The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1890-01-26
A REVOLVER FOR GAvEL.

REVOLVER FOR A GAvEL.
a Reminisccncs of IN. Placid Ante-lseliun
bays.
From the Omaha Bee.
Those wer. stirring days in the Nebras-
ka territorial legislature back i'm the six
ties. SAY from ls65 tn 1865, tine years i'm
which the capital removal scheme was
prccreated a second time in the minds of
the combination who finally succeeded in
the accomplishment of their designs.
The incipiency of this second removal
war-if I may bc allowed to so designate
it-had it's growth in the struggle between
the north and south Platte districts for a
rcapportionmcnt of their representation
in the legislature. At that time the south
Platte district had the largest population
but the lesser representation, and this in
equality was not long i'm kindling the
Numbering fires of cornbativencss within
the manly breasts of the ill-treated south
Platters. At this session w.
Otoe county, set the ball in mo-
ton in the upper house by the introduce
ton of a bill providing for "a more equit-
able apportionment of the North and
South Platte. Taylor made a determined
and vigorous fight for the cause he cs-
poused, but only tn meet with ignominous
defeat; his bill was killed deader than "a
door nail, il was then hough and laid
away on the shelf forever.
But like Banquo's wrath il would not
down, and during the session of 81
the question was again brought mp and
developed into one of the warmcst con-
tests within the history of the territory.
The South Platters were the aggrcssors,
but after all the preliminary steps had
been successfully taken they became
aware of the cogcnt contingency that in
" Sr =" nfnrsne f h;ii a,h carry Their
have some upport from north of the
Platte river.
After "A vast deal of fncsse and wire
milling. not unlike the. modern article. an
invasion was made upon the ranks of the
northern faction by the South Plattcrs.
who finally succeeded in getting the
promise of the votes of Jesse Davis, I'm
thank and Slater. the member from
M~ashinst@n county. ana also a partial
from Do 'ge. These recruits all proved
loyal, and with their votes and the solid
South Platte. together with the speaker,
W. +. Chaplin. the reapportionists felt
confident of passing their bill. In this.
however. they miscalcuiated. for when il
came to u vote the discovery was made
that they lacked one ballot to carry. and
even then il required the speakers vote to-
make il a tie.
Here was a deadlock and the scenes
that ollowed in the house was of the
most spirited and Interesting description.
Filibusterin2 was the order of the day, and
ON several occasions during the proceed
ings "A serious emeute among the oppos-
ing factions was imminent.
On every motion made by a member of
North Platte, Intended for the discomfit-
ure of the South, Speaker Chaplin would
Notf ~ u iatttT. AUu tnl- In.AtttsrS
stood, the reapportionists could do no bet
ter than tie on their bill. and for two days
the deadlock. with all its di-coriarit,
wrangling. populations and threatening
concomitants. continued. The members
staid right at their desks. all night and all
day. tine friends of the North PIatters-the
citizens of Omaha-brouyLt their meal.
to them. with sundry embellishments.
while the South Piatters We're left to hus-
tic for themselves, and "a serious time
they had securing enough To eat, let alon.
to drink.
Affairs were growing desperate. 1t was
obvious that something decisive must he
done. as both sides were becoming
wrought up to fever heat.
The North Platte delegation were loud
and boisterous, and had they had III. |
power end the horses they would have
ridden bodily over the opp ,sitiun. Like
ocratic central committee, eight years
ago, they claimed everything "exnitinply
and confidently" but the South Plattcrs
were not to be- routed.
IL SO happened at this time that Bceb..
a member knownto be favorable to the
South Platte movement. was absent. aud
this faction sent for him and determined to-
hold the fort until he came, or in the
event lie failed To- show up, 10 stay right
there. k C~asabianca. On the burning
deck. and die, true To their cause.
The North Piatters finally became .'red-
headed" at Speaker Chaplin aud deter
mined to have his scalp. They asserted
that the casting of his vote to the house
unprecedented in parliamentary
usage, aud they wouldn't stand II. and IL
he didn't know his business tn y'd take il
upon themselves To teach him. However.
Chaplin was as untiinching a. the pyramid
OF Cheops. He was calm aud diguitied
and neither could be coaxed or buliied.
In their desperation the North plattcrs
finally held "A secret caucus and resolved
to forcibly unseat the speaker, and fill his
place with a man of their own choice.
The South Platters became advised of
this move on the part of the opposition,
and at once began to devise ways and
means of frustrating il. Plan after plan
was suggested and rejected. and il finally
simmered down to the determination to
defend the speaker and their rights by IA
resort to arms.
Accordingly n number OF guns were Sc
cured, and the speaker showed one down
i'm his own h~ip-pocket.
The next morning the lobby was filled
with Omaha sympathizers, and from their
eager. expectant faces. il WINS plainly OH
vious that they were anticipating n circus.
The North Platters had selected two men,
one the noted Dan Parmalee, who after
wards "sgot" his maj at Papillion, and
another whose nance cannot he recalled at
this juncture. Those two men had been
selected for their courage. their resolu-
ton and fearless aRgressiveness and had
been ~deputiEed TO take Il initiative i'm
the ejectment of Speaker Chaplin from the
chair.
They had everything cut and dried.
Parmelee and his lieutenant were to
mount tho speakers stand just after Gus