The Homestead Poisoning Plot.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 7081, 1 March 1893, Page 2

The Homestead Poisoning Plot.

CONFESSION OF THE POISONER.

PITTSBURG, Jaw. 16.

The trial of Hugh Dempsey, the Labour leader, and of the men Davidson and Beatty, who are charged with the poisoning of the non-unionist workmen at Homestead, was continued here to-day. Several witnesses who were called testified to the illness of the men, and various medical men described their treatment of these men. Patrick Gallagher, the self-confessed poisoner, gave bis testimony in a calm manner. He said, ‘ I know Demp* soy,* pointing to the prisoner in the dock. “ I saw him last August in the hall of the Knights of Labour, when both Beatty and Davidson were with me. Beatty addressed Dempsey and said ; “ These are the two men ” Dempsey then turned to Davidson and me and said : ‘ You know what we want.’ We replied that we knew A little about, it. Dempsey said, 'We want to make the men in Homestead Mill sick.’ Beatty suggested the use »f croton oil, and Davidson and I replied that we would use it Dempsey then said that powders bad been used in breaking the street oar strike at Chicago, and that if we would use these powders at Home* stead the drug would make the men ill and break the strike in ten days. He moreover, guaranteed the payment of fifty dollars to each of us, and told us to get work at the mill. I first met Beatty on the previous day, when I was talking with a man named M*Kenna. Beatty accosted us. and asked if we wanted to goto Homestead to do a special job, which he explained was to dose the men working there, and said there wore two or three dollars a day in it for us. M’Kenna bad got a jab on board a boat, and I was told Beatty would try to get another man to take bis. place. Davidson and I met Beatty the next morning, when we went to see Dempsey- I got a job as second cook at the mill on August 30 Before entering on my duties Dempsey told me that he would furnish me with the powders to put in the food, and stated that they were often used to waakeo prize-fighters, that it was impossible to analyse tb»m, and that a Chicago man was to furnish them. I got the first three packets of powder on September 7 or 8 from Dempsey, who intimated to mo how I was to use (hem. The powder was of a dark yellow hue. On the following day I put the first packet into thirty gallons of soup, aud on the second and third day I put the two remaining packets into thirty gallons of tea. 1 then got nine packets of the powder from Demp* sey. I left work on October 18, up to which date I got thirty powders from Dempsey, but never received any money direct from him.” The testimony of this witness, however, went to show that be was paid indirectly by Demusey, who also e dorsed Davidson’s bill. Dempsey, be said, suggested to him that if compelled be should go into court and swear point blank that he did not know him (Dempsey). Dempsey similarly would swear that be had never seen Gallagher. That witness on being cross-examined said that Derr psey told him that a fool bad seen him who wanted to go to Homestead and kill the men. Davidson and he (witness) refused to have anything to do with the scheme if it were dangerous to life.