter of the city; but my own judgment would tell me that he had power of suppressing—the same power of suppressing a riot that a sheriff would have.
Q. Was that matter discussed, or taken into consideration by the citizens at the time? Did you hear any expression by legal gentlemen as to what the power of the mayor was?
A. I cannot say that I did; but the matter was discussed pretty freely among citizens, and some seemed to think that the mayor ought to have suppressed the riot. I presume he would if he had been here.
Q. Did he arrive here before the firing took place in the cut?
A. No.
Q. Not until after?
A. Not until afterwards.
Q. Did the chief of police make any arrests, to your knowledge, prior to the conflict between the troops and the mob?
A. No; they made no arrests so far as I could learn. It seems they were under the impression that they were almost entirely powerless with the meager number they had to arrest them.
Q. They didn't feel strong enough to cope with the mob without greater assistance?
A. No, sir.
Q. Were any arrests made that afternoon?
A. Yes; a great many arrests.
Q. By what authority—by whom?
A. Well, by the chief of police—they made the most of the arrests.
Q. Were any arrests made by the sheriff?
A. I think not. I don't know of any.
Q. The arrests then were mostly made by the chief of police on warrants issued by the mayor?
A. I think they were issued by the mayor.
Q. What was done with those persons who were arrested?
A. Some of them were taken up to jail. Others were released on bail.
Q. How many have been tried?
A. I suppose there were between forty and fifty that were tried—they were to have been tried. Whether they have all been or not, I don't know.
Q. How long is this cut?
A. Well, it is nearly two squares.
Q. How soon after the soldiers were in did they begin to attack them?
A. Within about probably fifteen or twenty minutes.
Q. Did they continue to fire on them then until they got down on to Penn street, where the cut runs down level?
A. No, not quite. I don't think there were any stones thrown after they had passed Court street, within just half a square from Penn.
Q. The firing didn't commence until they got on to the cut?
A. No; it was before the firing on the soldiers you mean?
Q. Yes, sir?
A. It was not, I think, until after they passed Court street—about that.
Q. It was still in the cut?
A. Still in the cut.
Q. Then they got out of the cut on to level ground, and then it was that the firing was done, and when the mob was dispersed.
A. Yes; there was firing done there, and at Penn street. They couldn't fire up and down Penn street without being very close to it.
Q. And this stone that took two men to throw down—did that hit anybody?
A. That is more than I know; not directly, evidently, or it would have killed them.
By Mr. Means:
Q. Was the sympathy of the people of the city of Reading with the strikers, the discharged employés of the Reading railroad?
A. Well, there was sympathy on both sides, evidently; and during the day, on Monday, I am inclined to think, quite a number of the people sympathized with the strikers, rather than with the railroad company.
Q. You say on both sides. Now, I would like to know what you mean by both sides?
A. I mean the Reading Railroad Company and the dismissed engineers of the road.
Q. Then, in your opinion, the sympathy of the people of Reading was with the employés of the Reading railroad in striking and destruction of property?
A. No; I couldn't say that.
Q. My question was simply this: that I wanted to know if the citizens of the city of Reading were in sympathy with the strikers, or the discharged employés of the Reading road?
A. I should say no; although they had a good many to sympathize with them here in the city.
Q. Well, then, Mr. Goodhart, were they simply discharged employés of the Reading road that participated in this destruction of property?
A. That question I cannot answer, because, as I stated before, I don't know any of the engineers of the road now.
Q. Did there appear to be any tramps or any strangers connected with this party who were with the engineers or employés of the Reading road?
A. So far as I know they were all strangers to me, and I have very little hesitation in saying, that a good many of them were strangers, coming here from a distance.
Q. From a distance and from other sections of the country?
A. Yes, sir. I think a number of them were strangers, not citizens of the place, nor had they been in the employ of the Reading Railroad Company.
Q. To your knowledge, do you know whether or not, the mayor of the city of Reading ordered out his police to suppress these rioters?
A. Not to my knowledge.
Q. When the mayor was not here, was there any person in authority?
A. The chief of police. Chief Cullen, he has stated, took his men up to the corner of Seventh and Penn that evening, and I presume did his utmost to clear the pass-way there, and suppress the mob. What effect it would have had upon them had they arrested two or three or half a dozen of these men I am not prepared to say, it might, possibly, have dispersed the mob.
Q. Well, then, Mr. Goodhart, in your opinion, what amount of men would it have taken to suppress this mob and restore order and peace?
A. I should think that one hundred and fifty or two hundred men would have done it, properly armed.
By Mr. Lindsey:
Q. What other property was destroyed beside the destruction of the bridge?
A. There was a few houses that were burned.
Q. Any freight in them?
A. I think there was some, and then there was some property destroyed right on the road here in the city.
Q. Private property?
A. No; that was cars loaded, and there was one car filled with tobacco, that was broken into and a great deal of it being carried away.
Q. Was there any property beside railroad property destroyed?
A. No, I think not; not that I know of.
Q. What day was the other property destroyed—before or after the destruction of the bridge?
A. That was afterwards.
Q. The bridge then, I understand, was the first thing?
A. No. These cars, at this side of the bridge, were the first, I understood, that were burnt, afterwards the bridge, and then, on Monday—this was on Saturday night—and on the Monday, there was some property destroyed on Seventh street; coal trains were arrested, and the coal was dumped down right on the track, at different places. The watchman's house was turned upside down.
Q. Now, I understand you to say that the citizens, some of them, sympathized with the railroad employés who had been discharged, and some sympathized with the railroad company? That is the way you put it, I believe?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Well, now, was there any sympathy manifested by the citizens of Reading for those strikers or employés after they began to destroy property—or, in other words, in sympathy with the destruction of property?
A. None whatever, that I could learn.
By Mr. Means:
Q. There was no disposition on the part of the rioters, Mr. Goodhart, if I understand you, to destroy any property except that which belonged to the Reading railroad?
A. Yes; just so.
Q. Not outside of it?
A. Not outside of it.
Q. Where did you get your information in regard to Mr. Mullin having proffered his services to the sheriff?
A. Got it from his own testimony.
Q. Before you at the coroner's inquest?
A. Before me; yes, sir, and through Mr. Wootten, also. He testified to the same thing.
E. F. Evans, sworn:
By Mr. Lindsey:
Q. You were mayor of the city of Reading during the past summer?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. You may tell us, if you please, where you were when the difficulties in July occurred?
A. On the Friday morning preceding the riot in this city, which occurred on the Monday, or rather the burning of the bridge, took place on Sunday night. What was known as the riot, followed on Monday night, and the firing of the troops, and so forth. I left this city for four or five days, and went down to Ocean Grove, following the example of the Executive of the State, the mayor of Philadelphia, and the mayor of Scranton, to spend a few days there, intending to return the following week, and at that time I did not dream or apprehend of any danger here with a strike or anything of that kind. On the following Monday morning, at the Grove, I received a telegram about half past ten or eleven o'clock, from the chief of police of this city, that a number of cars were on fire. At that time it said nothing of the bridge, in fact that had not been fired, I believe, at that time. I picked up my things, and left in the first train, which was shortly after twelve o'clock. After reaching Allentown that night, at probably seven o'clock, I was informed that the train had been taken off the East Penn road, and I could not reach home. I then telegraphed to Mr. Wootten. I stated my position in the telegram that I could not get home. He then ordered a train to bring me over—a special car and engine was placed at my disposal—and we started out and ran here, probably at half past ten or eleven o'clock. That was on Monday evening—on, I believe, the 23d, if I mistake not; at any rate, it was Monday evening.
Q. Monday evening was the 23d?
A. I reached this city after the firing had taken place, and these men had been wounded. I came in from the depot and came down to my office, issued a proclamation requesting our citizens to uphold the authorities of the city. Had it published that night, or rather in the morning paper. I then went up to the depot and remained there until two or three o'clock in the morning, requesting during that time that if there was any trouble, the military being out there, that they should take charge, my police officers then, five or six of them being wounded, and they had been on duty Sunday night, and all day Monday and Monday night. On the following day, then—I think it was the following day—I swore in probably from one hundred and twenty-five to one hundred and fifty men, furnishing them with maces, to go on duty if any further danger was apprehended. There was but little occurred after Monday night. I believe the tracks were torn up in some places on Seventh street, but not to any extent. Didn't amount to anything, and that was about the closing of what I—we did everything we could after I returned home—the city authorities—to suppress any further violence or outbreak.
Q. And succeeded in preserving the peace?
A. After that there was nothing occurred.
Q. Did the citizens respond heartily to your call?
A. As a general thing, as I have stated, probably one hundred and twenty-five or one hundred and fifty were sworn in, and they were willing to do duty when called upon.
Q. Was there any question about your authority to call out a posse of citizens?
A. It was voluntary. It was supposed, that the sheriff, having unlimited power, should have acted, whether in my absence or not, particularly in my being absent, and should have called on parties up there. I do not know when he reached here. There was a train or engine sent for him to bring him back to the city. He resides somewhere below the city. Of course, hearsay evidence does not amount to anything, but they said he didn't act as promptly as he should have done. That is what I heard after I reached home. When I reached home on Monday evening, I learned he had issued a proclamation sometime that evening.
Q. Everything was quiet on Friday, as I understand you, when you left?
A. I didn't apprehend any danger at all. There was nothing spoken of riot or any outbreak, or anything of the kind—didn't dream of such a thing.
Q. Was there any larger number of idle men, discharged men, in the city at that time than usual?
A. Not that I know of. I passed around portions of the city, the greater part of it, and I found nothing that would be necessary to call into order the police officers after I returned home.
Q. How large a police force had you at the time?
A. That I cannot exactly tell. At that time it was reduced, either before or after that, I think, however, before that—amounting to some twenty-six or twenty-nine men.
Q. Did you make any arrests after?
A. There were quite a number of arrests made. I think in all to be probably fifty—forty or fifty, or along there.
Q. Did you learn what the cause of the outbreak was?
A. Only from hearsay.
Q. What did the men themselves assign? What did they give as their reasons?
A. I didn't converse with any of the men on the subject.
Q. Did you form any opinion of yourself?
A. In reference to the outbreak?
Q. In reference to the cause of the outbreak.
A. I didn't. Nothing more, than I presume it was stimulated by the action taken in other portions of the country. There was then an outbreak, I believe, in some portions of Maryland, if I mistake not, near Baltimore, and perhaps in Pittsburgh, or near there.
By Senator Torbert:
Q. The bridge was burned down before you returned?
A. Yes, sir; I believe Stokley left the same day I did, and also the Scranton man.
At this point, the committee adjourned till half-past one o'clock, this afternoon.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
Reading, April 19, 1878.
The committee met, pursuant to adjournment. All members present, except Messrs. Reyburn, Larrabee, and Yutzy.
Peter Cullen, sworn:
By Mr. Lindsey:
Q. State where you reside?
A. I reside 1022, Centre avenue.
Q. Were you connected with the police officers of the city of Reading in July last?
A. I was.
Q. In what capacity?
A. Chief of police.
Q. State what day the first disturbance or assemblage of strikers in any considerable number occurred?
A. That was on Sunday night, July 22.
Q. Had there been any difficulty threatened before that, to your knowledge?
A. There didn't appear to, in a general way, going round the streets—the principal streets. There had been a great deal of talk. Parties gathering, would talk quietly. Some were excited; that is, on the news received from Pittsburgh. That seemed to start them up some, but there was not anything particular done until Sunday night, on 22d, when the mob went out to the outer depot, or the new depot of the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Company, and the first intimation I had that a mob had gone out there; in fact, I did not expect anything serious. The first intimation I had, was standing at the corner of Fifth and Penn, and I was informed that the crowd, or mob, had gone out to the depot, and were at the depot. That they were there, hooting and yelling, and throwing stones before the engines, and pulling down engineers, and so forth. I immediately started out this street, to go to the depot, and I got as far as Fifth and Elm, and found that box 35 fire-alarm sounded, and I also saw the flame of the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Company's property. Saw flames near Fifth street bridge, between the depot and the bridge, just about a square off—not more from the depot; and I took Fifth street route, and then saw the crowd had gone over into the cut, and on to the track of the Lebanon Valley road, and I saw the cars were on fire. As I got to Fifth and Elm, I found Chief Engineer Boyer going out in his usual style, and I proceeded to the fire, and when I got there, I found there were a good many people there. The cabooses were on fire and burning on the tracks at that time. There didn't appear to be any disturbance of any kind, but the crowd was very large. That was Sunday evening, July 22, and the crowd was large, and somewhat excited; but there was no fighting. There was nothing in the way of any disturbance going on at that time, as the work had been done, which it appears the rioters had accomplished—which was intended. That was to burn the cars. I saw Chief Engineer Boyer then, and asked him about the fire department going into service, and he said he had been stopped, companies had been stoned, and were not allowed to go into service. We consulted together, and told him we would do all in our power to get the fire department into service. He was willing to do anything; and then G. A. Nichols, the vice president of the Philadelphia and Reading road, he came there, and myself and Chief Engineer Boyer and Mr. Nichols talked about this matter together, and Nichols asked me how many officers I had there. I looked around, and found I had about six or seven officers, and Mr. Nichols asked me if we had all revolvers and pistols. I told him, I was not so sure about that. I thought the most of the men had. I had, and I thought most of the men had. I came to the conclusion that this matter was a very serious disturbance, and we agreed that I would get the entire police force together, and to go immediately to the scene of the riot, and to get the fire department in the service, and instructed the men on the ground to do all in their power to assist Chief Engineer Boyer, of the fire department, and keep the peace, so far as was in their power to do so, until I could get back with the balance of the force. I got as many of the men together as I possibly could, and instructed them to proceed at once to Chief Engineer Boyer, to render him such aid as was in their power to do so; and we found by the time I had got around, or not quite around—and found a box on Jefferson street had sounded an alarm, and the cry was raised that the Lebanon Valley bridge was on fire, and I saw the illumination, which showed that the bridge was on fire. I proceeded to the telegraph office, and telegraphed to Mayor Evans to come home at once, that the cabooses were burning, and that there was serious trouble apprehended, and the state of affairs at that time was very bad in the city. The whole population was very much excited, and there were a great many of the people in the city, in the confusion, running round in the streets, in all directions. Everything seemed to be confused. When I found the bridge had been on fire, instructed the officers to go to the bridge, and they did so; but when they got out, that work of destruction had been completed, so far as the bridge was concerned. The city that night was in a continual state of excitement, and the property of the Reading Railroad Company seemed to be in danger, if not the city of Reading, and matters went on in that way, and also on the following day, (Monday.) The mob kept together. They stopped engines, and were drinking around and disorderly, and they seemed to have a great many sympathizers in the city at the time. I sent out for two hundred men. There were two prominent gentlemen in Reading, Captain E. P. Boas and Henry S. Eckart, that called upon me at the office, and asked what could be done. I told them I was willing to do anything, but we wanted more help, and this thing done right, and they agreed at once that they would be responsible for two hundred men. They would see that they were paid, and they would equip them and give them all seven-shooters and cartridges, and so forth. I then detailed a number of men—cannot tell the exact number—to go out in the different parts of the city, and to prevail upon parties to come to the city hall, and to go on duty to help squelch the riot. I waited and waited, and all in vain, and the reports that came in by the different officers was that they could not get anybody to assist. They would only laugh, and make different kinds of remarks; they didn't want their heads shot off, and they were going against their friends, and it was a workingman's fight, and all that sort of thing.
Q. What time was that?
A. This was immediately after dinner, on Monday, the 23d, and I only found there was one man I could get in the whole city to respond to the call of two hundred men. I inquired about the sheriff that night.
Q. State what inquiries you made of the sheriff?
A. I first went to the residence of the sheriff, where he lived, on South Sixth street—that was about twelve o'clock, or half-past twelve, Sunday night—and they informed me that he was not in the city. He had been down home, somewheres near or in the neighborhood of Pottstown—a little this side. I didn't know what to do at the moment, so I called on Judge Hagenman and told him the state of affairs, and how the city was, and how the town was in danger of being destroyed, that the torch of incendiaries had been applied to the property, and all that, and I asked what might be best to do under the circumstances. I told him Sheriff Yorgy was not home, and he advised me at once to try to get Yorgy to come to the city as quick as possible. I immediately, then, went to the office of Mr. Paxton, the master machinist of the P. and R. Railroad Company, and I met him at his office. That was on Monday morning, about one or half-past one o'clock. It might have been in the neighborhood of two. I asked him whether he would accommodate me—whether he could send a telegram for Sheriff Yorgy to come on at once to the city, that there was a riot here, and a large mob had gathered here and were destroying the property of the P. and R., and the city of Reading was in danger. Mr. Paxton was willing to do anything, and had the telegram sent. I also asked Mr. Paxton if he would furnish a special engine to bring the sheriff on to Reading, as it was very important. Mr. Paxton did so, and had an engine furnished to the sheriff, and he had also a conveyance from the sheriff's house to the engine. The sheriff arrived, to the best of my knowledge, early in the morning, about daylight, or thereabouts. I went to the sheriff's office on that Monday morning, and found him in his office in the court-house. I went to consult him as regards the situation, and making arrangements to see what could be done. Told him it was necessary to act at once, and act promptly, and to get at least five hundred men if he possibly could. He seemed, at that time, willing, and said he had sent for William B. Albright. He wanted to consult with him as regards the matter, and he showed all signs of willingness to act and perform his duty on that occasion. I told him I was willing to do anything to aid, help, or assist in the matter, and to have this thing wiped out; and I came back to the office, then, on that morning, and waited there with the intention of reporting to the sheriff, and about nine or ten o'clock on that morning Mr. J. E. Wootten, the superintendent, at that time, I believe, of the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Company, and he informed me at the city hall that the sheriff had backed out, and was not going to act; that he would not do anything. I was very much surprised to hear that answer, as he had seemed to be willing in the morning, and matters were getting worse all the time. On that Monday evening, at six o'clock, I took the entire police force.
Q. Now, starting with the Monday evening, you give a full history here in this evidence? [Indicating testimony taken before coroner's inquest.]
A. From there on, as to what occurred?
Q. A full history you give here?
A. Yes; it is about correct there as to the trouble.
Q. State whether this is evidence given by you before the coroner's inquest?
A. Yes; that is all correct.
Q. This is your evidence, given under oath?
A. That is evidence given under oath before Coroner Goodhart at the city hall, immediately after the trouble.
Testimony offered in evidence is as follows:
On Monday evening, at six o'clock, I started out with the force for Seventh and Penn streets, where a large crowd had collected. I informed the officers that we would have to go there, and do our duty. I found that nearly all the officers had pistols. Marched them to Seventh and Penn. Saw thousands of people there. Many strangers whom I had never seen before. There were people in all directions. The pavements and walls, as far as I could see along Seventh street, were lined with people, and the crowd extended up and down Penn street; and I got into the crowd at Seventh and Penn streets. I called upon the crowd to disperse, but the people paid but little attention to me. I then ordered the force up, for the purpose of pressing the force back, which they did, and I succeeded in clearing the pavements. Cleared the whole corner and crossings, and I kept the passage open on one side for a certain length of time to allow parties to pass, as also the street cars. A large number were forced up the cut in driving them away, most of whom were strangers, which made the crowd there much larger. I then drew the force up in line from Bechtol's corner over toward the Ubil house. I was expecting an attack at that time from the party in the cut. I noticed then, that they disconnected the engine, and commenced running it up towards us, as also the freight car, and I expected that they intended to attack our police force. They came forward to within sixty or seventy-five yards of us. They saw our lines were firm and solid, and they then stopped. I remained in that position for some time with the force. I found then that the party I had at first dispersed, had come in around me in all directions. Things then became quiet in the cut, and the people remained there. I then formed the force north and south, with the right resting on Breneiser's corner. I had all the police force that was at my command. I had them along the one track. I then detailed men to open the crossings, which they succeeded in doing. That position enabled us to keep the crossings clear, and to allow street cars to pass. The crowd was very large during all this time. There were thousands there. The first disturbance that I heard, was on Sunday evening about nine o'clock. I heard they had stopped a train, and that they had things their own way. There had been gatherings on Saturday evening, but there was nothing of a serious nature. There were no arrests made until Tuesday. I had twenty-six or twenty-eight men on the force at my command. I consulted on Monday with some of the officials of the road, also on Sunday. They made no report to me of threatened destruction of their property. I was at the firing of the caboose on Sunday evening, and had seven or eight men there. I received information of a disturbance at the depot, and went there—the alarm struck before I got there. I saw the light from Fifth and Elm streets. I was not at the Lebanon Valley railroad bridge. I met Howard Boyer at the first fire. He told me his carriage had been stoned, that the mob would not let him put any water on the fire. I consulted with Howard Boyer, and we concluded that it would be best not to interfere. We had no idea who the parties were who were implicated in this matter—they were not all strangers—some of them have since been arrested. I applied for special power. I was authorized by two citizens to raise a special force of two hundred men. I sent the members of my force out to endeavor to enlist men to do special duty up to six o'clock in the evening, but failed to obtain any. There was no person here who had appointing power. Persons laughed at our policemen when they asked for help. Five officers of the force were seriously wounded on Monday evening. I received information on Monday evening, at Seventh and Penn, that troops were coming. Half an hour afterwards heard that troops had arrived at the outer depot. I was not present at their arrival, was not requested to be there, had no communication with them. Did not know who ordered them here, or for what purpose they had come. The first I heard, was two pistol shots from above Court street. I didn't see any bricks thrown, as I had enough to do at Seventh and Penn. I couldn't see anything but the people, as everything was a solid mass. I saw some of the killed and wounded, and helped to carry some of them off. I knew Mr. Weaver, who was killed. The first I saw of the soldiers, was when they passed down Penn. I saw no wounded soldiers then, but have seen several since. During Sunday night and Monday I felt that my force was entirely inefficient, from the large crowds which were gathering and the excitement. I had a consultation with Sheriff Yorgey in his office in the court-house, soon after his arrival. I had telegraphed for him to come at quarter past two o'clock on Monday morning. I telegraphed from the depot, after trying at several other places. I had arranged with Mr. Paxton to furnish a special train to bring him up. He arrived about five o'clock. I informed the sheriff of the condition of affairs at seven o'clock in the morning. Told him it would be necessary for him to summon a thousand men, or thereabouts. He told me he had intended to do it, but it would take some time. I was certain he intended to do it, but he told me had sent for William B. Albright, and was waiting for him. I telegraphed him that I wanted help. Two hours after my interview, Mr. Wootten, of the Reading railroad, called upon me and said that Sheriff Yorgey refused to act, which very much surprised me. There was no force called out until to-day. I placed myself in communication with the mayor, telegraphed to him at a quarter past twelve, A.M., on Monday, July 23. I informed him of the condition of affairs. Asked him to come home at once, that tracks were being torn up, freight cars had been burned, &c. I was told that the telegraph office at Ocean Grove had closed. The mayor arrived in Reading on Monday night. The men on the police force obeyed my commands whenever I asked them to do so.
I heard two pistol shots in the cut, and immediately afterwards I heard a volley. Those balls did not come down our way, of any account. The next volley came into us, as well as the third volley. I realized the situation at once. The people commenced running in all directions. I requested all of them to get out of the way. I was struck by a ball on my left breast, while on duty at Seventh and Penn. I was expecting that the military, upon their arrival, would report to some of the civil authorities. All the information that I received was, that the troops had arrived at the outer depot.
There were shots fired on Penn street. Know that shots were fired down, as I was in the party. At about half past seven in the evening, was informed of the arrival of troops at the outer depot. Things looked very serious that night after the militia arrived. They reported to me at Fifth and Penn. I found the people were greatly excited in regard to the shooting, and I kept them away from the soldiers as well as I could. There were no riotous disturbances in this city after that, except the tearing up of the tracks. I do not know who ordered the soldiers to come here. Was satisfied they were coming, but did not expect that they were coming in the way in which they did.
On being re-called, Chief Cullen said (while the cars were burning) I consulted Mr. Boyer in regard to the situation, and asked him whether it wouldn't be better to attack the party and try to get the fire department into service. I had only seven or eight men with me that evening, and the crowd was very large. When I was there every person was quiet, and the cars were burning on the track. There was no breach of the peace there, so far as I saw. When I asked Mr. Boyer whether it wouldn't be better to make an attack, I believe he answered, "Yes." He told me he was not armed, and I said that under the circumstances I would go into town and get as many men together as I possibly could for the purpose of doing my entire duty; but before I was half way through I noticed that box No. 7 struck an alarm, and immediately afterwards I saw a light looming up along the Lebanon Valley railroad, and I knew there would be trouble, and I told my men to go out and do everything in their power to assist Mr. Boyer to get the department into service. At that time a number of the police were taking lunch, and I had difficulty to get them together. By that time box No. 7 struck again, and I saw the fire looming up at the Lebanon Valley bridge. After I got as many of the force together as I could to go out there, I went to the telegraph office and telegraphed to Mayor Evans to come home at once, telling him of the situation. Then I went to the City hotel to see the sheriff and I was told that he had gone to his home in the country. I then went to see Judge Hagenman at his residence, as affairs were very serious. I told him that neither the mayor nor the sheriff was in town. Judge Hagenman advised me that the best thing to be done would be to telegraph for the sheriff at once. I immediately started out and found the telegraph office closed. I went down to Seventh and Chestnut and saw Mr. Blackman, and asked him where the telegraph operator was, and he told me that he had just gone home. He sent for him then and the operator came to the office, and I telegraphed to the sheriff at once that there was a mob here of about two thousand persons and there was great excitement, that they were tearing up the tracks and burning cars, and so on, and that he shouldn't fail to come. I then saw Mr. Paxton, master machinist, and I asked him whether he would furnish an engine to bring the sheriff up to Reading at once, and he said he would, and he also engaged a conveyance to bring him to the depot, and the sheriff arrived in Reading, as far as I know, at about five o'clock in the morning. I addressed the crowd at Seventh and Penn streets on Monday evening. The feeling seemed to be all one way among the persons who had gathered there. I approached Seventh and Penn with the police, in front of Breneiser's store, and I announced to the crowd to disperse. I appealed particularly to all good citizens to go to their homes so that we would know with whom we had to contend. My voice was loud, so that the people could hear me a considerable distance on Penn and Seventh.
I had no power to appoint persons on the police force or call out a posse. Made an effort to get two hundred and fifty men, but failed to get even two men. Found it difficult to get anybody. Persons who were asked, laughed and said they didn't want their heads shot off. The mayor left on Friday morning previous to the disturbance, when everything appeared to be quiet. The city charter, I believe, empowers the mayor to raise a posse the same as the sheriff. This power, I believe, can not be conferred upon the chief of police. Two hundred men, armed, would have done a great deal towards quelling the disturbance.
Q. Did you have any conversation with the men engaged in the riot, at any time?
A. I had, on Sunday—Sunday afternoon, the 22d of July.
Q. What complaints did they make?
A. They were talking about the Pittsburgh troubles, and that seemed to be all the go on Sunday, seemed to excite them, and they talked about it, and that was all that was done, so far as talking and exciting and gathering in crowds. I did go into one party, and they were talking over these troubles. In Pittsburgh, the riot was going on at the time, and I had said to them that they would be a great deal more thought of and respected by keeping out of difficulties of the kind, and attending to their business, than in gathering, and going into riots, and one party made the remark, "That was not bread and butter," and that seemed to be the feeling generally among the elements that were going around the streets, and gathering in crowds. The sympathy seemed to be considerably in favor of riot, on the Sunday and Monday, and it only commenced to turn about on Tuesday.
Q. What did they appear to complain of—set out as their grievance? Did they seem to have any particular thing?
A. No; they did not seem to say much on the matter, so far as that was concerned, as I know of, but the whole feeling seemed to originate from the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, and the feeling in the city of Reading was very strong in favor of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers; at least two thirds of the city, as near as I could calculate, they seemed to sympathize with the men's dispute between the company and themselves, and that feeling seemed to follow in reference to the troubles commencing here.
Q. Do you know what that dispute was?
A. As near as I understand, and so far as I was informed, the Philadelphia and Reading requested the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers that they would have to quit the organization called the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, and to apply to something similar of their own, which would be beneficial, and as much derived from it as what they would have received from their own, and that the company would not have them in their employ unless they complied with those terms. I heard that spoken of. I cannot say to that officially, because I don't know it. That seemed to be the general talk.
Q. Had there been a large number of them discharged by the company prior to this disturbance?
A. Well, they were all either discharged or else quit. I believe the men quit. I don't think there were any discharged. I believe the men all quit, that is, the engineers and firemen, and a great many brakemen quit, and I believe some conductors quit.
Q. Was it the engineers that had been discharged—the idle employés of the railroad here that first started this disturbance?
A. It appears so, that is, some parts of them—not all. There were some men of their brotherhood implicated in these troubles from the first start-out, others did not appear to have much to say or do as far as we know.
Q. What class of men, so far as you could judge, were engaged in the actual destruction of property, and burning of the bridge?
A. I have knowledge of two of the party that I had caused the arrest of. One of them was a railroad man employed by the company, and the other man had nothing at all to do with the railroad company, so far as I knew; who used to boat on the canal, and perhaps he would be brought into their employ in that way. I believe he was a boatman.
Q. Was this one employed by the railroad company at the time?
A. He was one of the men that quit the employ of the company.
Q. What in your judgment was the actual cause of the riot here?
A. I do not believe we would have had a riot in Reading, if the troubles had not started in Pittsburgh. That is my opinion of it, and I would judge to the best of my knowledge, and from what I know, that the troubles originated in this city from the dispute between the P. and R. engineers and the company. That seemed to be at the bottom of it, because some of their men participated in private meetings, held in this city previous to the outbreak which we knew of.
Q. And the news from the city of Pittsburgh from the outbreak there stimulated the movement?
A. That stimulated the movement, or give it a start. That seemed to start them up, and made them quite lively on having some disturbance.
Q. Do you know what the damage done to the railroad property was. What it was estimated at, including the bridge and the burning cars?
A. I can't say exactly; but it may have been—it was in the neighborhood of anywheres between $150,000, it may have been more, or a little less, may have gone probably about that. The loss of the bridge was somewheres in the neighborhood of $100,000. I believe there was some ten or twelve freight cars burned, and some cabooses burned. There were telegraph poles cut down, tracks burned up, engines damaged to some extent, and soon. The actual amount, of course, I am unable to say; but I suppose somewheres in the neighborhood of $150,000, may be less and may be more.
Q. I understood you to say that this bridge was on fire before you reached the place with your police?
A. Yes, sir; the party, when they made this start to go to the Lebanon Valley road from the depot, after they had the engine stop there, &c, and committed their depredations, they started out on the tracks going right from us, and they commenced setting the cars on fire right straight along. There were a number of freight cars standing between the Fifth street bridge, where the first cars had burned, and the Lebanon Valley bridge, and they had them set on fire, and they appeared to keep on right straight ahead, until the whole thing was in flames. There did not appear to be any disturbance we know of, in all that movement. It seemed to be a concocted and well understood plan.
Q. Was there any sympathy with the strikers manifested by any of your police force?
A. Well, I can't say about that. To the best of my knowledge there was not. They did not express this in my presence. If there was, I have no knowledge of them expressing themselves as being in sympathy with the rioters, that I heard of.
Q. Did you have any trouble in getting them to obey orders, or do anything you required of them to do to preserve the peace?
A. No, sir; they did just as I told them, I had no trouble whatever. They were willing to just obey any order that was given in the performance of their duty.
By Mr. Means:
Q. Do you know of any communication between the railroad employés of the city of Reading, and any of the railroad employés of the city of Pittsburgh during this strike?
A. No, sir; I do not. I have no knowledge at all on that subject.
Q. You said in your testimony, that had it not been for the troubles at Pittsburgh, you would not have had any trouble at Reading. Now I want to know how you know that?
A. The reason I know that, is owing to telegrams being brought here to the city of Reading, and posted on bulletin boards.
Q. To whom were those telegrams sent?
A. The telegrams I have referred to, were sent to the Eagle office, they were on the bulletin boards of the Eagle office.
Q. To the editor of the Eagle?
A. I can't tell who they were sent to, but I saw them on the bulletin boards.
Q. What was the import of those telegrams?
A. Well, they were about the trouble there, and about firing—the trouble in Pittsburgh, in a general way, showing a great deal of trouble, and fighting, and riot going on there.
Q. In short, those telegrams were to the effect that the rioters had possession of the railroad property at the city of Pittsburgh?
A. I believe that was about the way it worded, or something like that. I cannot say positively the exact wording of the telegram.
Q. I just want this for information?
A. Certainly, I understand, I will answer all questions.
Q. I just want to know this, that if there was an understanding—did you as an officer, in the absence of the mayor of the city of Reading, believe that there was an understanding between these rioters, in the city of Reading, and the city of Pittsburgh?
A. There may have been, but I do not know it. I have no knowledge of that at all. As regards any understanding between the parties here, and the parties in Pittsburgh, I do not know. The only reference I had in regard to the trouble in Pittsburgh, is, as I stated, that I believed that had it not been for the trouble there, the probability is, we might not have had any here, because the news coming here, seemed to stimulate the matter.
George S. Goodhart, recalled:
By Mr. Lindsey:
Q. State whether this is the testimony taken before you at the coroner's inquest held here in July last? [Indicating paper.]
A. It is; yes, sir; I took it down.
Q. You reduced it to writing yourself?
A. I did, myself.
Q. The witnesses here were all sworn?
A. Sworn.
Q. This is the testimony of John E. Wootten, as it was taken down by you? [Indicating.]