Q. This appointment of this committee was with a view of trying to stop the arson and riot by peaceable measures?
A. Conciliation—yes. Our effort with the railroad authorities was based upon previous efforts to dissociate the rioters from the strikers, and remove that cause of complaint, and the only proposition that was made was whether they could make any proposition.
Q. Did you report back to the citizens' meeting?
A. We started for the citizens' meeting. We arrived shortly before its close, but for what reason, I could not understand, our chairman made no report. Probably because there was nothing to report—nothing that had been done, or could be done.
Q. How soon after you came back was it before the citizens began to organize into companies for the purpose of protection?
A. Almost within half an hour. While we were standing on the verge of the assembled crowd, they began to form in line, and march to the city hall. I remember the person who headed the column.
Q. Were these companies armed that night?
A. They were armed when they reached the city hall.
Q. With what?
A. With muskets, as I understood, taken from the armory of the university, as I was afterwards told, without ammunition.