Kristian Williams - Our Enemies in Blue - Police and Power in America

lar officer's ties to the local community.24 The Pennsylvania State Federation of Laborcalled for the organization's elimination and published a volume of evidence againstthe state police. Titled The American Cossack, the book collects witness statements,newspaper accounts, legislative debate, and other materiaL A typical story comesfrom S. P. Bridge of New Alexandria, Pennsylvania, dated February 21, 1911:Gentlemen:State Police came to New Alexandria July 31, 1910, Sunday. The StateConstabulary are of no use in this country to farmers or workingmen.They make all efforts to oppress labor.Six of them were stationed at this town for a period of two months forthe benefit of the coal company. Their duty was in and around the works.At the time they were here there was trouble between them and theminers. There was a camp located within two hundred feet of my house.There were three State Constabulary and two deputy sheriffs went intocamp. They rode their horses over men, women, and children. Theyused their riot clubs freely on the miners without cause or provocation.One of the men had to be sent to the hospital, one received a brokenarm, one woman was clubbed until she was laid up for two weeks ....They used their clubs on everyone that protested against their conductand I was an eye-witness to the affair.There were no lives lost and no one hurt before their arrival.The majority of citizens are not in favor of the Constabulary.I cannot see that anyone but the coal company is benefited by theConstabulary.Yours truly,S. P. Bridge.2'Another statement is unusual only for its source. Hugh Kelley, the chiefof police in South Bethlehem, wrote:When the constabulary arrived here, February 26, 1910, neither the burgessnor myself, as chief of police, were informed of their arrival. Theywere in charge of the sheriff.. .. They beat people standing peaceably onthe street; men were arrested and taken to the plant of the Steel Companyand there confined.They started out on our streets, beat down our people without anyreason, whatever, and they shot down an innocent man, Joseph Zambo,who was not on the street, but was in the Majestic Hotel. One of the troopersrode up on the pavement at the hotel door and fired two shots into theroom, shooting one man in the mouth and another (Zambo) through thehead .... There was no disturbance of any kind at this hotel, the Majesticwas the headquarters of the leaders who were conducting the strike ....Troopers went into the houses of people without warrant and searchedthe inmates, drove people from their own doorsteps. They beat an oldman, at least, sixty years of age. Struck him with a riot stick and left himin a very bad condition.This is only one of a dozen similar cases. 2 6The law creating the Pennsylvania State Constabulary intended the newbody "as far as possible, to take the place of the police now appointed at therequest of various companies."27 It is hard to think of a more literal description oftheir role. Whereas strikers had previously had their heads cracked by guards in109