Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1875-01-13


of the yeas aud nays, but here mors
than fifty members demanded the cal
on the election of Speaker and II wa,
denied.
Wilt was then, on motion, declared
the temporary Speaker, and the per
manent organization was commenced
But IL was shown that, under the Con
stitution and laws of Louisiana, there
could be 40 such thing as a temporary
Speaker.
At this iuncture Mr.. Matthews nom.
mated Mr.. Lowell as Speaker, and
from his seat ON the floor, put the mo-
ton aud declared Lowell, a Republic
can, elected, but he refused to take the
chair because the act would he Just as
illegal as that of Wilt. Fierce denun-
Citations and frenZied clamor ensued
in the midst OF which, and above the
roar of other threats, rose the voice OF
Wilt, from the Speakers chair, pro-
claiming by the God in Heaven,
you Republicans can not drive us from
this hall, or swerve us from our pur-
pose"
Lowell said that the Republicans
had, in caucus, decided upon Mr..
Hahn for Speaker, and he moved that
the vote be taken on his election.
Wilt ordered the clerk to call the roll
and decide whether himself or Hahn
should be Speaker. Previous to this
five Democratic members had been
sworn III, who were not returned by
the Returning Board, so that the
| Democrats were sure of electing Witt
and could afford to call the roll.
| The Republicans were advised not
to answer to their names.
One colored member pressed a ques>
ton of privilege. When told to sit
down by Wilt he declined, and this
so enraged Wilt that his hand flew to
| the neighborhood of his cOat-tail,
where revolvers are usually kept. The
members accused Wilt OF putting his
hand in his pocket as though to draw
his pistol, and this Wilt did not deny.
In fact he looked as though he wanted
to shoot every Republican in the room.
At the same time the hands of fifty
Democratic members were ready to
aid Wilt.
MIR. HAHN,
! by consent, while the roll was being
called, addressed the House, making
cOnciliatOry speech. He denounced
the action of the Democrats, and said
that, by such acts of violence and
fraud, they were driving away the
support of all good men; that such il
legal deeds had brought down, to in
vestigate them, since reconstruction,
five Congressional Committees, one of
which was then on the floor, witness
rs of their degradation. He protested
against the Democratic coup d'ctat.
The Clerk announced
wILTZ ELECTED SPEAKER
by IA majority of fifty-two-tifty-eigh
voting. The oath was then admins,
tered to Wilt, as Permanent Chair
man. The members were then re-
quested to come forward, 10y threes,
and be sworn. Nearly all the Repub~
licans started To leave the hall, refu-
sing to be sworn. The Sergeants-at-
Arms were directed to prevent any
persons from leaving The lobby was
divided from the floor of the House by
high railing, beyond which was the
door. Outside the rafting were many
policemen, who endeaVOied to aid the
Republicans in clambering over it,
while the Sergeants endeavored to stay
their exit There were about three
members trying to get out to every
Sergeant, and hence nearly all the Re
publicans escaped, although the Ser
geants succeeded in holding on to
about II dozen. During these proceed
ings
BLoODsHED WAS FEABFULLY IMSt,
NEST.
The lobby, fifty feet wide by twenty
deep, was packed with citizens, no.
licemen, members. and Sergeants. In
the struggle to keep the members and
others in, arms were drawn, and, at
one time, u small forest of revOlverS
and knives waved above the heads of
the contestants. The pressure of "A
finger upon a trigger would have pre-
cipitated fight, and it appalls one to
think of the result,
NO STAGE EVER SHOWED A MORE
THRILLING SITUATION.
Revnlvers and the knives down here
are not welded III vain, and at their
appearance the lobby went out in a
surge. Half the members, too, lodged
behind their seats, while several res
porters found shelter under tables.
Your correspondent is proud to say
that he believes that if the Louisiana
Legislature could re-enact that scene
every day, it would pay TO hire them
at s. 600 day, and take them North
for exhibition. The proprietor of this
show would get rich in a week.
TROOPS SUMMONED.
WIZ left his chair and went down
to quiet the disturbance He returned
auu, on motion, appointed a commits
tee of three to cali upon Gen. De Tro-
BRAND, the commander of the United
States troops, TO come to the legislative
chamber and preserve order. Wilt
called upon Captain of Police Dawler
to assist the Sergeants-at-arms with
his forces in preserving order aud
clearing the lobby. Tumultuous cheers
rung out from the Democratic mem
bers when Gen. De TrObriand shortly
after entered the hall, aud
MARCHED WITH CLAIMING SWORD
up the central aisle, followed by his
Adjutant. He addressed Wilt, as
Speaker, and desired to know why he
had been sent for. Wilt wished him
to preserve order among the members
and those In the gallery, and desired
that he clear the lobby. De TrObriand
asked if there were no other means by
which to protect the body and if Wilt,
as Speaker, desired soldiers introduced
infp the hall