Q. As soon as the police began making arrests, the citizens took the matter into their own hands, and the destruction ceased?
A. Yes; and that is what convinced me that a posse of twenty policemen could have prevented the destruction. But at any time during Saturday night, if a police officer had gone into the crowd to arrest a man, the mob would have interfered with him—I am satisfied of that.
By Mr. Lindsey:
Q. When you told those persons to stop setting fire, did they obey your orders?
A. On Saturday night they paid no attention, but they didn't interfere with me.
Q. You asserted your authority as far you could?
A. As far as I could, and they respected my authority when I asserted it resolutely. Then they gave way. I went to Allegheny to try to summon a posse comitatus, but I found it collected, and I then repaired to the mayor's office, in Allegheny, and took part with them for the protection of our city. In our city, I may say, that no destruction occurred. The railroad men took possession of the railroad property there. I think they took possession first on Thursday evening. Nothing was destroyed. The railroad men—those I conversed with—said that they had determined to protect the railroad property against any mob.
By Mr. Larrabee:
Q. What did they say was their object in taking possession of the railroad property?
A. Well—my office seems to be a general receptacle for persons of diverse opinions. Some of these railroad men came to me with their complaints. I was told their grievances, and that their purpose was merely the restoration of the ten per cent. reduction.