Report of the Committee Appointed to Investigate the Railroad Riots in July, 1877: Read in the Senate and House of Representatives May 23, 1878Pennsylvania. General Assembly. Committee Appointed to Investigate the Railroad Riots in July, 1877
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Report of the Committee Appointed to Investigate the Railroad Riots in July, 1877: Read in the Senate and House of Representatives May 23, 1878
Pennsylvania. General Assembly. Committee Appointed to Investigate the Railroad Riots in July, 1877
A. No, I was walking. When I got up there, they were dropping the cars
down to the cars that had already been set on fire--quite a crowd was
around. The burning of the cars appeared to have commenced. People were
passing with their arms full of dry goods and things of that kind. As
fast as the cars were dropped down, they were set fire to. Every few
minutes there would be a panic among them, and they would flee like
wolves or sheep, but seeing that there was no danger, they would come
back again. I remained there until three o'clock, and then walked to
the shops to see if everything was quiet there. After I got there, I
got a message from Colonel McKee, of the Oil City command, stating that
he was on his way, but had no ammunition. I telegraphed to General
Latta, and asked him where it could be got at some point on the road,
before reaching the city. I did not get any answer. The wires were
interrupted between the city and our place, and at four and a half
o'clock, I started down to Union depot, to hunt up General Latta.
Q. On Sunday morning?
A. Yes, sir; I met a great many people coming from the vicinity of the
Pennsylvania yards, all having more or less plunder. A great many of
them were in liquor. I got to Union depot, I believe, at six and a half
o'clock. I went up to General Latta, after getting to Union depot, and
he told me he had some ammunition, and would give me some after a bit,
for Colonel McKee's command. He appeared to be very much exercised over
the condition of the troops at the round-house at that time. A short
time after, Captain Breck came in and reported that General Brinton had
broken cover and started for the country. I think he told General Latta
and one or two others sitting in the hotel at the time. The general and
the captain went up stairs, and after that I did not see them. I
remained in the vicinity of our shops and the Union depot until twelve
o'clock Sunday, and then went up among the mob. I went to see what the
character of the crowd was, and to see if I knew any of them. There
appeared to me to be about seventy-five or one hundred and fifty men
that were organized. One man, particularly, I noticed with black
whiskers with a stick in his hand that appeared to be the leader. They
would go on and destroy a lot of cars and then meet apparently to
consult. He would wave his stick, the mob would follow, and do as he
directed. I saw them setting fire to the cars there. Such a hard
looking set of people I never saw before. I did not recognize anybody
that I had ever seen. Quite a number of them appeared to be in liquor.
They had cleaned out everything down as far as what is called the
"brewery switches."
Q. About what street is that?
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