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. They dispersed the crowd by the firing, and as soon as I got out, I
went down to my office, at Twenty-sixth street. I there found General
Pearson, and I reported to Mr. Cassatt what had been done. He was
talking to General Pearson, and General Pearson was writing telegrams
to General Latta at the Union depot. Then General Pearson and General
Brinton were discussing what to do next, and whether Twenty-eighth
street was a proper position for them to take, or to go up the hill or
to come into the shops--what they had best do with the men. General
Pearson was telegraphing for orders. They decided they would come into
the shops, in order to get under shelter. The crowd was congregated
around my office, and around the shops. General Pearson told me he
would stay there, and as he had had nothing to eat that day, asked if I
would send up some provisions: I told him I would go down to the Union
depot and send all the provisions I could. So Mr. Cassatt and myself
went to the Union depot, and I tried to get provisions up to the
soldiers, but they were all confiscated by the crowd before they got
any. I then went up to the room where General Latta and staff were. All
this time the drums were beating, and crowd after crowd was moving up
toward Twenty-sixth street. Mr. Cassatt said we were powerless to do
anything, and directed me, or rather relieved me altogether of any--he
said I had no business in Pittsburgh. All the time, during Friday and
Saturday, one after another had come to me and said I had better leave.
At the Union depot, they had got a report that I had given the order
for the troops to fire. They had a coffin and a rope for General
Pearson. All these reports were spreading about. Numbers of people told
me to leave, and Mr. Cassatt directed me to leave. I afterwards left in
company with Mr. Watt and Mr. Cassatt.
Q. Where did you go?
A. We loafed around the outskirts, and then went to Blairsville and
reported, and made our head-quarters there at the Blairsville
intersection. There I remained until I received word from Mr. Garrett
that some of the old men wanted to see me to see if the matter could
not be arranged, and to see if the trains could not be moved.
Q. When was it that you received that word?
A. On Tuesday. I was informed that some of the old men wanted to see
me, and had other messages that I should come, and I came down to
Pittsburgh.
By Mr. Lindsey:
Q. Did you meet any of the men?
A. I met the men.
Q. To what number?
A. About eight or ten.
Q. What proposition did they make?
A. None. On Friday a committee of the men met me, making a certain
proposition.
Q. You did not meet them until Friday after you came back?
A. I mean I met them the Friday of the trouble. I told them I could not
possibly send such a paper to Mr. Scott. Then this other committee met
me on Wednesday after I came back. I met that committee, and instead of
what I expected, they brought out the old proposition.
By Senator Reyburn:
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